Daniel Collins Design - Work / Life

Turning On the Creativity

2009-11-09T20:04:00.000-08:00

The discovery phase is over. The strategy is in place. All the boring meetings have come and gone. Now what? How do you get started with a new design project? You have all the ammunition, except for maybe the main ingredient – motivation. Can you turn the creativity off and on at the drop of a hat? Or do you need some sort of motivation to get you in the mood?

Some people fire up the computer and dive right in. Perhaps because the budget is tight an things need to get done "yesterday". While other grab a sketchbook and brain dump their ideas on paper – savoring the creative process and meticulously working out every fine detail.

For me, it's a little of both. However, the thing that gets me in the mood at the beginning of a project is the uncertainty of what will come. Whether I start sketching, or jump right on the computer, the thought of creating something from scratch, nurturing an idea, and applying that concept so that my client will benefit in some way is what really motivates me.

How about you? How do you turn on the creativity? What motivates you?

Rejuvenation: Arts in the Valley 09

2009-09-10T20:17:00.000-07:00

My schedule lately has been crazy to say the least. Most of the waking hours you can find me behind my computer till the wee hours of the morning working on some sweet design projects. But recently I took a break and headed to Rochester, PA to support a music event that was organized by an old college buddy. The event brought together a wildly talented cast of musicians and instructors spanning a wide array of genres and topics. The 3 day event had performances each night that included blues, African drumming, storytelling, 8-string guitar, jazz, gospel and good ole’ rock’n’ roll. Workshop covered an incredibly diverse set of topics including shamanic journeying, guitar and bass workshops, meditative and recreational drum circles, ancient storytelling and morning yoga each day.

It was inspiring to see the collaboration, support, love and above all mutual respect that all the musicians and performers had for one another. It was truly an afternoon of sound spirit and movement and the logo above says.

I saw a lot of similarities in the musicians playing together and some of the recent collaborations in my own line of work. Where a team of individuals, all with specialized skill sets can come together, check their egos at the door, and work together towards a greater purpose. It was rejuvenating and exactly what I needed to keep me going.

Wigs For Kids

2009-07-09T19:11:00.000-07:00

For the first time in over 4 years, my little girl got a major hair cut. My wife took her to Imagine Salon & Spa in Willoughby, Ohio where they proudly support Wigs For Kids – a nonprofit organization that serves children suffering from medical related hair loss by creating custom-made hair replacements. It takes approximately 12 - 15 ponytails to create 1 wig.

The salon offers complimentary haircuts to those donating more than 10 inches of hair. We couldn't be more proud of our little girl for once again putting other's needs before hers.

#1 Twitter Rule

2009-04-14T09:09:00.000-07:00

There have been articles and blog posts galore on Twitter etiquite, how to amass followers, the dos and don'ts of tweeting, etc. Some have valid tips and tricks, but the majority are just rehashing the same bullet points over and over again.

For me, there is only 1 Rule (click here).

Thank you – http://twitter.com/danielcollins

Pantone Paints

2009-04-02T20:36:00.000-07:00

Pantone is the global provider of professional color standards and a source of inspiration for those working in the design community. PANTONE PAINTS combine the accuracy of PANTONE Colors with the beauty and quality of high-performance Dutch paints. Fine Paints of Europe is the only paint company whose paint system provides a perfect match for the more than 3,000 colors in the PANTONE PAINTS + INTERIORS and PANTONE MATCHING SYSTEM® Color palettes.

At $110 for 2.5 liters, it better cover in one coat. :-)

Armani Exchanges Old For New

2009-02-26T22:52:00.000-08:00

From GD USA - February 2009: "Armani Exchnge tapped design firm Chermayeff & Geismar to upgrade its logo to an icon as pivotal to the Italian fashion label's ad campaign as its models and clothes. Designer Sagi Haviv reinvented the brand identity, which has been place since 1991, with a simple flip of color… Havi's team also created a system of symbols, composed of four interchangeable icons that take their inspiration from from the A and X letterforms… 'A system of symbols helps keep the visual image of the brand new and fresh,' said Haviv."

I applaud both Armani and Chermayeff & Geismar for recognizing that there was nothing wrong with the A|X brand identity. It just need a lift - as all brands need from time to time. As opposed to the recent Pepsi and Tropicana fiasco, a little restraint goes a long way. Your thoughts?

Going Down

2009-02-25T20:48:00.000-08:00

Sometimes you just need to get downstairs… fast!

Love Helvetica Logo

2009-02-19T09:28:00.000-08:00

Taking a stab at Graham Smith's call for logo entries for his new site – lovehelvetica.com. There will be prizes and the opportunity for the logo to be displayed on the site.

The above is my favorite. Here are some other variations:
• Version 2
• Version 3
• Version 4

What do you think? Also, check out the Flickr page.

Proposition 3-17

2009-02-17T00:39:00.000-08:00

Last year, Guinness® started Proposition 3-17, the campaign to make St. Patrick's Day an official holiday in the US. While they gained a lot of support, they still need signatures. When you and your friends support Proposition 3-17, you have the opportunity to make a difference. To make history. To make official what we already know is the greatest holiday of the year. Cheers!

On-the-spot Marketing: Freeway Lanes

2009-01-28T08:53:00.001-08:00

Someone is on their toes over at Freeeway Lanes. With all of the school closings in Northeast Ohio today, they issued an email blast with this coupon. Great idea. Too bad my car is snowed in.

Pepsi & Obama

2009-01-12T20:55:00.000-08:00

Leave it to the Corporate America to jump on the Obama bandwagon and turn a great presidential brand into another vehicle to sell something. Aside from logo similarities (red, white and blue, round, curved lines), both Obama and Pepsi brands are preaching a message of optimism and hope. (actual ad above)

Pepsi spokeswoman Nicole Bradley says that no marketing ideas were exchanged between the Pepsi and Obama teams. "We can't speak to the president-elect's design sensibilities, but we're all over his prevailing spirit of optimism," she says. "That's as refreshingly bipartisan as it gets."

Please tell me what "hope" has to do with soda? Way to be original Pepsi – copy the concept and the design. Your thoughts?

Design Review: SuperKmart.com

2009-01-08T00:03:00.000-08:00

With the hustle and bustle of our recent move along with the holidays, we had no time to bake a cake for my boy's birthday. Fortunately, the Super K that's right down the street has a bakery inside. My wife went online and discovered that you can order the cakes through their website. They offer a ton of options: basic cakes, cookie cakes, ice cream cakes, Disney, Marvel, movies, or create-a-cake with custom lettering and photos.

With a quick registration she chose the Spider Man - Wall Crawler Cake of course (with suction cup action figure included). After selecting the size, flavor of the cake, flavor of the icing, optional filling, and what date we needed it – that was it. It was one of the smoothest and fastest transactions I've ever witnessed.

Pros
+ Easy to navigate – this site is only for the Bakery, Cakes, Deli and Floral
+ Simple registration
+ Easy checkout process
+ Tips & ideas for entertaining
+ Store locator

Cons
The design is not the most engaging – the home page is a bit clunky and the photos are static, but that's minor compared to the quick and easy ordering/check out.

Conclusion
After ordering online, we got an email confirming the order. The next day we got a call from our Super K's bakery confirming the order again. I picked it up on the date we selected and was in and out of the store in minutes. It was a great online experience that continued to the in-store purchase. The cake was delicious too. We'll definitely use this site again. Check it out. What do you think?

Christmas Memories

2008-12-23T11:56:00.000-08:00

The most important thing of the holiday season is making memories that will last a lifetime. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! :-)

Music from Frank Sinatra Christmas Collection

My First Tree Topper

2008-12-14T12:58:00.000-08:00

This limited edition millennium can of Budweiser was the tree topper of my first Christmas tree. I got my first house in October of 1999 and as a bachelor, I had no ornaments (or money to spend on them). I improvised. I cut the bottom off the can and stuck it on top. The rest of the tree was adorned with the pull tabs of several of this can's friends. Nine years later, it no longer sits on the top of the tree, but it's there – buried deep within the tree waiting for one day to climb back to the top.

Click here for more cool ornaments.

The Best Christmas Song Ever

2008-12-02T10:24:00.000-08:00

The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl - Fairytale of New York. The song takes the form of a drunken man's Christmas Eve reverie about holidays past while sleeping off a binge in a New York City drunk tank. After an inebriated old man also incarcerated in the jail cell sings a passage from the Irish drinking ballad "The Rare Old Mountain Dew", the drunken man begins to dream about a failed relationship.

How could you not love a song with lyrics like this:

You're a bum
You're a punk
You're an old slut on junk
Lying there almost dead on a drip in that bed
You scumbag, you maggot
You cheap lousy faggot
Happy Christmas your arse
I pray God it's our last

Trivia: The song's music video features actor Matt Dillon playing a policeman. Dillon claims that the part was the best moment of his career. His charisma also saved the precinct-house video shoot when the Pogues became drunk on set.

The End of an Era

2008-11-17T18:56:00.000-08:00

This house has been the backdrop to the last nine years of my life, and this week I'll close its doors for the last time. There have been tons of great times here, but bigger and better things await... So long!

Ford F150: An American Original?

2008-11-06T19:36:00.000-08:00

Last Sunday Ford started running new commercials for the new '09 F150. The spots are not available online yet but you can get a glimpse of the style here – http://www.fordvehicles.com/trucks/f150. I think the combination of the bold, kinetic typography, simple graphics and the no-nonsense voice over of Dennis Leary really deliver on the F150 brand. But I've seen this done before:

+ Pulp Fiction
+ Fight Club
+ Wedding Crashers

So what do you think – great ad or just another agency rip-off?

Design Review: Realtor.com

2008-10-22T22:00:00.000-07:00

Looking for a new home? Check out Realtor.com. This site has been an integral part of my new home search. Recently redesigned, the site gives you tailored results and loads of information on every house that's for sale with an agent.

Pros
+ Interactive maps
+ 360° view for the entire property courtesy of Virtual Earth
+ Advice, ideas, tools and calculators
+ School district information
+ Mobile tools for your smart phones
+ Save listings and search criteria
+ Email notification of new listings that fall within your search criteria
+ Notification when your saved properties are updated
+ Request a showing through the site
+ Tastefully placed ads
+ Easy to navigate
+ Big photos galleries
+ Consistent, appealing design

Cons
There are not too many cons for this site. The main issue is that the real estate agent is responsible for their own listings. If the agent doesn't take the time to write a good description or take attractive photos, the listing will suffer.

Conclusion
The redesign of this site is a huge improvement from their previous site. It's easy to use, convenient, and has saved me loads time. It's has been great resource in my endless search for the perfect home. Check it out. What do you think?

The Letter of the Week

2008-10-16T21:33:00.000-07:00

D was the letter of the week in my boy's pre-k school. His assignment was to find letters, cut them out and paste them in his D book. We poured through the monster stack of Parenting magazines and local fish wraps and found some great examples shown here.

It took me back to the Typography classes back at KSU – pre-computers when we would have to find the perfect typeface, cut them out with surgically sharp Xacto knives without snipping off the tips of our fingers, and paste them in place, creating a unique and beautiful design that solved the problem at hand.

This kind of thought process is often overlooked in today's fast-paced design world. Designers sometimes neglect the fact that the typefaces we choose can have a dramatic effect on the overall design. We simply type away and choose from our handful of fall back typefaces. Are you guilty of this? I know I am… sometimes ;-)

As for the assignment, the design hierarchy could use some work and the craftsmanship was less that desirable, but then again he's only 4. (The anomalous number 8 left in the lower corner is a nice touch though.) A designer in the making? Maybe. But we're keeping all options open.

Re-Imagining a Classic

2008-10-09T20:27:00.000-07:00

I had the privilege of attending one of the first ever performance in the newly remodeled Hanna Theatre. A fully-flexible, hydraulic, thrust stage allows for maximum audience impact. With this stage, audiences sit on three sides of the playing area and inhabit the same room as the performers. I sat in row 2 and was literally about 10 feet from the actors.

The design of the space encourages social and cultural interaction from the pre-show cocktails to the post-show conversation with the cast. Interactive video screens connect patrons to the performance even when you're are away from your seat.

The night featured the the Great Lakes Theater Festival’s first ever performance of Into the Woods. Two thumbs up.

Family Fun Fest

2008-10-06T14:03:00.000-07:00

We made our annual trip to Patterson's Fruit Farm for a little bit of pre-fabricated Fall fun. Their Family Fun Fest is a perfect way to spend an afternoon, with all sorts of activities for kids. The place was packed with camera-toting parents and over-excited kids wandring through the pumpkin patch, picking apples and playing on the hay stack. This is our 3rd year and I’m sure we will continue to come back.

This is a Test

2008-10-01T21:19:00.000-07:00

It really is – a test, and the first post I've ever written. I'm not a writer and I don't like reading so most of the time you'll see photos or videos with brief comments mostly on the topics of graphic design, web deign, technology and the occasional crazy antics and silly things that happen day in and day out. Stay tuned...