Byrdhouse

Yesterday's Future, Today

A visit to the Kennedy Space Center in photos.

Today is Your Day Off

Hello Kev, it's June 15th, 2008. It's an otherwise normal Sunday aside from being your very first Father's Day. I'll admit that as I write this (reflecting as one does on such hallmark occasions), I'm astonished most by the fact that I've even made the time to write you. Other musings and pursuits have been on the front burner. I just want you to know a few things:

You now have a baby girl with Florrie, a fine woman who has held your hand for some six years now. She's walking in Candler Park today with your daughter Annabelle, Mom and Gigi. Though she was concerned with the burden of walking to the car with a stroller and a mammoth dog in tow, she didnt even quip when you intentionally did not volunteer to assist like you normally do in these instances. It's as if she's whispering, "be self-indulged today hon," by not saying anything at all.

And so you write and work on a summer CHIRP mix and think about how Annabelle is fast approaching three months. She's smiling, speaking mumblecore and getting fat thighs, and oh gawd do you love that.

There are several mini projects in various stages of development to mention.

You've started wrangling Flickr images tagged with "friedchicken" and/or "waffles." It's simply called Fried Chicken and Waffles. Your next step is to arrange this gallery into a limited edition hardback celebrating... well, you guessed it.

There's a 35mm E6 slide light casing you're working on too, inspired by Grayson's Slide Lamp. It's your first time experimenting with laser cut acrylic. 

The Monster Quest motion-sensing wilderness camera you got is still in test-mode. One day you hope to attach it to a fence and make a photography series on people picking up after their dogs. (Like I said, it's still in test-mode.)

Oh and that oil painting of Gigi for Annabelle's room; it's on its way. She is one stately explorer of the Alaskan tundra, just like you all dreamed. Do compare the image vs the painting:

You're working at Armchair, and you love it. 

OK the call just came. The ride is here to go to for brunch. 

Talk soon, 

Kevin

MA Guide Book

Chirp T-shirt

 

Threadless Select is a line of tees where an artist is invited to design a shirt. My favorite red headed giant, Justin Van Hoy has modified the CHIRP cover art he did last summer so it's ready to wear. Get it at Threadless

Design is Human - May 6-11

I'm proud to announce the MA08: Design Is Human event in Atlanta May 6-11, 2008.

MA is the result of the vision and efforts of Bernard McCoy and Elayne DeLeo to unify the greater Atlanta design community through modern home tours and events throughout the city. I have been fortunate to have been involved on the branding-concept-strategy-design side of things. It’s been a team affair of armchairs, pc students and design friends.

Join us, explore some of those homes you've had your eye on during the Modern Atlanta Home Tour. Other highlight events include the wine tasting at Poliform SWITCH, the Belgium Design & Fashion Event for Darfur, and the Launch Party at Mason Murer Gallery.

Ticket prices vary. Many events are free. More information is available at the MA web site.

CHIRP Spring Mix

Here's a new CHIRP mixtape for you to grab. Gabriel did the cover art.

Towels and Cans of La Croix

“Towels and Cans of La Croix” For sale, by artist. Alternate view here. This is from the installation series self-indulgently entitled, "Things I gather in the floorboard of my car"

Happy Holidays

Here's some video fun for the holiday season. Have your holiday checklist handy?

Phonebook Phone Table

Click To Play

McCormick Tribune Campus Center

This is by Rem Koolhaas OMA at the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago. The school is Mies van der Rohe's old stomping grounds. See the Full Gallery here.

CHIRP in the summer

Justin Van Hoy did the cover art for this month's CHIRP. Get the summer mix here.

The Poetics of Structure

I think great objects get more beautiful as they age. I have this lamp that looks like a crane. It's a Tolomeo lamp and it sits on the floor in my living room. I myself think it has the lanky, mechanical qualities of a crane. Pictures Here.

I use it for everything it seems. It just scoots around the room becoming a reading, dining, and desk light, whenever. It's ever more beautiful now than when it first arrived. I've learned through use how much its form and aesthetics relate to how it works. The weight and resistance, angles and positions, just how it feels, beautiful. (Thank you Florrie!)

..

"Objects that improve with use" is addressed differently in the graduate work of Bethan Laura Wood. With Stain, teacups reveal interior patterns as the cup stains from use.

Cops on Bikes

We made a music video for Thriller 2's "Cops on Bikes." See it here

Briefbox / Boomcase

Larry Luk at Epidemik Coalition helped me create this briefbox. He screen printed me's illustration of an eighties blaster on an old briefcase I likes to carry rounds. Photos by John.

Commander Chameleon

We just got a new site up for the Athens band Commander Chameleon. The band is made up of a handful of good friends from our formative years. They have a new album out, free mp3's you can grab from the site. Be sure to turn on the sound when you visit the new Commander Chameleon website.

HeadOn: Apply Directly To The Forehead

This commercial for Head On is, well, absolutely mesmerizing. Head On is an ointment you evidently apply directly to your forehead. For what, I can't exactly say. Do listen with sound. I guarantee you won't forget how to apply it.

UPDATE:
Read more info on Slate

Put It Together

We at Lightroom recently had an idea about designing our new business cards so that they require the recipient's interaction to activate the card's information. The idea was that at first it appears blank, then, by holding to the light, the info that is printed on the interior of the card is revealed.

In order to achieve the desired effect, we duplexed 2 sheets of paper together into one. The card's information was printed in reverse on a piece of 70lb text. This was glued to a thicker cover stock paper so that the ink was sandwhiched in between the two. The combined sheets together created a paper thickness close to a 130 lb. cover; a nice heavy weight for a business card. As illustrated,

The logo on the exterior was printed only in a spot varnish. It gives a reflective sheen in direct light. The small instructional diagram was added for panache.

Take Home Gifts

A stack of jewelry boxes we designed as a take home gift for Mark Edge's website launch party.

Form.01

The image above is from the poster we worked on for Form.01, an event being held at Function in Decatur November 12th. Find more info here.

Home Improvement: Storefront

It's amazing what you learn by engaging in small home-improvement projects. We recently enclosed a back room in our home with commercial storefront. White laminated glass fills the door and the lower panel, allowing natural light to permeate the space while still maintaining an element of privacy. (Channelling architecture schooling, that previous sentence was essentially composed for me.)

The Install.

Storefront is generally sold at a single price, including materials, construction and installation. We opted for white laminate glass over its frosted cousin. White lam differs mainly in construction. It contains a white film sandwiched between two opposing panes of glass. Frosted glass is single-paned and finished on one side. The downside of the frosted version is that oils and smudges become very difficult to clean.

Here's a wider view of the surrounding space. Before and After.

This shows a view from inside looking out, showing how the white laminated glass obstructs view, but allows light in.

Concluding with what we learned:

1) You should always check pricing with multiple glass providers, no matter how small the job. We saved some 700 dollars by shopping around.
2) You should always seek the input and guidance of someone with building experience before embarking. (Thanks Bill!)
3) It takes 6 months to contemplate a building project, and only 2 days to execute.

Happy store-fronting!

Goodbye Grady Homes

Grady Homes, a well-known public housing project in inner-city Atlanta will soon be flattened. These sort of low income developments are considered governmental failures by the new urbanist camp (and many others). They will cite examples they've memorized from the pages of Jane Jacobs's bible, why sustainability is not only about embracing green building techniques. And maybe they're right.

Still, I must say walking the area last week, I liked it despite its shortcomings. Plentiful green spaces, old trees, community centers; the elements of failing modernism elicited a sweet romanticism. Granted, the place was desolate.

I'm thinking its mixed-use replacement should be named after a bar drink like "The Manhattan" or at least something refreshing like "Grady Springs."

Reminder for Thursday

Hey remember last week at that pub. How I told you we had an art thing coming up. It was one of your classic blank stares you gave. A most considering pause, caped by one serious, "I really need a haircut." Well it's Thursday May 5th at the RIALTO downtown Atlanta. We'd love to see you there.

As fate would have it, we're also going to be at Sage in Decatur that afternoon unveiling the Decatur Arts Festival design.

Sustainable Sound

Our most recent field trip was across town to the West End's Northyards. Wade from EAI gave us a short tour of an empty space adjacent to their own office space. The concrete surfaces made for an incredible natural sustain. Have a look and listen.

When Push Comes to Pull

It may come as no surprise to you that the way in which we engage the web is shifting again. For some time now, we have been moving away from a "push" model and moving towards a "pull" one. RSS readers, Bloglines and the like have made me rethink the way content from Byrdhouse is viewed. So without further ado:

Byrdfeeder now has an RSS feed. (I'm using del.icio.us to make that possible, as Typepad just hasn't got around to making rss available for typelists)

I should also point you to the RSS for Byrdhouse.

And of course, my Flickr stream.

My goodness, so much content, so little time.
Byrdhouse out.

Today Like Many Other Days

I wake up at 8am most days. An hour is spent answering email, sipping coffee, reading the day's headlines. At nine, I'm off to the gym. On this particular morning I run on the treadmill for barely twelve minutes before I'm annoyed with the whole running thing. Again, that jolt of oxygen is syrup, but I honestly can't wait for spring, so I can return to swimming. Running just plain sucks. A few curls and I'm outta there that horrowshow.

I arrive at the studio eight minutes later.  (Okay, there is  a shower in there, so eight minutes in technically not correct.) We have a shoot today, so Aaron and I begin by setting up the lights and seamless white paper (we are photographing a new kitchen utensil for an industrial designer). We do all this to the cadence of LCD Soundsystem. Briefly we review comps for a gallery show to be held next week at the Rialto.

Creative Types Need Apply

[poster announcement for The Lightroom Fellowship]

We at Lightroom are looking for a summer intern (we'd prefer to call you a collaborator). Take a moment and cruise on over to our site for more information and the official application.

The Cycle Theory

[Dre from The Cycle Theory]

We at Lightroom have been working on a new short film called "The Cycle Theory." It's a delightful tale of a man that has perfected a method for guaranteeing constant female companionship. Check out The Cycle Theory trailer.

An Afternoon in Decatur

We took photos of some typefaces from Decatur landmark buildings and businesses. Then we knit them like a quilt. The result we entrered into the Decatur Arts Festival poster competition. Have a look.

UPDATE: Check out the One Letter Pool on Flickr

 

JPG

JPG Magazine's first issue came out today.  I really like what Derek and Heather are doing. In their own words:

JPG Magazine is for people who love imagemaking without attitude. It's about the kind of photography you get when you love the moment more than the camera. It's for photographers who, like us, have found themselves online, sharing their work, and would like to see that work in print.

I compulsively checked to see if my copy had arrived yesterday. Today I am camped out in a lawn chair here by the mailbox.

UPDATE:  JPG magazine on Flickr.

Brand Building

Quick, can you guess?

For Sale

One gorgeous four bedroom home located in Atlanta's Lake Claire neighborhood. The house is designed by architect Carlos Tardio, and is currently owned by musician Shawn Mullins. It's one of Atlanta's finer modern gems if you ask me. You should get it. I'll wave to you everyday on my way to the studio.

Rollin' On Some Bustas

What is perhaps the best game to ever bless my dusty playstation, Grand Theft Auto's latest incarnation, San Andreas, has once again consumed every ounce of my free time. If you haven't seen the commercial that features GNR's Welcome to the Jungle, this release of the series puts you in L.A. California in the early nineties. You build a gang, do drive-bys, conquer territories, get tattoos, eat burgers... all to the bounce of Dr. Dre or Rage Against the Machine.

I've always been impressed with the Rockstar's ability to create environments that are so robust. The cities have such a wealth of detail and activity that it really breathes life into the game. You really do feel that it is L.A. you're cruising through at night. The architecture, the street traffic, the riff-raff, it's all there. The game is huge too, so much bigger than any previous release.

Since playing GTA, two things have occured: 1) Gang slang has entered my lexicon. 2) I haven't taken out the trash.

A Bright New Lightroom

Ladies and gentlmen, designers and rockstars, we humbly present to you, the fabulous new face of Lightroom.

Go see the new digs.

Regarding Your Design Process

I thought it might be helpful to share a discussion I've had in recent days with designers out there that have plenty of resources for the nuts and bolts of web design, but might have trouble finding resources on process.

The following is an interview conducted by Kelly Norton, a student at MIT's Media Lab. For a "Media Studies" class taught by Henry Jenkins, he was given the assignment to interview a media producer about the assumptions that shape his/her design decisions.

Update:

Kelly has posted his report from the interview. You might be interested in hearing his thoughts.

---

What are the various forms of media that you have used throughout your career? How do they interplay in your work? Are some forms subordinate to others?

I've worked in/with film, video, photography, painting, music, web design, collage, chemistry, architecture, fine art, graphic design, print making, and I am a decent chef too. I have found myself to be visual and spatial mostly. I currently sit most comfortably with photography, film, and interactive design. I say currently because that may shift, or has had a history of shifting. Photography comes the easiest, but I really enjoy problem solving, so interactive design is quite engaging.

Are there any styles, theories or schools of thought to which you feel a particular allegiance?

I would first like to give a shout out to capitalism.

I have a small commitment to design methodology which I suspect comes a little from working in architectural design, where the problem space is very large due to the amount of constraints and concerns you're dealing with. Methodology helps add stickiness to all those things.

I like that design disciplines cross-pollinate one another. How you approach design concerns in one medium can inform how you handle similar concerns in another medium. That's why it is very important for me to gain experience in a very wide range of things. Some might think it leads to being a jack of all trades. I have a subtle confidence that it will lead to a greater understanding of different creative disciplines. What you do with that, I just don't know yet. My relationship on a personal level with various mediums is cyclic. I'll return to pick up photography after working in architecture for some time with a new perspective and insight that makes my photography better.

The Design Process

To simplify this exercise, let us focus on a particular project of yours. Preferably one that was created using a process that you feel is representative of your approach. Give a brief description of the project. What were the primary goals for the project?

The project was to design a company identity for a furniture designer, and then execute the brand over multiple marketing fronts including business cards, stationery, brochures, photography, larger format posters for ICFF and a website featuring their collection. The designer had seven furniture designs that he wanted to market, in addition to promoting his custom design services.

Soorikain Furniture

What distinct properties of each of the forms of media used allow you to meet your goals?

Marketing mostly. The thickness of the business cards and quality of printing speak to the quality of the furniture. We worked with local printer Thomas and Bohannon, who did an excellent job on their cards. Photographs of the pieces communicate warmth to the viewer. They also show the work from many perspectives. The website allows people to interact with the brand, read about the company, explore its products. We did some animations that showed how some of the furniture worked (1 , 2 , look above "available finishes"). We fashioned the brochures like billboard messaging – quick reads that leapfrog you to the website. My brother Aaron developed a color palette that was full of energy and vitality.

What was your target audience and what kinds of constraints did it impose?

The target audience was interior designers, retailers, architects, and individuals who subscribe to Dwell, Design Within Reach, and Metropolis. Because we could identify with this market base personally, I think it made it easier on us. Designing for one's own tastes is second nature. Because we knew interior designers and architects would need to spec out furniture to their clients, the information tear-sheets on the website for each piece needed to be very detailed, with dimensions and available finishes.

What other considerations were central to the development of the design?

The brand colors had to shift seamlessly through four-color processing, offset printing, and digital display. That was a big concern. We spent a lot of time studying how light played upon various swatches of color, and playing with monitor display settings.

The primary aim of the website was to get visitors to the furniture display pages. We wanted the homepage to imitate a design magazine and feature a random piece of furniture each time one visits. Sort of like a cover design that enticed readers to look inside. It was determined that the target audience also had children, so we thought that the images we used should mirror their lifestyle (1, 2). I thought it was smart to show people interacting with the furniture pieces. I think this added a realness to the furniture - as if they were not only attractive and well-crafted pieces, but very functional, everyday objects for your home. This was at the heart of what the Soorikians wanted to create through their work. We used the Soorikians’ kids as our models, which gave great results.

Matt Soorikian had a love for Blue Note album covers. We did a lot of research in this arena. I think it inspired the primary colors and large, bold type for the logo identity. We explored type selections, color, and image in 3 separate explorations, then began to bring various combinations together. With feedback and review, we further developed the brand logo and mark. Then we executed it in various media. In it’s most simple form, the process would look like this: explore > brand < execute brand.

I like your ideas about touching a lot of domains not to necessarily become a player in each domain, but to inform your work regardless of medium. Let me ask you a few follow up questions on that specificially. Can you give me some specific examples from your work where models and/or concepts from one domain were employed in another? Obviously, there is no need to constrain this to the Soorikian project.
I have 4 examples..

One initial concept for a studio for a client of ours that does film titles, was based on the layering of materials of various transparencies. This was derived from the tools they use to produce their own work: software that "layers" motion graphics, film and soundtrack on top of each other.

In an architecture studio class, I used the metaphor of the chrysalis as the guiding concept in a project
involving renovating Blood and Fire Ministries, a non-profit org that provides shelter, community and spiritual awakening to Atlanta's inner city poor. This "change" metaphor was used to generate forms. During my studies I collected science textbook graphics of the metamorphic process. The concept of change/the chrysalis was used again when I produced a series of flyers for an Atlanta promotion company. Each flyer focused on the change they were trying to create within the dj scene. I used much of the graphics I collected from my first exploration during the architecture project, in the visual flyers.

Lightroom studio, designed by my partner Bill Carpenter has a large window that acts as a framing device for the neighboring building (photography) and on the opposite wall is a window which frames the event of the train passing (film).

In designing the Square Feet Studio's color palette, we examined the colors found in the materials of adaptive reuse building projects. Brick, old timbers, copper patina, tar. Aaron named each color after the material that inspire it.

One of the things I find interesting is that your concept of work, tends to stand apart from media entirely. Do you think there are some comon, core elements at the core of each medium? What things come to mind?

Hmmm. I'll answer this one by saying yes, I believe there are core elements. I think each medium is made unique by the combination and arrangement of constraints and concerns within each medium's "problem space". Some concerns overlap like electrons between neighboring atoms. For instance composition is in play in both photography and graphic design and architecture.

In the Soorikian project, you mentioned that the color palette was constrained by four-color process. This seems a case where one medium constrains the others involved. In your work, how common are these cross-medium constraints? Do you have other examples?

Great question. I can't think of another example.

Audience

In general, how do you determine target audience? In the case of the Soorikian project, it seemed as if you had a good idea from its onset. Was there any process to attempt to re-define or expand the audience? In projects where the audience is not as clear, what methods or strategies do you use to determine your audience?

We have a questionnaire we give our clients that deals with their business/personal goals, target market, etc. We composed some of the questions while others were derived from books we've read. We primarily rely on the client to communicate their audience/market to us. We are a small, young shop at the moment. I hope to provide more thorough marketing strategies for our clients in the future that would include audience and market analysis, but we are not there yet.

Identity

One of the things that never occurred to me is how design of identity often stives to setup an aesthetic link between the audience and the entity the design artifact represents.

I even like how an identity system can relate to other logos in form, color and type, to evoke an alliance to the values already found in another brand. I like how graphic design can be self-referential like that.

In architecture, the structure communicates its use and typically apeals to an audience who understands and appreciates that particular use. In the case of Soorikian, Matt's love for Blue Note album covers is reflected in the design which is logically related to the aesthetics that goes into their furniture. I have always tended to think more in terms of only appealing to a select target audience, but it seems as if you are hinting at a process where the designer is bridging client (for lack of a better word) and audience more than just working along side the client to present something to an audience. Is that a fair deduction on my part? What corrections would you make in that statement?

Yes, bridging is a good word. You make it sound so appealing. It's about communicating in the end.

Another example: We recently helped develop a name and identity system for a friend of ours who is a php programmer, who also loves racing bmws and porsches. His audience was creative directors needing a back-end mercenary. He was essentially a ghost in the machine. The name was simple, "Brand New Engine". It fit well with his economic function, lifestyle, and was easy to tell people over the phone without having to spell it (one of his pet peeves).

It depends on the client though. Much of the time we use a collaborative process. Sometime we just act as a catalyst by bringing clarity to their existing vision and identity.

Other times we produce a product, and the client goes okay that's perfect, thanks. As if we output design like a baker makes muffins. Which I guess is what we do.

Collecting the Art of Mr. Jeffreys

There's a folder on my laptop labeled "hiccups". It's reserved for those instances where images, for whatever reason, get corrupted, transformed, or otherwise digitally mangled without my intervention. Each time it occurs, I point to Mr. Jeffreys and smile with an bit of encouraging pride. Sometimes it's inspiring. At other times it's irritating, but overall I like the creativity. So much so, I take screen shots to capture each moment. Above is Mr Jeffreys' latest work. You can see the file whose icon was reworked on the bottom right. One day I hope to make a gallery show of it all.

Interactive Honors

Communication Art's Interactive Annual 10 is out. John says he knows like half the people in it this year. You my fine reader know at least one. Imagination Brewery has a spot in the self-promotion arena.

Custom End Table

[ designed by Soorikian ]

Typography Makes My Head Hurt

It's a curse. You wake up one morning and you realize that your knowledge of typography weighs in with you every second of the day. When I'm walking to lunch, I'm secretly evaluating and naming typefaces on store signage, on billboards, on automobiles, on parking meters, on posters, on court houses, on flyers, on baseball caps, on vacuums. I may not talk about it out loud but it's there, lurking: a mini-processor in my head scanning the environment for type treatments. I can't escape it. What worries me is that the mental "load" running the type meter is stealing from my other mental activities. Like the other day I threw my dirty clothes not in the hamper, but next to it in the toilet. I tell you, I'm losing it, and it's all because of type. If you were considering getting more familiar with typefaces, heed this warning dear gentle people: it will wreck your life.

Powers of Ten

There are very few instances in life when your work desk has a completely clean surface. The day it first arrives is one of them.

Ladies and gentlemen, presenting... all new desks.

--

In Flight Reading

Designer, perhaps? The premiere issue of Design In-Flight is out, you should go pull one off the stack. Expect to find valuable insight on "Building a Better Mousetrap", this issue's theme. The list of contributors includes yours truly.

Deluxe Printing

[CSA graphics]

There is a sleepy town in rural Alabama that boasts a population of only 255. It is home to one of the best silkscreen print shops in the country. Scott Peek of Standard Deluxe invited us down for the nickel and dime tour. What we got was some down-home cooking, southern sweet tea and a group of warm individuals that take pride in mastering the craft of print.

[click for photo gallery]

The town of Waverly has only a handful of buildings in its "business district", and Standard Deluxe occupies them all. We met the guys of SD down at South by Southwest this year, who had a booth on the convention floor showcasing their posters, tshirts and flyers, all printed by hand the old fashion way. Craft is what it's about. Down a dirt road off the main drag is a an old barn which houses the core of the operation. The crew sweats in the Alabama heat as they prep screens and oversee print runs. Modest Mouse is there too on the stereo. Most of the staff comes from Auburn's art programs, which is about twelve miles from Waverly down Hwy. 280.

A few years ago, 280, which ran through the town, was expanded from a two-lane to a four-lane. The county decided to redirect the new route outside of Waverly. The silence that came from the lack of rigs blaring through their small town was not overlooked. They gave birth to "The Old 280 Boogie." This year marked the fourth annual celebration, filled with local music, cake walks, horseshoes and mule buggy rides.

The High Corner Co-Op, only open on Saturdays, shows local artists and sells Standard deluxe t-shirts. There's even a Waverly hot sauce for sale. The spirit of the small town is also the identity of Standard Deluxe. To experience the town is to know the company and the people, who are fun, caring and have lovely accents.

See some images from our trip.

--

The Big Reveal

I've been in several conversations this week with people on the subject of makeover television. Make over my car, my style, my house, my lawn, and my face. Give me a new job, a new career, a new relationship and a new dress size. I think it's fair to say that "makeover" is the leading type of reality programming right now. These shows are successful because people are watching them. As a barometer of culture this is quite concerning. Are we all unhappy with the current state of our lives? Of the way we look? Does it stem from a broader dissatisfaction with our economic, political and social states? Okay, perhaps that is too much a stretch. One good eye opener raised by Bill this week was that as designers the reinvention trend has, quite naturally, had an impact on our work. Everyone wants a new self.

Redesign comprises much of the work we do as designers, so if anything, this wave is a great thing. But there is that "all within the hour" residue that lingers from a hollywood version of design that is troubling. We see it everyday.

Soft Launch

Dear friends,

We are preparing to launch a new website for a furniture designer in the next few weeks, just in time for ICFF. Aside from getting an early bird vantage point, you my fine professional are being called to duty. Give us some insightful feedback. We have been working diligently on its development, but know it will only be a successful site with your help. Just click on the image above.

-

Get Object-Oriented

[Click image for larger view]

We're not talking about programming here. You'll actually need to close your laptop. It's time to make something with your hands and remove yourself from the digital realm for a while. Cut up stuff like old Life magazines and scribbled thought diagrams. Glue it on some presentation board. Maybe add a few stokes of paint. Who cares what it looks like in the end; it's the refreshment of the process you're after.

Above is a collage Florrie and I did. It's been years since I've attempted making art- real, physical art. It's quite fun, particularly in teams of two.

Free Alavert samples to anyone that can best interpret meaning above.

Kitchen

How about that for a clever title?

From the Top Ropes

Sometimes people ask me what it's like to teach a class of creative students. I usually tilt my head, tighten my eyelids and, in a reflective tone, begin with, "When you're teaching, you feel at once like an evangelist and a pro wrestler..."

And that's the reality. If you're class isn't terrified, you aren't doing your job. They should tremble with the thought that they too could fall victim to a maneuver their favorite teacher has developed in his garage. You mostly point and yell when you teach.

When I say this to people, they get excited. See, everyone thinks this seemingly super-human power is what they really want from life. I think empowerment actually comes with the satisfaction of sharing stuff you know about with others. It's what I love about teaching. That, and mopping up the pools of grey matter soup.

This quarter's teaching experience has confirmed this one fleeting thought: It is best to always be in flux between the role of student and teacher. There is an overwhelming sense of continuity when you do. If you don't have a mentor, get one. If you don't have any students, adopt some. You'll feel like the Rock, I promise.

I then tiptoe through a touching conclusion, "In the end, the very end, all that's left is a better tomorrow, one that you can take pride in helping shape..."

Generally I then get punched in the arm.

*No students were hurt during the lecture pictured above.

Window Treatment

Rather than tapping out a thoughtful review of last week's SXSW Interactive conference held in Austin, I have chosen to present you with yet another humble offering: Byrdhouse Wallpapers. Get 'em while supplies last:

Byrdhouse Brown

1024 x 768 | 1280 x 1024 | 1680 x 1050

The Window Treatment

1024 x 768 | 1280 x 1024 | 1680 x 1050

UPDATE: 'Tis the season for new wallpapers, you know. Greg Storey has some high-flying ones over at Airbag you should grab.

No Picture, Please, No Picture

Last week in Washington, D.C. the late Samuel Mockbee was awarded AIA's prestigious Gold Medal Award. For those unfamiliar with the southern giant, he is perhaps best known for spearheading the Rural Studio at Auburn's School of Architecture. The Gold Medal is the highest honor an architect can ever receive. Even more, the last architect that was awarded the honor posthumously was Thomas Jefferson (he was an architect, btw). What amazes me is the total lack of coverage surrounding the event and honoring. We all definitely heard about Martha's verdict last week. This is disconcerting, because without spotlight on such events--and the starring architects--the public loses sight of the architect as a key player in shaping our cultural and physical landscape. It's glossed over, just as this event was.

Oh and yes, that is I.M Pei you see there. Courtesy of friend Jim Burton.

Headed South

We're traveling to Austin this weekend for SXSW because we heard you had something important to say about:

a) your new book
b) accessibility and web standards
c) wireless stuff
d) blogging

The Fine Print

On a tip from Dan, the Byrdhouse proudly presents:

Printing Basics for Web Developers

Business cards. I'd think you'd agree they're a must for the 21st century business person? And boy, you've probably seen it all: die cuts, foil embosses, scratch 'n sniffs, cards that double as cd-roms... Rest assured, someone will hand you a business card made of plastic this spring.

I'm writing this for the web designers out there; the ones who can immediately tell if a site is css, but stare blankly at the question, "Do you want that full-bleed?" The following are some tips for you, my brave web developer. For brevity's sake, I've left out a bunch of stuff like, "Call your mom when you get the proof." This is a fly-by after all.

 

1. Spot vs. 4-color Processing

Spot color printing is like doing a screen print on a t-shirt. You work with big, blocks of color. If spot printing is your GIF, then 4-color processing is your JPG. It's better for photos. The problem is 4-color printing, like a magazine, is composed of tiny dots. On a shiny brochure, great. For business cards, not so. Spot produces better quality, and quality is what we're after right?

RIGHT?

2. Select a Good Printing Company.

Kinko's is not a good printer. Also, that place where you select the style from a catalog book is a bad choice too. They are about getting the job done and that's it. And while there's nothing wrong with that, I will remind you that quality is the key word. The design could be outstanding but if the printing is poor, it's a sham. Your card speaks worlds about who you are and what you value.

REMEMBER: You're quality, babe.

Ask your print friends for print companies they use. The important thing here is with a good printer, you get attention.  They are going to educate you on printing techniques. They'll tell you when they see a problem. They have time to show you their presses. Ask for a Coke in a bottle and you''ll end up with a tour.

3. Select Your Pantones

Pantones are like web-safe colors for print. Your printer guy has a formula guide you can use. (Be aware, you will eventually desire your own pantone guide.) Your job is to choose colors from the swatches, which the printer can match exactly. You can specify these in your illustrator file by opening the pantone swatch library.

4. Prepare the File

Full-bleed simply means that the color comes all the way to the edge of the card. The honest truth is the printer is going to take your illustrator file and set it up according to how they plan to run it through the press. You've just got to remember to add about 1/16th of an inch extra space to every edge for bleed.

Here's a illustrator template to help you get started:

8up_byrdhouse.ai.zip (21k)

5. Comb the Proof

The printer will show you a proof. This is what your future holds. Hopefully you caught any misspellings before now. Look closely, double and then triple check it. Show it to your associates. When you're confident with everything, point to the stands and say,"Send it to the presses!"

Lightroom designs better business cards.

-