Textiles

I'm not crafty and I don't sew, but I have this...fetish? obsession? thing?...with fabric. I'm not talking about the moth-infested stacks in dark, dank boxes in your grandmother's sewing room. No, I'm talking about very modern, colorful, and hip (by using the word "hip" I have successfully branded myself as the opposite) designs printed on high-quality cotton.

Jessica Jones is not only one of my favorite print designers, but is also an amazing textile designer. She loves color and perfectly imperfect nature-inspired shapes. Her fabrics have been used by Target, Nordstroms, HomeGoods, and more.

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Neither here nor there, she's also the author of the wildly successful How About Orange Blog. If you're not reading it, you should probably start.

My inner hipster is head-over-heels in love with Echino fabric. It is so bright and happy; I want to buy every darn print they create. Did I mention that I don't even sew?!? Echino designs are printed onto canvas-like fabric, which makes them a great choice for home decor. True story: I have throw pillows made out of the below camera fabric.
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Another great brand is Michael Miller. His team designs in a modern and fresh style, reimincent of hot summer days and lemonade.

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Fabric stores are great inspiration stations. Look past the horrible design and visit Del Ray Fabrics to see some great prints. The Needle Shop also has a great selection.

And if you're feeling extra ambitious, try your hand at designing your own bolt here. Printing it might break the piggy bank, but I can't think of a better holiday gift for mum than custom threads. 

The Real Bears

I saw this video recently and loved it immediately. The juxtaposition of a lighthearted song and cute illustrations with a very serious message is at once intersting and horrifying. It is very effective! I'm a huge activist against drinking your calories, so I hope you'll enjoy. And then go pour out your Coke.

 

Venn

My lunch crew was talking about venn diagrams and how much we love them. I know, I know; we're all a bunch of nerds. Then, I heard mention of venns on the ever-fabulous Modern Family. So when I came across this awesome diagram yesterday, it was a no-brainer that I'd post it. 

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Perhaps the universe is trying to tell me something? "Use a venn diagram for your social campaign."  Hmmmmm.

On the Grid

During class last week, I got asked about the mysterious "grid" our professor keeps referring to. Not that I'm anyone to be answering questions about anything (unless you want to know about eyebrows, in which case, I consider myself an expert), but I thought I'd pass along a little information.

It's my understanding that there's no wrong or right way to make a grid. There are many, many, many grid options. So when graphic designers talk about "the grid," they aren't referring to one, specific layout...at least I don't think. They are referring to "a two-dimensional structure made up of a series of intersecting vertical and horizontal axes used to structure content. The grid serves as an armature on which a designer can organize text and images in a rational, easy to absorb manner," according to Wikipedia.

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This zine is an excellent introduction to the grid. This article is also a great overview. And this book is the the grid bible, as far as I'm concerned...which isn't very far.

In a nutshell, you first decide what grid you want to use for your design. The most common are columns and baseline, but modern design uses the golden ratio and the rule of thirds. Use scratch paper and a ruler to map out your page before going into InDesign, if you need to.

In InDesign, click inside the ruler and drag out guides to set up your own grid and section off your page in orderly "chunks." Don't forget to include gutters, or "breathing room." You can also turn on a "grid" in InDesign and use it as a guide, if you wish.

There are a great many people who understand the usage of the grid far better than I, but hopefully this gives you a start place. Feel free to chime in, and remember, 

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