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It’s always nice to go to a bookstore, grab a book of logo designs, sit down, inhale that new-book smell and absorb the goodness. But knowing where all of these designs, fonts and creative elements have come from is also good. In this article, we look at modern art movements and a series of diverse logos inspired by those movements. You may be surprised by how easily these colors, shapes and strokes can be adapted to logo design. Have a look, see how logo design works and maybe even draw inspiration for your own creativity.Bauhaus

J. Schmidt, BauhausIn 1919, the Bauhaus school was founded in Weimar Germany. More of a lifestyle than a school, Bauhaus was based on the static rules of Art Deco. One basic idea of the Bauhaus was to remove everything superfluous and break a design down to its essential elements. This static minimalism changed everything and can still be found in design today, such as in the logos of Faboo Taboo and Axion.

Kandinsky, On White II. Paul Klee, Castle and Sun.From an artistic standpoint, Bauhaus shares elements with Russia’s constructiveness movement in its simplicity and boldness. According to the aesthetic, designs should be simple, daring, bold and uncomplicated. These designs stick out in your mind because of their lack of ornamentation and beautiful, brutal simplicity. Red and black are favored colors; some goofing around in Illustrator should yield the right washed-out shades. For inspiration, look at Wes Anderson’s films, especially The Royal Tenenbaums, which make extensive use of Bauhaus’ Futura font and have a modernist aesthetic.Art Deco

A.M. Cassandre, PivoloArt Deco began parallel to Bauhaus in the 1920s but originated in Paris. Both schools share an elegance of form, sparsity of material and strength of color. Art Deco is distinguished for its stylized representation of shapes. Art Deco artists seemed to use the geometric rules of architecture. One of those artists was A. M. Cassandre, who became popular for his logo design for Yves Saint Laurent. His poster design Pivolo is highly representative of Art Deco. The aesthetic has been adopted by Miau and Machine for their corporate identities.

Tamara de Lempicka, The Musician. Michael Kungl, Americana Deco Coffee.Principal elements here are a celebration of geometry and a near-fetishization of the machine. Pay particular attention to big sweeping curves, which have a luxurious quality to them. Art Deco reached its nadir in the 1920s and shares that era’s opulence and wastefulness. Designs share the Bauhaus school’s fascination with form but celebrates form as a means to a “new” aesthetic, rather than trying to reconcile it with function. Art Deco’s most lasting influences can be found in grandiose architecture and industrial design, so look to New York City’s Rockefeller Center, Chicago’s Mather Tower and the paintings of Tamara de Lempicka.Blaxploitation

Superfly posterBlaxploitation was an American movie genre that had its heydey in the 1970s, with movies like Coffy, Foxy Brown and Shaft. Accompanied by funky music by such artists as Isaac Hayes and Curtis Mayfield, the movies brought a new lifestyle to the black community, one that encouraged black empowerment and love, backed by soulful, funky beats. This culture can be found not just in movies but in music and fashion and even diverse logo designs, such as this one by Form.

The Sugar Hill and Cotton Comes to Harlem posters.The blaxploitation aesthetic seen here was typical of 1970s poster design. It featured large sweeping letters that favored aesthetic and form over readability: a stark contrast to European designs of the same era, which favored minimalism and functionality. In your own designs, use bright lively colors for the base, and add a washed-out effect to deafen the colors and give it that vintage look.Dadaism

Theo van Doesburg, Kleine Dada SoiréeDadaism, also known as Dada, was founded in 1916 by diverse artists in Switzerland and Germany. The idea was to explicitly reject “conventional” art and genres. To put it bluntly: destroy and rebuild! This provocative aesthetic was a revolt against art by the artists themselves. This irony still exerts a big influence on design and art. These two logos evoke Dadaism in all respects by destroying something and rebuilding it completely new.

Hannah Höch, Cut with the Dada Kitchen Knife through the Last Weimar Beer-Belly Cultural Epoch in Germany. Marcel Duchamp, Fountain.What is Dada? Dada is adad? Dada? Adadadaa? What is Dada? Dada is nonsense, an unstable, poorly defined morass of liberalism and irrationality. Dada is deconstruction run wild, and Dadaists do not worry about what is or is not Dada. Dadaists originally theorized that such a world that could descend into the mindless violence of World War I ought to have an art that reflected this state of irrationality. Is art not an imitation of life? What is life but death? Dada questioned all established convention and the very origins of design. Why is an eye an eye? What makes an eye? At what point do we stop recognizing an eye as an eye? Why is a “G” a “G” and a “6″ a “6″? This deconstruction and arduous critical examination is what yields a truly Dada result. But what is a result? Who is to say what your result is? I have to go lie down now.Hard-Edge Painting

Frank Stella, Agbatana IIIHard-Edge painting was a contemporary art genre popular in the 1960s, best represented by the American artist Frank Stella. As the name implies, the genre is about planned, simple forms and stripes that contribute to an overall colorful picture. This polychromism and color intensity, as done by Frank Stella, can be found in diverse logo designs today, such as Optik: Split Stitch Division.

Richard Anuszkiewicz, Temple of the Radiant Yellow. Theo van Doesburg, Counter-Composition V.Harsh angles in art, as a semiotic shorthand for conflict, has existed for centuries, but only during the 20th century did it assume its status as an artistic tool in the new abstract painting schools. Stella, among others, adopted Hard-Edge as a reactionary style against east-coast America’s abstract expressionism in the 1960s. Where abstractionists preached free expression of emotion and impulse as an art, the hard-edgers practiced a highly impersonal, extremely purposeful style of painting. The alienation of the viewer forces a critical appraisal of the work, similar to Brecht’s “Verfremdungseffekt,” or distancing effect. To force such an effect, the designer must put design above purpose. Design for the sake of art is a nearly foreign concept because it violates the rule that corporate design must raise awareness of the brand. Design that puts art first alienates the consumer, who then approaches the work with a critical eye, as they would for a Hard-Edge painting.Light Painting

Picasso, Vase of FlowersPablo Picasso and photographer Gjon Mili might be the first Light painters in history. Picasso’s self-portrait in 1949 opened new doors in the world of modern art. To create this special effect in this Light painting, Picasso chose a dark room and diverse light sources, along with the help of the longer exposure time of photo cameras. By moving the light, Picasso created mind-blowing images, which could serve as great inspiration for logos. Use lines side by side to build objects, letters and even words.

Cenci Goepel and Jens Warnecke, Untitled. Vicki da Silva, Obama Hope at the End of the Tunnel.Light painting is like graffiti and theater mashed up. The spirit is of street art, with the freedom to make anything a canvas. The ephemeral nature of the execution comes from performance art: while the process can be documented, it can never really be accurately recreated. The aesthetic elements are easy enough to emulate in Illustrator, but the real appeal comes from channeling the spirit of Light painting. While it would take some effort, animating a static logo would make it a real attention-getter.African Art

Masson Magalie, MassaisEarly African artists created beautiful sculptures, mostly out of wood. That canvas did them little service, because the climate and elements made the sculptures susceptible to termites and other vermin. This makes any African art older than 150 years very rare. The art was influenced by native African myths, celebrations and rituals. The world of ancestors and gods is kept alive in this artwork. That’s why artists mainly used masks and figures, which protected people against diseases and evil spirits. The artistic approach is deeply spiritual, and its forms can be applied to logos and corporate designs.

Fronty Aurelia, Au Marche. Obote Jerome, African Tunda.To channel the aesthetic of African tribal art, use heavy abstraction to create simple, effective shapes that catch the eye. Abstraction and bright colors are key. Conversely, you could scale back the abstraction and use natural, familiar shapes that evoke African art. Something as familiar as a woman’s profile can take on additional layers of meaning when they are given colors and patterns common to African culture.Art Nouveau

Alphonse Mucha, JobArt Nouveau is an artistic movement from the late-19th and early-20th century. The school originated in Europe, particularly Germany, where it was interpreted differently, depending on the area. Broad similarities remained, though: decoratively curved lines and floral ornamentation. Both are timeless elements that can be found in many designs today.

Aubrey Beardsley, The Peacock Skirt. Alphonse Mucha, Bieres De La Meuse.Art Nouveau at its peak was not merely a style but a way of life, encompassing architecture, clothing, painting, sculpture, even furniture. For your own logo, you can bring in the incredibly intricate details and textures and the thick full-bodied line work. The movement borrowed heavily from Japanese woodcut design in its ornamentation and execution, so the work of Hokusai and Utamaro will give you some thematic elements. Art Nouveau originated partially as a rejection of Gothic revivalism’s cluttered pattern work, so remember not to go overboard with your ornate floral decorations and patterns.Cubism

Pablo Picasso, Figure au Corsage RayéAlong with Georges Braque, Pablo Picasso might be one of the most popular modern artists in this genre, which he turned into a milestone in visual art at the beginning of the 20th century. Like Dada, Cubism was a particular critique of traditional art forms. Abstract perspectives were added, inspired by distant epochs and primitive cultures. Cubism was a new attempt to create harmony and unity in two dimensions. The “Cubist Coffee House” is obviously an heir to this movement.

Georges Braque, Woman With Guitar. Juan Gris, Still Life with Fruit Dish and Mandolin.Cubists were originally interested in the power that simple designs could exert in art, in contrast to Europe’s traditional ornamental art. Perhaps the most radical element to remain conscious of is the absence of “perspective.” One challenge will be to find your inspiration; Cubist Coffee mashes up a face with a coffee cup: an effective decision. One of the most controversial elements of early Cubism was some of the grotesque faces that evoked African masks. These exaggerated features were a hallmark of Cubism. Moreover, the interplay between elements—a core aspect of Synthetic Cubism—will further strengthen your logo’s association with this style. Your aim is a sort of detachedness in technique, resulting in grotesque, exaggerated forms.Pop Art by Roy Lichtenstein

Hopeless and That*s the Way.Aside from Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein was the most popular representative of the genre known as Pop Art, which originated in the 1980s. His style, reminiscent of classic newspaper comics, was truly groundbreaking. In the early 1960s, Lichtenstein began to experiment with this form, which unexpectedly exploded into a full-blown movement. The “lowbrow” style makes for a distinctive image and is a good way for a company to get attention.

Whaam and Drowning Girl.Lichtenstein’s Pop Art was different from Warhol’s in that it celebrated the commercial designer and focused on art that we’re already familiar with and ignore. These are works we automatically recognize and take for granted. And just what are we as a society taking for granted? This critical examination of everyday art and design in the vein of Duchamp solicits more than a nod of recognition. The simple, fast and effective communication practiced by commercial designers and artists is strongly codified, and these logos channel these conscious and unconscious levels. A familiar “Click” logo is made more powerful and memorable by comic art’s ubiquity among consumers.Pop Art by Andy Warhol

Marilyn Monroe and Marilyn.No one has missed Andy Warhol’s polychromatic Marilyn Monroe portraits. For years, Warhol created variations on the theme that influenced not only art but the fashion world in innumerable ways. We can’t be surprised that this style is still an inspiration for simple, effective corporate designs.

Campbell’s Soup I and Zebra.Warhol famously refused to analyze his own works in public. He suggested that any meaning of his work should be obvious from the outset. The Marilyn Diptych was originally thought to be a commentary on the life and death of the actress, though the more colorful “life” half is remembered better. Don’t just create simple color squares; choose instead subtle variations. Something as minor as a rounded corner or adjustment in shape can speak volumes to your audience, though it’s ultimately up to them to figure out what it means.Tibetan Art

Chenrezig, Tibetan ThangkaTibetan art is a great source of inspiration. The centuries-old culture of Tibet has its own icon, such as the Mudra hand gesture, which represents happiness and shows respect to the gods. The lotus flowers represent purity and fertility and represents also the “Chakra,” which consists of the seven elements in Tibetan myth. A semiotic approach to logo design implementing Tibetan designs and motifs will show your company’s deeper appreciation of spiritual matters.

Gordon Wiltsie, Buddhist Painting Inside the Jokhang Temple in Lhasa, Tibet. An Important Tibetan Thang.ka Depicting Bkra.Shis.Dpal.Tibetan spiritualism is renowned worldwide, and you’d be remiss not to tap into this goldmine of deities, myths and symbols. Traditional Tibetan art is rife with angry gods and harsh brutal symbols, so reconcile it with modern Buddhist understanding by reducing the elements to their most recognizable aspects. For example, lotus flowers (representing purity) and the various Mudra hand gestures are extremely well-known elements of Buddhism and Tibet in particular. Use these elements as you would use Western symbols, to communicate your design.SummaryWhen creating your designs, look anywhere and everywhere for inspiration.The further you look from your industry, the more original your designs will be.Don*t be afraid of where you draw inspiration from. Paul Rand said it best: “Don’t try to be original. Try to be good.”Modern art can provide a lifetime*s worth of inspiration for design.For a more original design, draw on abstract elements from various images; such as the color from one image, line work from another and composition from yet another.Other ResourcesLiterally hundreds of renowned movements fall under the umbrella of modern art. Learning about these movements is not just fun but brings new life and perspectives to your work.Wikipedia: Modern Art For an extensive list of modern art movements, start on Wikipedia.Pop Art Survey A Smashing Magazine survey of famous pop artists, and a great place to get started with reference material.Bauhaus Survey A Smashing Magazine survey of the Bauhaus movement, and a great place to get started with reference materialVital Tips for Effective Logo Design If you’re just getting started with logo design, this post is a great starting point to turn your favorite modern art piece into a quality logo.Taschen Books Unfortunately, not a whole lot of quality modern art is easily accessible online. Your best bet is to buy some cheap art books from your local bookstore. Taschen is a good publisher to start with if you*re having trouble at the bookstore.Google Images If you*re broke or don*t want to buy books, type in a movement you like into Google ImagesModern Art Infographic Check out this awesome visual timeline of the origins of modern art.Modern Art Timeline An interactive timeline of modern art, with in-depth information on many movements and artists.About the AuthorMoritz Schürmann is a contributing editor of Freshbump.com, Formatmag.com and Collect3d.com.(al)© Daniel Eckler for Smashing Magazine, 2010. | Permalink | Be the first to comment | Add to del.icio.us | Digg this | Stumble on StumbleUpon! | Tweet it! | Submit to Reddit | Forum Smashing Magazine Post tags: art, bauhaus

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2009 was a very successful year for Smashing Magazine. It was a year of ambitious goals and an intense time schedule, which brought many changes over the past year. In 2009 we published more posts than ever (on average, 8 posts per week). We broadened our areas of interest: for instance, we explored freelancing and the business side of web development, but also tackled user interface design and mobile web design. We also discovered new formats, such as the “Global Web Design” series and Q&A-Sessions — unfortunately, the latter (the Ask SM series with Chris Coyier) lasted only a couple of months.

None of this would have been possible without the tremendous support of our authors, contributors, and editorial staff. We express sincere gratitude to them for all the ideas and hard work they’ve put into articles published here on Smashing Magazine. We also want to thank you, the readers, for your attention, criticism, ideas, suggestions, emails, tweets, and links over the past year. Smashing Magazine is driven by your support which is why we are always listening to you and we truly appreciate every message we receive.We have tried our best to improve the quality of our articles so as to increase their value for designers and developers. In this post, we’ll review what has happened on Smashing Magazine over the past year: smashing highlights, setbacks, and small sensations of 2009 — which we present in a month by month timeline. You can compare the highlights of 2009 with those of 2008 or 2007 (which, by the way, include links to some really useful articles).JanuaryThe year starts with a rather lengthy post 100 (Really) Beautiful iPhone Wallpapers which actually doesn’t gain a lot of attention in January, but gains traffic significantly throughout the year. We start gathering material for this ultimate collection of iPhone wallpapers in early December and four writers help by selecting the most useful resources and the most beautiful wallpapers.

By far the most popular article of the month is Web Design Trends For 2009. We carefully examine what’s happening on the web in 2008 and came up with a couple of trends that we think will appear in the web design landscape in 2009. Some of our predictions turn out to be correct. And yes, we’re already preparing a similar post for 2010.

FebruaryIn February, Paul Boag reveals 10 Harsh Truths About Corporate Websites. His article seems to speak from the heart of thousands of designers and developers. The article gets positive feedback and we even receive tweets from two corporate site owners who agree to keep the key points of the article in mind for future redesigns.

Also, Alexander Makarov takes a couple of work days off, tests 9 popular PHP IDEs, and presents a very detailed review of popular PHP IDEs in the article The Big PHP IDE Test: Why Use One And Which To Choose. He also prepares an extensive spreadsheet for public review. An editable version is available as well (we hope that other developers will voluntarily add reviews to other IDEs), however we are forced to close editing because of vandalism.

February is also a busy month for us and our readers. We announce a Hardware Giveaway with almost 9000 comments — more comments than WordPress can handle at the time. Newer versions of WordPress offer comment pagination – probably added for that reason. We also announce the Smashing Book— our most important project in 2009. As you may know, there was a long road leading up to its final release in early December.MarchIn March, we get technical. We publish articles related to Ruby On Rails, MySQL, Subversion, and PHP. The latter is a first-ever rebuttal of one of our previous articles; it’s written by PHP gurus Chris Shiflett and Sean Cotes. They take a closer look at the previously published article, explain its errors and reveal what is right and wrong in its theory and practice. From this point on, we consider getting experts to technically review articles before they’re published.The most popular post of the month is 70 New, Useful AJAX and JavaScript Techniques, prepared by Noura Yehia. We get back to our roots, to the good old days when we picked the best coding and design-related resources and present them in a well-researched round-up. Although many people have criticized the “list” article format, most readers still find such round-ups useful, so we continue publishing them. Over the course of the year we pushed lists back a bit, trying to publish more unique and thought-provoking content.

The most controversial inspirational post of the month is definitely Bizarre Surreal and Dark Art Pictures, prepared by Aquil Akhter. The post doesn’t seem to leave anyone unaffected; some readers hate it, some readers love it, and it brings a large spike in traffic.

This month we also announce the Smashing Community Icon Set where we ask readers what icons they need with plans to design the icons together with a professional icon design agency, then release them for free. Unfortunately, the winner — portfolio icon set — is still not ready (the design agency is working on some nifty features), but we hope to finally release the set in early 2010.AprilIn March we start discussing with Jacob Gube what would be an interesting twist for April’s Fools Day and we come up with a nice idea. As a result, we publish Jacob Gube’s article Breaking: Internet Explorer 8.1 Eagle Eyes Leaked. The article takes a look at the new version of Internet Explorer and claims that it has Mozilla Firefox extensions support, excellent performance against the Acid 3 test, and a server-side code decompiler. The news spreads across social media and the article gets a nice traffic spike through StumbleUpon.

In April, Rob Morris presents 5 Simple Tricks To Bring Light and Shadow Into Your Designs. In general, April turns out to be one of the best months of the year. We publish 47 articles related to very different topics (freelancing, graphics design, typography, CSS, conversion rates, logo design) and thus manage to cover a wide variety of topics — resulting in much positive feedback. Many readers, however, complain that we publish too often, so in the following months we begin to publish at a more moderate pace.

MayMay turns out to be a practical month. We re-discover round-ups with very useful resources. We publish a round-up of useful glossaries, the ultimate general guide to industry terms that should get our readers well on their way to understanding what web designers are talking about. We also discuss ways to put your content in front of more people.

The most popular posts of the month are graffiti artworks and Free WordPress Themes for 2009. Inspirational posts work well, but the appetite of our readers is growing. Over the coming months we begin to see a rise of resistance against inspirational posts which are labeled “lazy content”. We listen and do our best to improve the quality of inspirational posts while reducing the number of such posts and making room for more practical articles.

JuneJune turns out to be a time for experiments. Because we observe a large number of Mac-users in our stats, we decide to publish a couple of Mac-related posts. We started slowly in May, and continued in June with Exposé tips and tweaks for your Mac. However, in the articles we’re not just praising Mac. As it turns out, if you want some traffic and discussions on your blog, banter Apple, its products, or fans. We do it and the article Why Web Developers Don*t Need A Mac gets 655 comments. However, focusing articles on Mac is not a good idea — the feedback is very negative. After June we focus on more general design-related topics and let the Windows-Mac debate rest in peace.

The most remarkable posts of the month are Inayaili de Leon’s challenge to take your design to the next level with CSS3 and Gareth Hardy’s discussion of common mistakes in logo design. One of the most useful posts of the year is Cameron Chapman’s round-up of web design checklists and questionnaires which performs fairly well in terms of traffic and user feedback.

In general, through the first six months of the year, CSS-related articles perform best. We notice this and start looking for more professional CSS/JS-developers who have time for writing. We also intensify our cooperation with our current writers. The results are seen in the months to come.JulyJuly is another month with a wide variety of design-related topics. Our advanced readers learn about clever PNG optimization techniques. The most-discussed article of the month is The Roadmap To Becoming A Professional Freelance Web Designer. We start to get more requests for freelance-related topics, ranging from pricing to organization to project management. We carefully write down the most promising ideas and assign topics to regular and new authors.

We try to take our inspirational posts to a new level, making them more extensive and less random. Our first result is Diogo Terror’s article about Lessons From Swiss Style Graphic Design. The article goes to extreme lengths explaining various techniques from the time as well as showcasing beautiful Swiss style artworks. Unfortunately, very few readers appear to be interested. Although the article takes a couple weeks to prepare, the traffic is very low and it gets just 75 comments.

We present the results of our Typographic Layout Design Contest in which we aim to collect beautiful typographic (X)HTML+CSS-based layouts created by the design community and release them for free. The response is overwhelming and we release 45 free typographic (X)HTML/CSS templates. Unfortunately, this is the last contest we offer in 2009. But no worries, new contests are coming in 2010!AugustIn August we present the findings of our large study of typographic design practices in modern web design. We identify 13 general typographic problems and issues related to typographic design and present answers to them that we found through our research. Among other things, we discover the most popular typefaces, average font sizes, line height, and the number of characters per line. The study is extremely time-consuming, but we don’t care. The results are very useful and that’s what really matters.

We publish a quite controversial article If Famous Graphic Artists Were Web Designers… in which our author Francisco Inchauste explores inspirational paintings and artists who have influenced modern design. The article gains a lot of attention and instigates some rough discussions in the comments to the post.

We explain how to code your first HTML 5 layout and your first iPhone application. And, of course, we publish probably the most bizarre post ever: Unique TV Series Episodes That Inspire Creativity, written by Louis Lazaris. It’s a review of how particular TV episodes were different from what came before, and how this can serve as motivation for future designs. The article doesn’t make sense for some readers, but most are quite intrigued, which is a good sign.SeptemberSeptember starts unpleasantly for Smashing Magazine. We are under siege. Someone attempts to infiltrate our main server and manages to manipulate some HTML data. The consequence: a new server (we moved from a cluster to the cloud), a new internal security policy (which still causes some problems for us and appears to be a bit too restrictive), secure FTP and, of course, more costs.

We need a little time to recover, but get back on track quite quickly. We follow the attack with a few involved, thought-provoking articles: in the article CSS Wishlist: New Ideas, Debates and Solutions Kayla Knight discusses the current state of CSS and describes some alternative CSS syntaxes and CSS programming concepts as well as already-available techniques and tools. We reveal professional team management tips as well as the findings of our portfolio design study.

Many coding articles on Smashing Magazine cover various WordPress-related tips, tricks and techniques. Almost every month we published at least two articles related to WordPress; in September we published one of the most popular WordPress-related posts of the year: How To Integrate Facebook With WordPress, written by Thiemo Fetzer. You can bet that we will continue publishing more WordPress-related articles in 2010.Also in this month, Jon Tan helps us to create the Smashing Experts Panel: because some articles were incorrect or contained factual errors, we invite experts and professional designers and developers to do paid reviews of Smashing Magazine’s articles before they’re published. As of this writing, we have over 25 experts in the panel. This turns out to be bittersweet news for our authors: editing and feedback now need more time and authors need to be more precise in their articles.OctoberThe last few months of the year are months of big changes for us and for our readers. In October, for the first time in our young history, we acquire an existing website, Noupe.com, created in 2007 by the Egyptian Blogger Noura Yehia. At the moment Noupe has a regular publishing schedule and is updated as frequently as Smashing Magazine.In October, Louis Lazaris explains CSS Differences in Internet Explorer 6, 7 and 8 which is a new format for Smashing Magazine. For the first time, we’re publishing a useful reference article that can be looked up when our readers are handling browser inconsistency issues. And it works; the article has 238 comments and gains organic traffic from search engines. Also, in October we start our new series “Global Web Design” in which we feature web developers and web designs from different countries of the world and explore what’s happening in the web design scene worldwide. We start with Russian Web Design. The new series is a success, so you can expect more exciting posts in the series in 2010.

Apart from classic CSS and usability posts, the month brings many original articles. For instance, Brand = User Experience: The Interface of a Cheeseburger. Our readers share their excitement about the original content and want to see similar posts on Smashing Magazine in the future. We listen and start preparing other thought-provoking articles in the months to come. And, of course, it was pretty cool to put the image of a tasty cheeseburger on Smashing Magazine’s front page. We’re sure no design-related blog has done that before!

Important to us was Smashing Magazine*s Redesign and the Smashing Network. The redesign is done by Liam McKay and his design agency, WeFunction. However, we subsequently tweaked a couple of things in the design (and Liam is still unhappy about these changes). Footer and sidebar illustrations are designed by Pasquale D’Silva. The idea behind the network is to promote high-quality content on the Web design scene and to make it worthwhile for publishers to produce useful and interesting design-related articles. We want our community to benefit from these articles and support the publishers with direct traffic from Smashing Magazine.

NovemberNovember is another important month for us. Finally, after 3 years of working in different cities, we move to our first joined office in Freiburg (Germany). This is also the reason why the rest of the year is a bit hectic: there are literally hundreds of things that had to be considered, discussed, and taken care of.Probably the most practical article of the month is Kat Neville’s post about invoice design. The article presents some general guidelines, best practices and examples that will help you make sure your invoices are up to spec. Some articles need tremendous work and vivid discussions before they finally get published. One of these is The Ails Of Typographic Anti-Aliasing by Thomas Giannattasio. Can you spot all the hours of work that were put into it?

In November we have quite a surprise for our readers. Together with Paddy Donnelly, we discuss creating a spectacular post that covers a recent trend in modern web design: magazine-style blog post designs, or art-directed blog posts. Paddy refers to it as a ‘blogazine’. After four weeks of preparation, the article The death of the boring blog post? finally goes live. The surprise is that when a user clicks on the link to the post, he lands on a page which has a layout and design that’s completely different from the rest of Smashing Magazine. According to our stats, many users reloaded the page wondering where the “usual” layout had gone.

The article is one of the best posts of 2009, as it manages to spark a huge discussion in the design community and gains over 550 comments. The readers are in disagreement about the design of the article, but the idea is inspiring and shortly after it’s published we start to see a couple of emerging new ‘blogazines’.DecemberFinally. The Smashing Book is released. Announced in February, and discussed in several posts throughout the year, in December it finally arrives. Actually, you can buy the Smashing Book right now, available exclusively from Smashing Magazine — all orders are now shipped right away. This one was really hard work and most things didn’t work out as we had planned, but the positive reactions and impressions of our readers are definitely worth it. We see huge involvement from our readers who post their images, videos, tweets and reviews in social media. Feedback is overwhelming and users’ expectations are high. The coming months will show how well we did our job with the book.

Image sourceAmong other news, in December we hire our regular writer Cameron Chapman — she becomes the editorial manager on Smashing Magazine. Cameron is a professional writer, web- and graphic designer with over 6 years of experience. She will still be writing articles for Smashing Magazine, but now she also handles communication between many of our new and regular authors, discussing article ideas with them.In terms of content, December turns out to be a slow month with less traffic and fewer comments — apparently, our readers have other things to take care of. Still, we keep publishing useful and original content. We explain how you can push your buttons with CSS3 and support IE and still be cutting-edge.In December, we publish the most challenging article of the year: we encourage our readers to design something every day for the next 365 days. We encourage participants to tweet each new design along with #daily365 so that everyone will can see the progress of each project. Some designers are already participating! So are you up for the challenge?What should you expect in 2010?We’re planning some big changes in the coming months. Soon we will release the Smashing Network Widget for your website and a mobile version of Smashing Magazine. Well-known authors and experts are currently writing articles for us. You can also expect to see more new team members and newly released books in cooperation with a publishing house. Also, the translation of the Smashing Book to other languages (currently only Korean version) is being prepared. We also have some interesting plans for Smashing Magazine and the design community, so you better stay tuned to our updates in 2010.

We’ll do our best to deliver useful and inspiring high-quality articles in the new year. We’ll come up with new ideas to keep Smashing Magazine an exciting place. And we’ll be listening to your ideas, suggestions, complaints and criticism. Have a truly smashing, successful, healthy and peaceful new year in 2010!What was your impression of Smashing Magazine in 2009?Your opinion has always been very important to us. Please share your impressions about our work over the last year and let us know what you would like to see changed on Smashing Magazine in 2010. Let us know in the comments to this article and we’ll do our best to improve Smashing Magazine in the new year!(ll)© Smashing Editorial for Smashing Magazine, 2009. | Permalink | 2 comments | Add to del.icio.us | Digg this | Stumble on StumbleUpon! | Tweet it! | Submit to Reddit | Forum Smashing Magazine Post tags: 2009, smashing

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I read somewhere that showing your client the full range of your creative ideas during a project is important, the rationale being that the client is entitled to see the ideas coming from the creative professional who they have hired and invested in. While this approach has some benefits, in some cases showing too many ideas is counter-productive to the natural flow of a project. Proof of how imaginative you are can be shown in other ways.Spoilt For Choice

Scenario 1You look at your Illustrator pasteboard and see half a dozen cool logo ideas… not just cool, but super-cool… not just super-cool, actually, but practical and appropriate. You have translated the brief brilliantly. You feel rather pleased with yourself. However, the last time you showed a client all of your ideas, you got caught up in a dizzying merry-go-round, forced to mash up parts of one logo with parts of another, using unsuitable and under-baked concepts.That client was overwhelmed with ideas and unable to choose one or the other: too many directions, and too many good ideas. You offered all your super-cool ideas on a platter, convinced that you had nailed all possible directions. You worked hard to pre-empt your clients questions and suggestions. But with all of this hard work, you unwittingly set in motion a series of events that many designers before you have experienced.Putting your client in the position of a kid in candy store can lead to some of the more frustrating experiences in design work. Are we undermining the flow of a project with our need to have our creative ego stroked by the client?Too much choice can be a bad thing for clients.Scenario 2Again, looking at your Illustrator pasteboard, you see half a dozen cool logo ideas: super-cool, practical and appropriate, in fact. You have translated the brief brilliantly, as before.The client is impressed by your imagination, your interpretation of the brief and your ability to think outside the box. They feel embarrassed — even spoilt — by the choice of amazing ideas; not what they were expecting, given their previous experiences. The client looks at the ideas and realizes you were the right person for the job. They go away to mull over the ideas.You’re pleased. The client is pleased. Time for a beer.The client returns with a decisive plan of attack. They have picked out one or several potential winners from among your ideas and are keen to walk through tweaks and changes with you. By showing the client all of your ideas, whether cool or funky, practical or safe, you have covered all bases, left no room for misinterpretation and accounted for that notion of “subjective perceptions.”As is almost always the case, you have your own favorites, but prior experience has shown that you mustn’t assume the client will feel the same.Fewer Ideas, Less ChoiceWe could alter these two scenarios by changing the “showing all ideas” to “showing just a few.” The advantages would be that the client would not be overwhelmed: you will have provided just a few promising ideas. This way, you are being assertive and confident in your ability to interpret the brief. You also believe that the client would be handicapped by more choice.In both cases, the client might be pleased with the ideas you have picked out and your ability to get the job done. You are a creative laser-guided missile. You don*t need your ego stroked, and you don*t need to show off your awesome imagination to every client. Your portfolio does that just fine.You have many other cool and practical ideas up your sleeve, but putting all your cards on the table at this time is not necessary. Save them. If the client does not buy any of the ideas you’ve filtered for them, even after you have justified their suitability, you can fall back on those. Even if you lose round 1, you’re prepared for round 2.Be Aware

Consider these points before attempting a full-360 triple-duck-tailed high-board dive. This is not a comprehensive list but a good starting point when deciding whether to show some or all of your ideas.Knowing Your Client: A Psychological AngleUltimately, your flexibility in your presentation of ideas will be determined by how well you know the client: getting a good sense of their personality, their brief and other personality- and business-related issues. You will also have to know the process that your contact will go through back at their base: are they the decider, or do they report back to a board or senior staff member?When a group of people is involved in making decisions, you may want to keep a tighter reign on the creative process. Presenting too many ideas to one person can be overwhelming, but too many ideas for a board of six spells disaster.Being able to read people is not only useful: it can save your sanity over time. Design and creativity are one thing, but if you want to excel at business and attract new clients, especially as a freelancer, being well versed in basic psychology goes a long way.Cover Your Back: A Solid Brief

A tight brief is always essential and one of the first things to cover before doing anything creative. A firm and assured hand is often required. Research the company. Understand its decision-making structure. Your point of contact may not always be the decision-maker; you don’t want to pander to the wrong person. Pre-empt undesirable outcomes by familiarizing yourself as much as possible with your client and their business. For example, you may have been given a thorough brief, but if the person who prepared it is not responsible for making decisions, it could be all for nought.The brief can change during a project, and it can change significantly without you being aware of it. The very nature of the creative process and your collaboration with the client can unearth ideas not previously considered. Be fluid and organic in your approach. When you feel the brief no longer reflects the direction of the project, be prepared to revise it with the client.Take a time-out, and give yourself time to breath and re-evaluate. Don*t feel pressured to commit. Assess the situation and determine whether a realignment is in order. Better to backtrack a little now, because at the end you will just have further to backtrack.Ask a lot of questions. The more you immerse yourself in the project, the more familiar you will become with the subject matter. Don*t be afraid to keep asking questions if you feel they are important to the outcome of the project.Communication

For many freelancers, meeting the client face to face is not always possible, and you may run into complications if you haven*t made provisions. Personally, I liaise with clients through email or Skype, but only when the brief and communication are solid. If the responses are short or not forthcoming, then I take it to the phone. Only then am I able to get a sense of what the client is about.In my experience, we are getting lazy as communicators, trying to deal with all aspects of life — business and personal — via email and text messages. Some clients I’ve had have refused to speak with me by phone, while their written communication failed to inspire me with confidence.If this happens to you, reflect on whether the project is worth taking on. If you have problems communicating before the project has even started, you will likely hit a brick wall when trying to get feedback on creative ideas or dealing with set-backs. I have on occasion “fired” clients because they were not pulling their weight, yet expected me to bust my gut. It doesn*t work like that.A true collaboration requires the commitment of at least two people: the designer and client.To Conclude

There is no right or wrong answer to the question of whether to show all of your best ideas right away. Assess each client on their own terms and figure out what’s best. Would the client be overwhelmed by too many choices, or would they welcome the variety? No one size fits all. On occasion, your experience or a hunch will tell you to focus on only one concept, with perhaps a few minor variations. The work period may be slow, and you have only one project on the go and are happy to spend the extra time on what may be a valuable repeat client.Sometimes sticking your neck out and giving more than you are being paid to do is worthwhile, but that*s a choice only you can make. Don*t make it a habit, or your clients will come to expect that extra workload of you all the time: a quick path to freelance burn-out.Being a good judge of character, understanding human interaction, being able to see past the here and now to pre-empt later problems, all of this helps you keep your sanity. Spend time learning and researching not only creative techniques but people, too. Your job and overall quality of life will improve as a result.Your ThoughtsAre you guarded or care-free in sharing your ideas with clients? Do you have a one-size-fits-all solution, or do you approach each client on their own terms? Have you discovered certain winning methods of dealing with particular situations?We can all learn from one another’s experiences in dealing with people in business. If you are starting out as a freelancer, take whatever advice others are willing to give.Image CreditsChoices by andreizBe aware by pictureperfectposeCreative Brief by meine-erdeCommunication by larskflemConclusion by mrtea(al)© Graham Smith for Smashing Magazine, 2009. | Permalink | 19 comments | Add to del.icio.us | Digg this | Stumble on StumbleUpon! | Tweet it! | Submit to Reddit | Forum Smashing Magazine Post tags: brief, ideas, logo design

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The evolution of big companies logos is always interesting, and I found car companies logo designs to be among the [...]Download animals vectors
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Post from: Graphic design blogA look at some car companies logos design evolution

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“There is no specific London style.” At least that’s what the ‘Super Contemporary* show at London*s Design Museum proclaims. During an exploration of London’s art and design scene in September 2009, what did emerge was a city with a unique sense of its own personality and history, a fertile hub of international thinkers, and a community working towards a future that is designed to be interactive, environmentally responsible, and prosperous.Here is a look at the visual personality of London, based on visits to the city’s major art museums, attendance at the 2009 London Design Festival, and interviews with artists and designers who call the great city home.Identity of a CityStreet Style

Neville Brody served as Art Director at The Face and Arena.London magazines including The Face, i-D, Blitz, and Arena became major influences on international design during the eighties and nineties. The Face was known as a showcase of London street style and experimental graphic design during Neville Brody*s tenure as Art Director from 1982-86. Brody incorporated hand-drawn typefaces and custom graphic symbols into his page layouts. His work for The Face– and later, Arena– put an emphasis on striking photography, the impact of simplicity, and occasionally jarring juxtapositions of text and imagery. Brody is responsible for fonts including Industria (designed for The Face) and Arcadia (designed for Arena).Geography

Supermundane’s ‘Truman’ font, based on the bricks of the Truman Brewery towerOne example of a physical representation of London in design is the Truman font designed by illustrator and designer Supermundane, a.k.a. Rob Lowe. The font is based on the iconic tower of the Truman Brewery, located in East London. “The reason I did that was because I couldn*t believe anybody else hadn*t done it,” Mr. Lowe says of the project. “(The tower) is just sittin* there!”

Public street signage around town.London as an International HubLondon is a metropolis that is proud to be composed of international residents and ideas. The 2009 London Design Festival featured a great diversity of artistic fields (product design, furniture design, digital media) represented by artists from all over the world. The ‘Make Believe’ show presented by Goldsmiths, University of London featured emerging designers who came to London from locales including India, California, Switzerland and Bangkok. All designers seemed to bring their unique cultural perspective to their work; one even boasts of his quadri-lingual skills in his bio.History“It*s a city steeped in history and heritage,” says London-based photographer Haider Kikabhoy. It is impossible to review London’s entire art and design legacy here, so two elements of its history have been chosen: a legend from a distant era and a cultural phenomenon from the recent past.“England’s First Great Native-Born Painter”

A self portrait by William Hogarth (left) and an example of ‘the line of beauty’ in his work (right)According to the Tate Britain Museum, William Hogarth is “England*s first great native-born painter.” His depictions of London life tell visual stories about the lives of archetypal characters: the harlot, the apprentice, the drunk. He symbolized his unique theories on artistic beauty with an icon he called ‘the line of beauty,’ a curved, serpentine line which can be seen over the palette in his self portrait (above left) and in compositions of his such as Beer Street (above right). Hogarth incorporated this element in his compositions because he believed that this curved, S-shaped line excited the viewer’s eye with its energetic movement (as opposed to straight lines or right angles).Hogarth is also considered a pioneer of sequential images and therefore a forefather of the narrative structure used in comic books. One example in Hogarth*s work is his series ‘A Rake*s Progress,* which includes eight paintings that tell a story when viewed sequentially.Punk Rock: High Versus LowThe often tense relationship between upper and lower classes has been a dominant theme in English culture for centuries. Many entertainers and designers have relished the act of thumbing their nose at a perceived snobbery amongst royalty and the upper class. No one did it better than the punk rock movement that blossomed in England during the 1970*s. The impact of punk has made an indelible impression on generations of designers that have come since. Acclaimed graphic designer Neville Brody said that punk was “the most influential thing that happened to me in London.”

Two Sex Pistols designs by Jamie ReidPunk design was dominated by D.I.Y. (do it yourself) techniques, outrageous subject matter, collage, photocopied imagery, defaced images, and basically any technique that broke the rules or seized the viewer*s attention. Punk fanzines like Sniffin* Glue empowered amateur designers and liberated audiences from the limitations of mainstream music media. Jamie Reid*s ‘ransom note* typography for the Sex Pistols seemed to capture the spirit of the movement.

Elvis’ debut record; London Calling by The ClashThe cover of The Clash*s London Calling (1979) was partially based on the cover of Elvis Presley*s 1954 debut. The London Calling cover was designed by Ray Lowry with a photograph by Pennie Smith. The typography and colors of the two records are nearly identical, but Elvis is pictured playing his guitar while Clash bassist Paul Simonon is smashing his. The design pays mildly satirical homage to the Presley cover while signaling the change that London Calling represented in music: The Clash had come to destroy their audience*s perception of rock and roll.Pentagram: London Roots, London Presence

This announcement for the merger of designers Fletcher, Forbes & Gill (1962) features split pages so that photos of the three men can be merged. A different incarnation of this design firm would become Pentagram in 1972London RootsPentagram was formed in London in 1972. The studio began as Fletcher/Forbes/Gill, but after aquiring and losing several members, they tired of altering the name of the firm. Alan Fletcher chose the name Pentagram – a star with five points to symbolize the partners – after reading a book on witchcraft. The acclaimed design firm has since opened offices in New York, San Francisco, Austin and Berlin. Pentagram was the world*s first multidisciplinary studio; its partners work independently but share knowledge, experience, and the legacy of the brand name. The formation of this global organization in London seems to symbolize the city*s thirst for international ideas and its expansive creative curiosity.

A clever footwear advertisement by Fletcher/Forbes/Gill on the side of a busThe Influential Career of Alan Fletcher

Two designs by Alan Fletcher: his logo for the Victoria & Albert museum (1989), and an illustration of a glass of wine from his classic design book, The Art of Looking SidewaysGraphic design legend Alan Fletcher was one of the founding members of Pentagram in London in 1972. One of the most influential designers in history, he was once called “the most highly regarded graphic designer of his generation” by The Daily Telegraph. Fletcher had a gift for cleverness and simplicity. His illustration of a glass of wine (above) uses only the simplest shapes to convey form and perspective.Pentagram at the London Design Festival 2009

Logo and identity of the 2009 London Design Festival, designed by Pentagram partner Domenic LippaToday, Pentagram*s influence is indelible and ubiquitious. The 2009 London Design Festival included identity and collateral materials designed by Pentagram partner Domenic Lippa as well as a ‘London Posters* show curated in part by Mr. Lippa at the Victoria & Albert museum – an institution whose logo was designed by Alan Fletcher.An Eye on the FutureA thorough exploration of the London art and design community in September 2009 has revealed a glimpse at what’s to come. Here is a look at the designers who are leading the way as well as the themes that emerge in their work.‘London Posters’ at The London Design Festival 2009

Two posters from the ‘London Posters’ exhibit. Designs by Andy Altmann, Why Not Associates (left), and Damon Murray and Stephen Sorrell, FUEL (right).Some of the brightest talent in today’s London design community was on display at the ‘London Posters’ show in the London Design Festival. The show was curated by Domenic Lippa and Sir John Sorrell, Chairman of the London Design Festival. According to Mr.Lippa, the show was “a reflection of how our capital is seen by some of the country’s most renowned graphic designers… certain themes cropped up frequently – transport, location, structure, heritage and even love.”

Two posters from the ‘London Posters’ exhibit. Designs by Morag Myerscough, Studio Myerscough (left), and Jonathan Ellery, Browns.Another element present in the work was the renowned dry British sense of humor. The poster by Morag Myerscough, Studio Myerscough (above left), reads, “London BORN London BRED until I DIE and then I’m DEAD.” Using stark photography and typography, the poster conveys London pride, playful morbidity, and a delight in language and rhyme.London Goes GreenLondon hopes to lead the way to a more environmentally sound future. Lord Digby Jones of Birmingham remarked on the issue of climate change during a London event held by British Airways in September. “The answer to this issue is science,” he said, and went on to remark that leading economies of the world like the U.S. and the U.K. made their wealth while polluting the Earth, so we should lead on solving the problem.Designers at the ‘Make Believe’ show presented by Goldsmiths, University of London sought innovative ways to approach environmental topics. Mina Papathanasiou proposed a structural system to build housing that would function “as a living organism, while re-using and recycling construction materials.” Among her innovations were roof tiles designed to collect rain water for redistribution throughout the housing structure.InteractivityInteractivity was another theme that emerged at the London Design Festival. Visitors at the Victoria & Albert museum were invited to draw ceramics and the results were put on display. Children visiting a boutique called Few and Far were invited to participate in a drawing competition affiliated with illustrator Christopher Brown. But the most exciting interactive element of the festival was Kioskiosk (pictured below), created by designer Wayne Hemingway.

Although Kioskiosk was featured in the ‘Supercontemporary’ show at the Design Museum, its main component is an actual shop where start-up designers sell their wares in a public venue. Hemingway’s goal was to encourage business growth by providing low-rent or free space to designers and entrepreneurs who face difficult economic times and high London rents. This project gives back to British design community by supporting its artists. It also provides an exciting new way for shoppers and art lovers to interact with featured participants like SonoDesign and The Arthouse. Kioskiosk is now on tour.Seventeen British Artists and Designers You Should KnowThis list has been assembled to inspire and inform. It is not an attempt to summarize the entirety of a nation’s visual arts. The selections range in their style, era, and cultural impact. A certain continuum of creativity is evident: Bacon had a profound influence on Hirst, Hockney extolls the virtues of Turner, and so on.Francis Bacon

Irish-born painter Francis Bacon worked in London for much of his life and is known for his gruesome, nihilistic imagery. “I would like my pictures to look as if a human being had passed between them like a snail,” Bacon said of his work, “leaving a trail of the human presence and memory trace of the past events as the snail leaves its slime.”FUEL

Two books designed and published by FUELSince 1991, graphic designers Damon Murray and Stephen Sorrell have worked together as FUEL. The designers split their time between commercial work (album covers for The Thrills, film titles for Lost in Translation) and self-initiated projects like the publication of their own magazine. In an interview with the Design Museum, FUEL cite The Russian Criminal Tattoo Encyclopaedia (on which they served as editors, designers, and publishers) as one of their favorite projects. The series of books serves as an ethnographic study and includes thousands of tattoos accumulated by author and former prison warden Danzig Baldaev.Damien Hirst

Hirst’s installation piece The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living (above) features a 13-foot tiger shark in a glass tank of formaldehyde. The piece shocked the London public during its first display (at the Saatchi Gallery in 1992) and launched Hirst to international fame. The piece is indicative of Hirst’s sense of morbid, outrageous humor.John Everett Millais

John Everett Millais’ painting Ophelia (1851-52) is an example of the great British tradition of Shakespeare as subject matter for painting. Millais’ dedication to capturing every lush, vivid detail of the wooded scene was so intense that he sat painting by a stream in conditions of great discomfort for nearly five months. Ophelia is pictured holding flowers that she herself listed during her mad scene (Hamlet, Act IV, Scene 5).Edward Johnston

The logo and typeface of the London Underground were designed by Edward Johnston. The logo (or ’roundel’) has become something of an international symbol for London.Calligrapher and typographer Edward Johnston is responsible for the logo and font that have graced the London Underground for almost a century. In 1915, Johnston was commissioned to design the font by Frank Pick, the first Chief Executive of London Transport. For his ultra-modern sans-serif font, Johnston looked to a few unlikely sources for inspiration: calligraphy and Classical Roman capitals. The influence of Roman typography is evident in the perfect circle of his capital ‘O’ and the square outline of his capital ‘M.’ The diamond-shaped dot (or ‘tittle’) above the lowercase ‘i’ and ‘j’ resembles the dots made on paper by a square-nibbed pen. The result is a font that has become an influential classic due to its modern nature and profound communicative power. Johnston is author of the revered design textbook Writing & Illuminating & Lettering.J.M.W. Turner

Joseph Mallord William Turner (1775–1851) has been called “Britain’s greatest artist” by The Times and was even dubbed ‘the Shakespeare of landscape’ by Alfred, Lord Tennyson. Turner’s gift for graceful light and sublime color helped him elevate the landscape to an artistic height that had previously been reserved for historical painting.John Isaacs

Untitled (What Makes Certain), 1995John Isaacs has shown work at London’s Saatchi Gallery along with other artists affiliated with the so-called ‘Young British Artists’ that included Damien Hirst in the 1990’s. Isaacs’ work suggests an insidious danger lying in wait just beneath the surface of conventional reality.Bibliothèque

This gallery guide accompanied the Cold War Modern exhibition at the Victoria & Albert Museum. Bibliothèque designed the guide and other exhibition materials.A glance through the portfolio of graphic design firm Bibliothèque reveals a consistency in the style and quality of their work. Although their clients vary from a manufacturer of electrical components to a company that makes mattresses for babies, Bibliothèque brings an austere simplicity to each project. Another unifying feature of their work is a keen understanding of color: many projects include a limited palette employed in bold compositions.David Hockney

Pool With Two Figures, 1971David Hockney is “the most enduring British artist” according to The Times. An important contributor to the Pop Art movement, Hockney is an artist known for painting, photography, printmaking, chain-smoking, and conspiracy theories. He was born and educated in England, but some of his most famous works depict the sunny, laid-back lifestyle that he experienced while living in California.Chris Cunningham

Stills from Aphex Twin’s ‘Come to Daddy’ video, directed by Chris CunninghamChris Cunningham is a filmmaker, video artist, and photographer. The twisted, disturbing style of his music videos for Aphex Twin and Squarepusher have made the director infamous, although he claims to find his imagery more “silly” than scary. Robotics and anatomy emerge as themes in Cunningham’s work, and he often works in color palettes that are cold, muted, or spare. Cunningham’s recent experimental short film Rubber Johnny applies inane, childlike humor to spazzed-out scenes of a disabled mutant dancing in darkness. It’s a truly bizarre vision that is exciting for its sheer individuality.William Blake

Plate 1 from Europe a Prophecy, 1824According to Andrew Wilton’s Five Centuries of British Painting, William Blake was a “maverick rebel” best known for his historical paintings of narrative subjects from The Bible and Paradise Lost. Although he failed to attract many patrons during his lifetime, Blake is now considered a key figure in histories of both poetry and the visual arts. His work was motivated by grandiose creation myths and also by visions he claimed to have seen of Gods, angels, and other spirits throughout his life. To William Blake, the imagination was ‘the body of God.’Gilbert & George

Existers, 1984Since the 1960’s, the duo Gilbert & George have been producing provocative, ambitious work from London’s East End – their home and an area they consider a microcosm of the world at large. Their career has been a subversive exercise in branding; the artists incorporated themselves into their body of work as ‘living sculptures’ and thereby “sacrificed their individual identities to art,” according to the Tate Britain.Lucian Freud

Girl with Roses, 1948Lucian Freud was born to Jewish parents in Germany during the winter of 1922. Eleven years later, Lucian and his family moved to England in order to escape the rise of Nazism. The anxiety and despair of war and the Holocaust would inform some of the painter’s greatest works.Girl with Roses (above) is a portrait imbued with fear and discomfort. The subject is the painter’s wife, Kitty, who clutches her roses so hard that she appears to have broken one. The sensation of the thorns in her grasp is almost palpable. Her enlarged eyes are wide pools of angst – what does she see that we cannot?Airside

Airside’s logo for the Pop Art gallery at the Wolverhampton Art GalleryAirside is a “creative agency working across the disciplines of graphic design, illustration, digital, interactive and moving image.” Airside co-founder Fred Deakin says, “we have a real pride in bouncing around different media.” In early 2009, Airside designed the identity for a Greenpeace initiative called Airplot. Airside shared some of their design process on their blog and the work was featured on notable design sites including Brand New and Logo Design Love.Clare Leighton

Breadline, New York 1932Clare Leighton devoted her life to the medium of wood engraving, cultivating a style of great detail and heavy contrast. Born in London, she later moved to America. In Breadline, New York, she captures the grim mood of depression-era Manhattan. The heavy contrast of light and dark mirrors the contrast between the anonymous poor and the shimmering metropolis that looms over them like an alien landscape.The Vorticists

Cover of the first issue of Blast magazine, 1914Vorticism formed in 1914, spurred partially in response to Futurism. The debut issue of Blast magazine shocked with its bold pink cover and huge, diagonally-set type. Along with publications from other groups, notably Fluxus, it is a precursor to the radical printing techniques and typographic experimentation of the punk ‘zine. Author Richard Hollis remarks in Graphic Design: A Concise History that the pages of Blast“exhanged symmetry for the consciously crude layout of popular advertisements,” thereby solidifying the Vorticists as the first in Britain to exploit typographic form at a time when “tradition remained the most powerful influence in Britian.”William Morris

‘Bird’ textile design by William Morris, 1878William Morris was a central figure in the Arts and Crafts Movement, which was led by artists and designers who romanticized personal crafstmanship while rejecting Victorian-era opulence and an age of mechanical reproduction ushered in by the Industrial Revolution. In 1861, Morris and several colleagues founded a prolific decorative arts firm that produced stained glass, metal work, printed paper, tapestries, decorative carvings, and more. Morris himself was a master of two-dimensional design and his work should prove inspirational to any contemporary graphic designer. In textiles like the one pictured above, Morris searched for the “force, purity, and elegance of the silhouette of the objects represented.” He also sought to return to the “crispness and abundance of beautiful detail which was the especial characteristic of fully developed Medieval Art.”Further ResourcesWays of SeeingThe first episode of John Berger’s groundbreaking 1972 BBC television series about the perception of art.Alan Fletcher: fifty years of graphic work (and play)A biography of the designer and his career of accolades. Includes images.Video: History of PentagramCurrent partners of the international design firm provide an oral history.Interview: SupermundaneInterview with London artist Supermundane. Written by Dan Redding.J.M.W. Turner OnlineLearn more about the great British painter J.M.W. Turner online at Tate Britain.Hockney on TurnerIn this article, ‘The Turner surprise’ from The Times, David Hockney discusses his passion for the work of J.M.W. Turner.Pitchfork Interview: Chris CunninghamThe music video director discusses his work, his goals, and working with Stanley Kubrick on A.I.© Dan Redding for Smashing Magazine, 2009. | Permalink | 10 comments | Add to del.icio.us | Digg this | Stumble on StumbleUpon! | Tweet it! | Submit to Reddit | Forum Smashing Magazine Post tags: London

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Freelance Contracts: Do’s And Don’ts (via @smashingmag) -In the world of freelancing, the entrepreneur has to take on a number of tasks for themselves that would normally be handled by a separate department at a bigger company. Most of these tasks are not part of the creative processes that freelance workers are used to, but rather are more tedious, left-brain paperwork. Right-brain creatives often shudder at the thought of these forays into linear domains. Such detail-ridden tasks would strain any freelancer who wears multiple hats, but they must be completed.One such task is contracts. Drafting a contract that covers you, and doesn’t just enumerate information, is more than important: it is a must. Freelancers do not have the benefit of a legal department dedicated to protecting their interests with a watertight contract. Nevertheless, a freelancer’s contract must be comprehensive, concise and clear. It should outline the scope of the job, scheduling demands, the expectations of both parties and more.

In this post, we’ll help you identify the information that should be included in your contract and make sure you have a concrete agreement that leaves little chance of things getting out of hand… as can sometimes happen to those of us in the freelancing crowd.These do’s and don*ts will hopefully remove a lot of the headache and guesswork that comes with drafting a contract. By understanding the rationale behind various contractual elements, you will be able to better customize your contracts to fit the specific job you have been hired for.The BasicsInclude the basic information, obviously. The “who” and the “what” of the project. Who is contracting you to do what kind of work? This is standard stuff included in every contract that defines the job as a whole. While this information is probably well known by both parties, put it in the contract anyway so that everyone is on the same page about their roles and responsibilities. Because it is such basic information, freelancers often overlook how important this section is for establishing the framework of the project.Do’s and Don*tsK.I.S.S. Keep It Simple, Simon (your name may not be Simon, but it is nicer than the traditional “S” in the phrase.) Do be sure to clarify your role in the project from start to finish and exactly what it entails, so that the client doesn’t try to put a hat on your head that you do not want to wear (for example, trying to make you switch from designing to providing tech support once the project has launched).You know who you are and what your strengths are; don*t leave room for the client to change your role in the project for their convenience. Be specific about what roles you are and are not willing to play.Time Frame

This simply establishes the time that the project will take and the duration that the contract covers. Sometimes a freelancer has to leave time open after a project’s completion to help integrate the product into the client’s existing media stream. But not always. Determining that time frame at the beginning and formalizing it in the terms and conditions of the contract will ensure you are not taken advantage of.Do’s and Don*tsMany people do not like deadlines, and some freelancers are no different. Whether you love or hate them, including deadlines in your contracts is important. Don*t overlook this detail simply because of the pressure it may bring. Give yourself enough time to properly complete your tasks, while keeping the client*s timetable in mind.Being vague about how much time the contract covers will give your client room to find things for you to improve after the project has launched. Also, do be sure to include time frames on when the client needs to respond to your submissions with their questions and concerns, so that you are not endlessly strung along waiting to hear back on how to proceed.Delivery DetailsPutting this in the contract further clarifies expectations at the outset. The client knows up front what the final product will be and how you will be delivering it to them. This frees you from having to guess later on things like what file types they can access, and it gives the client peace of mind knowing that you are both on the same page.It also gives you an indication of the depth of the client’s knowledge in this area of work and how well they will be able to work with the product once you hand it over. And being able to anticipate the client’s need for assistance in accessing and integrating your product will help you formulate other parts of the contract.Do’s and Don*tsOnce again, keep it simple. Once you’ve assessed the client*s needs, don*t send them more files or file types than are needed to satisfy the project’s requirements. Don*t try to impress them with a ZIP file full of extras that show how professional you are. This will overwhelm clients who are not design-savvy and encourages needless pestering. Keeping it simple will move your client happily along their way, not only giving you peace of mind from a job well done but freeing you from future distractions as you move on to your next client.The Financials

For most design work, billing by the job, rather than by the hour, is easier for everyone. You may have already come to an agreement on financial matters, but include them in the contract anyway for good measure. Just because you have an understanding about payment, the client could always conveniently “forget” the amount or change the terms.Do’s and Don*tsAgree on an initial deposit (whatever seems fair) before doing any work, to protect both parties if either wants to back out. Make sure the client understands that this deposit protects them as well by committing you to the project and keeping you from being sidetracked by other clients. Also include a Cancellation Clause in the financial section of the contract. This isn*t Santa*s less famous brother; it actually protects you, the freelancer, in case your client backs out by stating the financial obligations of both parties should the project terminate before completion.Revisions And AlterationsYou can also protect yourself by including a clause that states how many alterations and revisions to the product are covered by the fee. You can set the pricing for changes requested by the client that go beyond the number specified in the contract, thus preventing the client from abusing their privilege.Be clear that this is not a commentary on either party; by including this, you are not implying that the client will be hard to please or that you will need multiple attempts to get it right. It simply recognizes that we sometimes need time to fully process something before making a decision and that we should have the freedom to change our minds about whether an idea works or not once we actually see it in action.Do’s and Don*tsRemember that professionalism should win out at all times, so don*t let this part of the contract be any different. Yes, it can be aggravating how some clients come back to you over and over with requests as a result of every whim that moves them, but do be reasonable. Don*t punish all of your clients because of one that burned you in the past. And don*t let pride keep you from accommodating a modest amount of revision by the client, even if they don’t suit your taste. After all, the design may be yours, but they are paying you to create it for them.The Fine Print And Bottom Line

In the end, make sure the contract is professional and clear throughout, and be as detailed as possible in defining the roles of both parties in the project.Further ResourcesHere are some further articles and related resources:Terms and Conditions for Design ContractsAn extremely helpful post by Shel Perkins that seeks to inform designers about the terminology and general conditions of contracts.Web Design Contracts – The How and Why*s of ContractsThis is another post full of great information that talks about the reasons why designers need to use contracts.What goes into a good web design contract? It is a question that every designer should ask themselves at one time or another, and this fabulously informative post from Idea15 answers that question.Using freelance graphic design contractsAn article by David Airey dealing with the whys and hows of using freelance design contracts.Business of Design Online FormsThe Business of Design Online offers a number of useful forms free for download and use.Freelance ContractsA great contract template which makes it easy for freelancers to fill in their own information.Logo Design Contract of AgreementThis is an actual contract drawn up by Logo Designer, Joni Solis, and is a good example to look at when you start drawing up a contract of your own.Work for Hire AgreementA form necessary to ensure copyright transfer and protect your creative firm when you outsource work to other freelancers. Guaranteeing that you will retain all rights to the work.Freelance Design Contracts & TemplatesA fantastic resource full of free downloadable design contracts and alterable templates for easy customization.AIGA Standard Form of Agreement for Design ServicesThis agreement allows you to create customized terms and conditions for different types of design engagements.About the AuthorRob Bowen is a talented author and graphic designer, celebrated podcaster and poet, who is now the co-editor and imaginative co-contributor of Fuel Your Creativity. With a background in most areas of the arts, Rob works from a creative wellspring that shows no sign of running dry.(al)© Robert Bowen for Smashing Magazine, 2009. |
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By Paul AndrewEvery graphic designer will end up, at some point, with a client who needs an icon designed. Going into the project, your first incline would be to use your experience, training and creativity and dive straight into the project gung-ho. In some occasions, doing this could be disastrous. Ideally, you should firstly learn the basic principles of icon design, its importance and function within web and application interfaces, the difference between icon and logo designs, and most importantly, how to use your imagination and creativity to reflect the characteristics of the icon effectively.In this article we have compiled a comprehensive list of Icon Tutorials using Adobe Illustrator, the graphic editor of choice for many graphic designers. The tutorials range from the basic, for anyone taking their first steps with Illustrator, to using advanced techniques for the professional and seasoned designer.Adobe Illustrator Icon Design TutorialsHow To Make an Icy CocktailThis tutorial explains how to draw a refreshing cocktail drink in Adobe Illustrator.

How to Create a Yellow Submarine Icon with Gradient Meshes“While spaceships, rockets and UFOs are all the rage in the icon world these days, submarines have been inexcusably neglected. Let’s correct this situation immediately by drawing a fun submarine using gradient meshes, pattern brushes, opacity masks and blending modes.”

How To Create An Academy Icon From Simple ShapesIn this tutorial you will learn how to construct a cool academy icon by putting together simple shapes in Illustrator and then applying layer effects on them in Photoshop.

Icon Design Tutorial: Drawing A Pencil IconThis tutorial presents some good design practices that will help you master icon design. It will help you, particularly if you have just started to learn, or want to learn more about icon design in Illustrator.

How to Create a Magic Wand IconThis tutorial will utilize gradient feathering and some simple shapes. These techniques are easily translated to other icons, illustrations, and logos.

How to Create a Golden, Vector Compass in IllustratorThis tutorial will take you through the steps and techniques of creating a golden compass.

How to Bake a Cake in IllustratorThis tutorial shows you how to design a basic birthday cake in Adobe Illustrator.

3D Yet Flat Looking Shopping Basket IconsIn this advanced tutorial you will learn how to create a custom shopping basket icon by combining 3D qualities with a flat look. Cool effect.

Translucent IM Style IconUse this tutorial to help you create a scalable vector Instant Messaging style icon with the impression of a glossy and semi-translucent surface.

Aperture Style Camera Lens IconIn this tricky tutorial, you’ll create a detailed camera lens similar to the one used as the logo for Apple’s Aperture photo-editing software.

Design A Coffee Mug IconIn this easy to follow tutorial you will create a basic coffee mug icon.

Turn Glasses into a Great Geek IconIn this advanced tutorial, you’ll learn how make a cool,and geeky, glasses icon.

Detailed Camera with Photo IconThis tutorial will show the intermediate Adobe Illustrator artist how to make a sleek web 2.0 style icon.

CD Icon Using Illustrator in 5 minutesIn this basic Illustrator CS3 tutorial, you will create a CD icon, in only 5 minutes!

Vector Film Slate IconThe tutorial uses some basic shapes, some gradients, and even a blend, to create this marvellous Film Slate icon.

Shiny, Vector DiceIn this tutorial, you will learn to create a set of vector dice using Illustrator and the tricky and underused Gradient Mesh Tool.

Vector Safari CompassUse this Adobe Illustrator tutorial to draw up your own vector Safari inspired compass in Adobe Illustrator, and icon that works well in small formats while also displaying quite a lot of intricate details when viewed in large format.

Multicolored Buddy IconsThis tutorial uses some basic shapes, gradients, Feather, and Illustrator’s powerful Live Color feature, to create these excellent Buddy Icons.

Pie Charts in IllustratorAn older tutorial that teaches how to add some soft and stylish effects to pie charts in Illustrator.

Delicious Chinese Food IconIn this advanced Illustrator tutorial, you will craft a Delicious Chinese food icon set, using numerous vector illustration techniques.

iTune IconThe challange of this tutorial is to use various Blending modes and blending techniques to replicate the iTune icon, it is a good exercise to help you master your Blend techniques.

Gearbox Settings IconUtilizing only simple, predefined shapes, as well as tools like the Pathfinder and transformations, entire illustrations can be created from scratch. In this tutorial, we’ll create an icon suitable for portraying options, settings, preferences, etc., similar to OS X’s system preferences icon.

Tropical Colored CompassIn this tutorial you’ll be creating a stylized Vector Compass Icon Design, applying some modern Web 2.0 effects and bright colors you will bring this icon to life.

Hourglass IconWith simple shapes, gradients, and vector textures, this simple tutorial will show beginning illustrators how to create an hourglass icon.

Adobe Bridge IconThis tutorial will show you how to replicate the Adobe Bridge icon in Illustrator CS2.

Magic Hat IconFor this tutorial you will use the pen tool, pathfinder palette, and other tools to create this magic hat icon with a cute bunny inside.

Vector Audio Speaker IconCreate a vector speaker icon using some ellipses with gradients, the Grid Tool, and the Mesh Tool.

Vector Smiley IconYou will use some basic Illustrator tecniques to create this happy Smiley icon.

Magnify Zoom IconYou’ll work primarily with the pathfinder and basic shape tools to cut out the shapes for this illustration, though the pen tool will also be used, and color the elements using various gradients.

Vector Military Cap IconIn this advanced tutorial, you will learn how to create a realistic military style cap icon using gradients, blends, and the Gradient Mesh Tool, and using a photo reference to base this illustration on.

Transparent Battery IconIn this tutorial, you’ll create a detailed icon of a battery similar to the one used for the iPhone touch. The battery “fuel” color can be changed as well as the “fuel” level, allowing the icon to be used to create a battery or power meter for applications

3D Vector Film Roll IconIn this tutorial, you will learn how to draw a realistic film roll, drawn in perspective, using the Pen Tool, Ellipses and Gradients.

Stylized GPS IconIn this beginner/intermediate Illustrator tutorial, you will learn how to create a stylized GPS icon using simple shapes and gradients.

Stack of Poker ChipsThis tutorial will teach you how to create a simple stack of poker chips.

Television IconIn this easy to follow step by step tutorial, you will be shown how to create this cool retro television icon, by using some basic shapes and gradients.

Textured Journal IconIn this tutorial, you will create a textured, rather than glossy, textured Journal icon.

Designing a Stumbleupon IconIn this tutorial you will cover the basics that will give you an idea how the icon is rendered, you will learn how they appear in smaller sizes and the constraints you can find when using Vector (Illustrator) instead of Pixel (Photoshop) based image software. Great starter tutorial.

Alarm Clock IconWith simple shapes and gradients, this easy to follow tutorial will show you how to create an alarm clock icon.

Calendar IconA great tutorial explaining the full process of designing an icon, from an initial hand drawn illustration, to using Illustrator to flesh out the glossy and modern icon.

Envelpe Icon with a Satin FeelIn this tutorial, you will be shown how to create a simple envelope/mail icon, using the basic tools of illustrator , ie gradient , rectangle and pathfinder.

Drawing A Pencil IconThis tutorial is very detailed and in-depth, and it explains the process of designing a simple pencil icon.

Windows Vista IconCreate a Windows Vista Computer Display using the Pen Tool and the Ellipse Tool.

Designing a Sleek Pencil IconIn this basic tutorial, you will create this Pencil Icon, using Illustrator CS3.

Design Float Circle Icon

Icon “about company” in Illustrator

Flag Icon

Administrator IconIn this tutorial you will create an administrator icon with a Clean Web 2.0 style.

3d Isometric Vector IconThree dimensional shapes are less complicated to create in Illustrator than you may think. The 3D Extrude and Bevel effect can be used to create interesting designs. In this tutorial you’ll learn how.

Animated 3D Poker Chip

Icon Design Video TutorialsHow to Create a Vector RSS IconiPhone icon Design TutorialWeb 2.0 Style Box / IconCreate a Windows Vista IconCreate a Prize IconCreate Enevelope Icon in IllustratorCustom Icon Leopard FoldersHow to create Icons, by Fasticon.comIcon Set Design in Photoshop and IllustratorIllustaror Folder Icons TutorialsApple Leopard FolderLearn how to create the Apple Leopard sleek and cool folders, using Illustrator.

Shiney FolderIn this simple tutorial, you will learn how to create a basic Folder icon.

Create XP-style IconsIn this tutorial, you’ll learn how to make your own Windows XP-style artwork.

Illustrator Vector Folder Reflections

Windows XP Folder Icon

Folder Icon

Inspirational and Creative Icon DesignersSebastien de WithSebastiaan de With is a 21 year old freelance designer, who specializes in icon and visual interface design, and logotyes.

Jonas RaskView the online icon portfolio of Danish designer, Jonas Rask.

Marcelo MarfilMarcelo Marfil is a graphic and interface designer from Sao Paulo in Brazil.

Artua Design StudiosArtua Design Studios are a team of graphic designers and illustrators, who specialize in icon and GUI design.

Stefan DziallasView the custom icon & pictogram design portfolio of Stefan Dziallas, from IconWerk.

William Wilkinson – Little PixelsWilliam Wilkinson is an icon designer living in Victoria, Canada.

Medard Konopík – IconBakeryView the delicious icons and interfaces from Medard Konopík, a 21 year old from Prague, Czech Republic.

Further Reading50 Excellent Icon Design Tutorials from SixRevisions by Jacob Gube.30+ Amazing Tutorials for Creating Icons in Photoshop from Naldzgraphics by Ronald Bien.What icons are for from turbomilk.com by Yegor Gilyov.10 Mistakes in Icon Design from turbomilk.com by Denis Kortunov.10 Outstanding Metaphors in Icon Design from turbomilk.com by Denis Kortunov.10 Tips for Effective Icon Design from vector.tutsplus.com by Chris Spooner.7 Principles of Effective Icon Design from psd.tutsplus.com by Sean Hodge.Icon Design: Basic principles explained from softfacade.com.About the authorPaul Andrew is a freelance web designer. He is admin for Speckyboy – Design Magazine, a web design, web development and graphic design resource blog.
Follow him on Twitter here: twitter.com/speckyboy.No related posts.

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Hello Everyone, Get a new logo design for $25. I can start almost instantly on your new logo. I use my own creativity to create all the logos. The final product you receive is Original and will include full rights. *>> Click here to view Logo portfolio <<* Some recent logo work:

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