So you've hired a graphic designer to do some work for you and you're expecting great things to make your business look good. Maybe you haven't worked with a graphic designer before and you're not sure what the exact process is? Presumably you've looked at the designer's portfolio so creativity is not an issue. Are there other pitfalls to look out for? Exactly what should you expect from your Graphic Designer?

1. An Understanding Of Your Business:
This may seem unimportant but if a designer needs to have at least a rudimentary understanding of what you do. How else are they going to create a piece of marketing collateral that is going to portray your business in a positive light?

2. Professionalism:
Designers are 'creative' people but that doesn't excuse missed deadlines, un-returned phone calls, sloppy work. If your designer is being unprofessional you may want to reconsider working with them.

3. A Helpful Attitude:
Arrogance, hiding behind technical jargon, stubbornness - none of these contribute to a useful working relationship. A good designer will be eager to listen to criticism and input and explain any technical issues in a straightforward fashion.

4. An Opinion:
At the risk of contradicting my last point, a good designer will listen but also guide the client towards a correct design solution. You've hired a professional, not a pushover and I'm guessing you value their expertise so you want a designer that is passionate about what they do and believes in the work that they produce.

5. A Bit Extra:
Lastly, and this is just my opinion, a good designer will come back to you with what you asked for and a little bit more. It's great if you want a piece of striking direct mail but if your designer suggests an innovative way to package it or an angle on it you hadn't thought of you know that they are trying to go the extra ten yards for you. A good designer will try to add value where possible and help you to get more bang for your buck!

Posted in Graphic Design, design, creativity, Communications, Client, Business

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Posted in Sweettalk, Design Week, Cycle Chic, Candy Collective

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I recently popped down to The National Gallery with a friend to see the exhibition of Edvard Munch's prints. Munch, as I'm sure all readers will know, is the artist who famously created 'The Scream'. He also produced many prints of his works and a sizeable collection of them are gathered here. The exhibition is dark in every sense of the word, even down to the dim lighting which protects the condition of the prints.

Looking at the works it is easy to see how Munch was the artist responsible for 'The Scream'. Troubled would probably be an understatement and it was obvious, without reading his biography, that he'd had some sort of breakdown. The exhibition is very well laid out (unlike the National Gallery's website!) and is reasonably priced at €5 although we were admitted for €3 on Friday lunchtime for some reason.

Looking at a lot of the prints, Munch seemed to have huge difficulties with human relationships. Take the print above (Vampire II) for example. The woman is draining Munch of all his vitality and he is in a position of abject misery. Isolation is another feeling that can be sensed from a lot of the works. Joy Division would be a perfect soundtrack for this exhibition!

Overall, this collection is well worth taking a look at and hats off to The National Gallery for an excellent exhibition and also a brilliant restaurant. They just need to get that website sorted now!

Posted in Vampire II, The Scream, Print, National Gallery, Edvard Munch, creativity, Artists, artist, Art

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The vast majority of projects call for the designer to follow certain rules of typography, hierarchy of information, legibility, readability and respect for white space. However what about the jobs that allow for more creative freedom in their use of type? The job where you have no restrictions, a free reign to do whatever you want?

There are people all around us that have successfully merged creative typography with an abundance of creative talent and vision - the graffiti artist. There is one artist who I believe summed up this successful amalgamation of urban style/typography with art.



In the 1980s, a New York graffiti artist broke the convention of graffiti as a criminal act by becoming of Andy Warhol’s protegee and an artist that art collectors must have – Jean Michel Basquiat. Up until his early death at just 27, Basquiat produced work that crossed the great divide between what is art and what is design. His typography in particular had a distinctive and unmistakable look and style to it.

His determination to exhibit art and typography on other media than canvas was what separated him from so many others. Doors, fridges, broken chairs from his apartment and whatever was at hand became his canvas. He understood typography (his typography). He could express his emotions, his dreams, his reality by merely seeing it and creating it differently from what other artists were doing at this time. If you look at his typographic pieces, it essentially maintains the core rules of typography. The hierarchy of information is evident along with sub headings etc, but of course using his own unique twist on it.

As a designer today, I do believe jealousy is too strong a word…no wait it’s not. 

Posted in Warhol, Typography, Graphic Design, Graffiti, Basquiat, Art

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Ok. I'll claim my interest beforehand and admit that it's shameless plug time! Some of my good friends are in the local Dublin band Penfold dm (www.penfolddm.com) and they have got their act together in a big way and recorded an album. It is quite strangely entitled 'Evil Rabbits Ruin Picnics' and we were happy to come up with some striking visuals for the cover and artwork.

The guys play what they describe as 'pop rock'. Maybe it is - who knows - but there are plenty of good tunes on there. The lads are having an album launch in The Sugar Club on Saturday 10th of October. Maybe we'll see you there!

Posted in The Sugar Club, Penfold dm, music, evil rabbits ruin picnics

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