Dialogue
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Hello,
The chapter’s programming year is in full swing! Wonderful opportunities are popping up all over the Upstate. Thanks for the participation in the various design lectures, and networking opportunities. It is great to see the various nodes of design creativity connect across the state.
We just confirmed a new addition to Creative Eats, Utica is now hosting a monthly gathering. I’d like to extend a big thank-you to Michelle McCarrick Truett for organizing this meeting.
The popularity of these events is confirmed by the continual growth in locations and attendance. These Third Thursday events are open to everyone in the design industry; designers, account executives, printers, marketers and on. I have been asked if non-members can attend, and the answer is ABSOLUTELY YES! You are part of the UPSTNY design community, so bring a friend and meet other like-minded people in your community.
We have noticed, however, that there have not been many students in attendance at the Creative Eats. We hope to change that this month. Buffalo and Syracuse are specifically focusing their CE meetings on portfolio building. I am certain that other locations would also be open to discuss the ins and outs of preparing your book and getting prepared for job interviews. If you are a student of design, don’t delay! Start building your professional network at this event.
In this issue, the chapter board members have added a few new types of content to the newsletter. There are two articles and a member interview. We would very much appreciate your feedback on these new additions. You may submit it by replying to this email president@upstatenewyork.aiga.org or under each article on the web site.
Have a great month and keep in touch.
Best Regards,
Bill Klingensmith
AIGA Upstate New York - President
UPSTNY MEMBER INTERVIEW | Christine Walker
JOB ORGANIZATION & BACKUP IN THE STUDIO
SPEAKING OF TYPEPosted by newyorkupstate in Newsletter | November 1, 2009
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AIGA member since 1999, Christine Walker, artist and owner of Concepcioun Handmade Gifts, makes time to answer questions in our first ever AIGA UPSTNY member interview by fellow member and Treasurer, Lori Reed.
CHRISTINE WALKER | Concepcioun Handmade Gifts | www.Concepcioun.com
Specializing in handmade books, journals, notepads, and custom wedding guest books.
Photography By Marc Stress of stressdesignHow do you pronounce your company name, Concepcioun?
Almost everyone pronounces it either with a southern flare to it, or a french couture..."cun-sep-she-own". I pronounce Concepcioun as "cun-sep-shun." So, to me, that is correct way to say it. However, I won’t be insulted by the southern or French pronunciation.
What prompted you to start your own line of products?
Well, I believe IT prompted me. I never saw myself taking Concepcioun that seriously. Once I started making sales, it started fueling the fire. I knew that I had the skills and the creativity to make it work. It is still a work-in-progress. It will be interesting to see what happens.
What inspires you?
Seeing other small businesses flourish because of the web. Seeing and talking to other “indie crafters” that are successful. Knowing that I have the power (for the most part) to make or break my success. Seeing other creative graphic design, architecture, typography, etc.
What role do you think designers should play in going green?
I always consider designers taking a lead role in almost all facets of life. Environment, politics, society. We communicate, persuade, ruffle some feathers, and hopefully evoke change because of it.
How do you manage your time so you can have both a successful design career at a local design firm AND run your own online business?
I am not so sure I do a fantastic job at managing both, but I try my best. I am still learning. When business is busy with Concepcioun, I am working from morning until late at night. Luckily, I like what I do with both jobs. It also helps that my employer is flexible.
What would your top piece of advice be for a designer who has a great idea they want to take to market?
Be persistent. The more often you stay in people’s vision, the better they will remember you. Network with everyone. You never know who might be paying attention. Create a brand for yourself!
In what way does being a part of AIGA enhance your career/being a designer/indie crafter?
AIGA enhances my design career by connecting me to other creative minds. It is great to be able to have a network of people easily accessible through this organization. AIGA events inspire me, and often reminds me why being a designer is so great.
Would you like to be interviewed? Contact us: communication@upstatenewyork.aiga.orgPosted by newyorkupstate in Member Interview | November 1, 2009
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By Dennis Angelo, president, In House Graphic Design, Inc.
It’s easy to get busy and not take care to work in an organized way that protects your work for future reference and republishing. Time is money in this business. Take the time now to set up a system of storage and retrieval that will save you hours of frustration in the future. We started our business doing technical literature for a large corporation. The shelf life of each document we created was anywhere from two weeks to a couple of years. We are talking about thousands of documents. It was very important to be able to retrieve those documents and update them in a timely manner with confidence that you are working on the latest version of the document.
We did this with a simple job number system. Each client got a number: 10 for instance. To that we add a period and another number for that particular job: 10.1, 10.2 and so on. We add to that a short description that makes it more specific by describing the kind of work it is: ad campaign, capability brochure, website update. This is usually followed by a date. When you’re done your job number looks like this: 10.2 website update 09. Looking at that number we know who the client is and what iteration of the job it is, the product and the date. We file the work in folders by client number. The individual workstations and the server is then backed up using an automatic backup software. Give yourself plenty of space for storage. We now have two one-terabyte servers and that does not seem like a lot of space anymore.It is not so important what your organization and backup system is but that you have one and follow it on a regular basis. In the 26 years we have been in business, I can remember two devastating system crashes that could have been a lot worse without an organized system.
Dennis has been a professional member of AIGA since 1991 and currently serves on the Upstate NY Chapter Board as Communications Chair.
Posted by newyorkupstate in Fodder | November 1, 2009
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By Marjorie Crum
Did you ever wonder why there are so many versions of the Garamond typeface?
Some of the most popular typefaces in history are those based on the types of the sixteenth-century printer, publisher,
and type designer Claude Garamond, whose types were modeled on those of Venetian printers from the end
of the previous century. Redesigned by many designers over the years including Morris Fuller Benton and Thomas
Maitland Cleland—who based their work, in turn, on seventeenth-century copies of Claude Garamond’s types by
Jean Jannon— Garamond typeface falls into the Garalde or Oldstyle classified type.Claude Garamond was apprenticed to Antoine Augerau, one of the founders of the French typographic style. Augerau’s fate was doomed because he was hanged and burnt for printing a poem without permission. Garamond also worked with the typefounder Geoffroy Tory, who put forward the idea of accents, the apostrophe, the cedilla, and simple punctuation marks and was appointed imprimeur du roi (“printer to the king”) by Francis I in about 1530. Garamond was one of the first punch cutters to work independently of printers. His roman fonts, cut from 1531 onward, surpassed the best existing romans in grace and clarity and influenced European punch cutters for 150 years. His Greek type set the pattern for Greek printing until the early 19th century. Garamond was the first to make type available to printers at an affordable price. He created multiple sets of his type designs and sold these complete sets to printers.
For all his accomplishments one thing eluded him—he did not appear to be a very good businessman. When he died he was penniless, forcing his widow to sell off all of his type design matrices thus giving the world his designs.
More Thoughts on Garamond» I Hate ITC Garamond by Michael Bierut
» Claude Garamond Promotes His Old Style Typefaces Interview by Jason A. Tselentis
» Garamond by TypophilePosted by newyorkupstate in Fodder | November 1, 2009
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The fall is triumphantly racing towards us. I hope you are loving the change of colors across the Upstate. Things are positively changing in the Upstate design community. In the past month, we have been seeing lots of exciting design-related happenings. The Dock2 Letterpress event in Rochester attracted close to 300 people. A great success! Then there was a strong start to Creative Eats. Many cities are picking up momentum with these monthly gatherings. Be sure to come out to the next one. Many folks in the central part of the state went to Syrcause University to see Michael Beirut. A huge event happened in Rochester last Monday, Stefan Sagmeister packed RIT with over 700 people from around the state (literally) to hear him discuss his thoughts on happiness and doing “good” with design. Very inspiring.
This month is sure to continue providing us with inspirational design opportunities. Massimo and Lella Vignelli will be in Syracuse for a lecture on the 21st. Please plan to come out to meet up with others in the Upstate Design community to see this legend of graphic design. And don’t miss the Creative Eats in a city near you.
Grab your friends and join your design community in making something "good" happen.
Best Regards,
Bill Klingensmith
AIGA Upstate New York - President
WEB
Uniquely Upstate New York!
Take a moment to check out the new upstatenewyork.aiga.org. Your contributions make this blank canvas Uniquely Upstate New York. Here are just a few ways that we can all benefit from your being a member of AIGA!
MEMBER BANNER SHOWCASE
Your creativity for the world to see! Your name in lights! Showcase your select portfolio pieces right in our banner. Visit the Member Banner Showcase page for more information.
DIALOGUE
Writers wanted! Submit an article for Dialogue and promote creative conversation. Share your thoughts on design industry, technique and inspiration. What advice do you have working or seeking work as a creative in Upstate New York? As a design community, we learn together. Contribute by sending your article via email to web@upstatenewyork.aiga.org.
FLICKER & AIGA PORTFOLIO
Display images from your portfolio or creative events right on our homepage. A great opportunity to educate and inspire our design community. Using Flickr is a simple way to drop in a few pieces you are proud of, simply join the Flickr pool. And consider taking advantage of the free-to-members AIGA Portfolio to start building a site you can show potential employers and clients.
MIXED MEDIA RESOURCES
Xpedx Store Open House. Join us for Super Savings, Discounts & Drawings, Festivities & Food and Fun & Games
Date:
Thurdsay, October 15th, 2009
Time:
11:30pm
MIXED MEDIA RESOURCES
Check out what’s here—videos, books, podcasts, pictures, RSS Feeds—then recommend ones that inspire you! Send via email to web@upstatenewyork.aiga.org.
WHO OPENS A LETTERPRESS SHOP IN 2009?
Bill Klingensmith
We are a tribe of creatives that have let go of the last century and it’s techniques, seemingly never to return to the physical realm, let alone to labor-intensive processes that once were best practices of our industry. We do things differently now; a lot differently. The industry is not changing; it has changed. read more
ADVOCACY: DIVERSITY
Audrey BennettThe long-term sustainability of the profession of graphic design, depends on the inclusion of more diverse voices in its discourse and practice. Thus, the “AIGA has launched a national initiative on diversity to actively include designers of diverse ethnic backgrounds in the organization and profession.” The Upstate New York chapter of the AIGA has joined many other chapters around the country in adopting this initiative locally. Would you like to see more diverse speakers come to our region or share your passion for design among K-12 students who are underrepresented within our profession? If so, then we have a space reserved for you on the Advocacy committee. Volunteer. Make a difference in your profession.
CREATIVE EATS | October 2009
This monthly social event series was a huge success last year. AIGA UPSTNY is continuing these third [3rd] Thursday of the month social gatherings. The locations will change between a dining experience and a happy hour gathering. We hope you will come out to join us in open dialogue about local design issues and creative discourse.
This networking event is open to long time professionals through beginning students. It is not exclusive to members or graphic designers. It is a gathering of those in the local creative industry, no mater what your title.
Find out more about this month's locations. Creative Eats
Posted by newyorkupstate in Newsletter | October 13, 2009
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