To all you graphic designers / illustrators out there...

Do you think i should have a background? such as a circle or something? or just keep it B+W lines. Also is there anything similar to this already? I really hope not..

Here are my latest changes.

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I'd let the container breathe a bit more to help the legibility of the "S".

When you add rounds to strokes in illustrator, it adds a bit on, so you might want to move the base of the "A" up a bit more to keep the consistent lineweight/negative space.

Are you sure you need the container at all? give it a go without, think it would simplify it, whilst maintaining the brutalist aesthetic you're going for.

Okay I will try it, I feel the biggest problem is the legibilty of the S do you have any other ideas if the removal of the container doesnt work?

You could also try to increase the negative space between the "S" and the contained "A" and "F" - (essentially making the "A" and "F" smaller) to allow the internal space in the "S" to read better. In the second example, i've shortened the tails on the "S" also.

added some curves to the inner corners.

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This is way stronger... More cartouche-like...

Now?

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Designers.

I've a meeting this week with the director of a heritage-specific interpretative design agency after weeks of gentle bullying by email. I don't really have a design background-my undergrad was fine art, and (shite) postrgrad was in (supposedly) heritage-specific 3D visualisation. Not that I'm any good at it or learned very much but I did get a distinction for my research project which was a case study of an attraction this company helped design and the merits of tangible 3D exhibits over pure digital presentations. So, in the absence of a meaningful design portfolio or concrete design skills but a really good head for research, what would your advice be on how best to sell such a meagre package?

I'm pretty sure I can get up on any 2D design packages I'm not familiar with ok, but for obvious reasons I'm not particularly confident of my overall worth to them if only because I know just how shit my course was so I'm kind of bricking it. I just want some paid work experience working on projects that would let me build up skills and portfolio, and don't expect to walk into a permanent role or anything as there's clearly a lot of design-specific skills I'm currently missing.

Just keep harping on about user-centered design/process and how you've excelled at research in the past. State that you feel genuine user insights are the only way to accomplish effective story telling (or an iterative process if it fits their work) and that you prefer to interrogate briefs and make the correct decision, instead of making many subjective decisions.

Essentially if they need a design package pro/artworker then you're not their guy. Instead play to your strengths and hope that the director is into it... software is the easiest part to learn, if you're genuinely 'the shit' at research then your executions will be beautifully simple anyway.

This is very helpful, thank you. Also trying to decide on dress expectations for meeting. Jeans/trainers shirt but no tie and nice jacket acceptable or is that too casual?

Are they agency-normal, or client-side-normal? The former means a shirt and trousers/jeans is ok (although I'd avoid all trainers). The latter means you might want to go a little smarter.

Try to guess/work out what the director will wear and go marginally smarter. They might have put photos online that can help...

What in the name of hades is heritage-specific interpretive design?

Interpretive design involves lots of learning... imagine trying to communicate to a child how to drive a car, etc.

Heritage = zoo/museum/gallery/etc (maybe)?!

Ultimately we are all tradesmen.

What can you bring to the table?

If perceived benefit from skillset I am sure you will be fine.

The other thing is confidence.

This is independent of skillset.

Better to have tried and failed than to not have tried at all.

IMO

😀

@JonoMarshall pretty much summed it up-much more often the client will be some kind of heritage/museum org and publicly funded or using/bidding for lottery money so much less commercial but very interesting if done right, which of course, lots of it isn't.

I had a gander for pics but can't glean much insight so I'll err on the side of maximum respect and go for an unseasonal linen suit and suede brogues. Will freeze my tits off and probably arrive looking like a bit of elephant hide but hey ho, it's the only suit I've got...

Thanks for the advices!

I need a logo designing for something I'm working on.

Can anyone point me in the direction of someone who does that sort of thing? #clueless

@c0gsucker any of us over here should be able to help

thanks!

This seems like the best place to ask though my question is perhaps like asking "how long is a piece of string?".

Am I missing a trick when creating vectors from jpegs? They always seem to go all wonky.

Currently I open the jpeg (or .png or whatever) in Illustrator and do a Live Trace but no matter how much I fiddle with the 'Threshold' and 'Min. Area' sliders I can't get nice crisp straight lines.

ie. I start with

and end up with

Jpg is a lossy format so you're always going to get blurry lines. You might get better results if you turn off fills, and just get it to do lines, but fundamentally, that is about as good an output as you're going to get

Just draw that over the top, or find a much higher res jpg to vector from which may give you a better result.

But essentially what ^ said

@timbre @branwen, cheers guys. Will try from higher res jpegs and failing that I'll just have to learn to use illustrator and indesign better so I can draw them myself.