dave and i have moved out our home offices (which i truly did love) and into a joint office. live from bklyn has an official home.
the official offices of live from bklyn
February 3rd, 2010when the light came on
January 23rd, 2010
i look back on most if not all of my work from school and think, “this is pretty bad.” not that i didn’t learn, or that my professors were inept. infact, i’d like to take this moment to thank them for being as gracious to me as they were, poor as my work was. but i guess they saw something in me or my work that compelled them to allow me to pass my sophomore evaluation, and i actually just saw it myself.
this past weekend, my wife and i were cleaning out the closet, and i came across a portfolio of a whole ton of my work from college. why i hadn’t chucked it yet, i don’t know. i mean, i only ever look at it when we’re cleaning out the closet, and i always think, “why haven’t i chucked this yet?”
well, this time, i did. chuck it that is… except for one piece, this piece you see above (click it for a larger view).
this was the final project of the second semester of composition theory class, senior year, 2004. for the project, i had to choose a theme, select objects related to that theme, make abstractions from the objects and compose them in a work (my theme was st. louis, by the way). during this project was when the light came on.
it’s no magnum opus by any stretch of the imagination, but looking at it now, and remembering my thought process at the time, i can say with out a doubt, that this is when i got it. this is when all of the pieces of the puzzle came together for me. this is when, i, dailey crafton, became a graphic designer.
speaking (or writing) in definite terms
January 19th, 2010as i progress in my career as a graphic designer, and into adulthood in general, speaking in definite terms, which i will break down into two categories of absolutes and imperatives, has become essential to the way i work, and really the way i live. now, that being said, to be able to communicate as such, i must have confidence in my work to begin with, but communicating in definite terms is cyclical in that it actually increases my own confidence in my work, as well as those i’m communicating to. my clients and collaborators need to be confident that the design that they’re getting from me is top-notch, and the most appropriate for their project.
speaking in absolutes means to declare that something is what it is independent of opinion. it is again important though, that you have solid reasons for your absolute statements. for example, rather than saying something like, “i think this version has better rhythm,” say “this version has better rhythm BECAUSE…” this will force you to be deliberate about your design decision making, and it will also demonstrate to those with whom you’re working that you have thought about what you’ve done, and made deliberate, definite decisions.
speaking in imperatives means to give a specific call to action. if you head up a team, will you get more results if say, “someone should get a quote from the vendor for…” or “bob, please call the vendor today and get a quote.”? or if you want to meet up with someone, will that meeting more likely happen if you say “i would love to meet with you sometime,” or if you say, “let’s meet. how does monday lunch work for you?”
i think that while there are a good many things in life and in graphic design that are relative, relativism has done us a great disservice in many ways. it’s made us all so sensitive that we don’t see great ideas happen for fear of stepping on someone’s toes or offending someone’s delicate sensibilities. i’m not advocating being rude or pushy by any means. i am, however, advocating knowing that you’re ideas are good, and you’re reasoning is solid, and having and expressing confidence in your process. you’ll go much further.
GD USA magazine ones to watch
January 4th, 2010
if you subscribe to graphic design usa magazine, be on the look out for this mug shot, as i’ll be featured as a designer to watch in 2010 (see preview here). i’ll try not to disappoint.
chinese bird paintings that i actually like
December 16th, 2009
i never thought i would find myself drawn to this kind of thing, but i really like this calendar that was a special gift that was stashed in our last order from our local chinese restaurant. and while the design of the actual calendar leaves a (whole) lot to be desired, i think the paintings of the birds are quite nice and was truly inspired by them. maybe i’m just getting in touch with my inner grandma. see the rest of the paintings here.
martino & jaña design “the jazz 09 journal”
December 3rd, 2009
this is truly an inspiring piece of design. it’s simple in it’s color palette, but rich in pattern, and i’m a sucker for pattern. i’m just gonna sit here and stare and this for a few minutes, maybe soak up some of the awesomeness.
another fantastic public domain photo resource
November 30th, 2009
and the photo above is just a sample of the goodness to be had at NOAA’s photo library. from the site;
Most NOAA photos and slides are in the public domain and CANNOT be copyrighted.
There is no fee for downloading any images on the NOAA Photo Library. Educational use is encouraged as the primary goal of the NOAA Photo Library is to help all understand our oceans and atmosphere so as to be better stewards of our environment for future generations.
A few photos in the NOAA Photo Library that are known to have copyright restrictions are so noted in the caption information associated with those images.
Credit MUST be given to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/Department of Commerce. Where a photographer is noted, please credit the photographer and his/her affiliated organization as well.
live from bklyn designs
November 23rd, 2009i like how that fits. live from bklyn is collaborating with auster*agency to create the edgiest design in the history of design for bklyn designs. socks will rock, faces will melt.
shiner beer packaging
November 16th, 2009
best. beer packaging. ever. make sure to click here to see all of the beautiful design that chaos concept mfg. did for shiner.
tasty and delicious in so many ways
November 13th, 2009wednesday night the lfb boys went bowling at brooklyn bowl at the request of a client. brooklyn bowl is hands down the most beautiful bowling alley i’ve ever been to. everybody, do yourselves a favor and go view and download this most excellently designed menu.
holla
October 29th, 2009just wanna take a second to thank amy cook for this shout out over at graphicdesigndegrees.org (we’re number 27).
pray for scotland cards
October 27th, 2009
live from bklyn had the honor of designing materials for nathan and krystal young, missionaries to scotland. you can view more more samples in the lfb portfolio.
brooklyn chamber of commerce 2008 annual report
October 8th, 2009
live from bklyn is pleased to announce the completion of the brooklyn chamber of commerce’s 2008 annual report. visit the live from bklyn portfolio page to view more samples of the project.
new live from bklyn business cards
October 5th, 2009i like to call these “the greenest business cards in the universe.” perhaps they’re not, but they’re pretty close. they’re printed on the backs of cereal boxes, so it’s greener than recycled paper, it’s re-purposed paper. and terms of creativity, i think having the cereal box snippets on the back provide an interesting element, and overall, the cards are a great conversation starter.
just a reminder
August 24th, 2009incase you’re still checking here for content, that i’m now blogging at daileycrafton.tumblr.com.
new on the blog, an interview with designer jesse kirsch.
moving
August 21st, 2009because of the higher level of connectivity, i will now be doing all my posting on tumblr. the new url is daileycrafton.tumblr.com. i will leave this blog active as an archive.
personas
August 20th, 2009
ascend the hill album artwork
August 18th, 2009
behold, the ascend the hill album cover. stunning. the music is great too. download the album free at noisetrade.com
Target product
August 11th, 2009
Observe the packaging ambush. Target’s new look looks supiciously similar to the name brand version of the same product… Several times. And beyond that, they don’t organize their products together on shelf, but always place them next to the name brand product with which they are competing. It’s their own store, so they do have the prerogative to do so, but I find it very interesting. Click on the photo above to view the flickr set and get the full effect.
portland, you’re in luck
August 4th, 2009
as in your midst august 7th, you will have the pleasure of enjoying the opening of everyday shenanigans by jolby and friends.
Dailey Crafton
July 20th, 2009So at the risk appearing narcissistic, i’m going to “interview” myself. i’ve got the questions out with a few designers, but haven’t heard back yet. so, for want of content, here’s my interview with me.
1. what does your workspace look like?
click the image to visit the flickr page and hover over the notes to view points of interest. this picture makes my office (or studio rather, designers are supposed to work in studios, right?) look way bigger than it actually is.
2. what’s you desktop wallpaper right now?
3. what prompted you to pursue graphic design?
i used to doodle type treatments and abstract designs in my notebooks in high school. they were awful awful awful. but, i thought they were awesome at the time, and knew it was something that i would enjoy doing for a career. so you can imagine my joy when i found there was actually a university major for such a thing.
4. what kind of things do you do to ensure that you continue to grow as a graphic designer and improve/expand your skill set?
within design, i digest and analyze a lot of other designers’ work. when i see something i like, i study it, i think to myself, “what makes this work, why do i like this so much, how can i use this same technique in a fresh way in my work? i also like to work outside of the computer, to do something that’s “de-digitized.”
5. what’s one lesson that you’ve had to learn the hard way as a designer? how would you do it differently the next time?
haste makes waste. the times i’ve made the biggest blunders have been because i was rushing to get something done. slow down, take a couple of extra days if you can, and make sure everything is right. it’s better to print it once a few days late than to print it twice because you misspelled someone’s name.
6. when you’re not designing, what are you doing?
i love to be with my family, my wife and daughter, doing, whatever really, as long as i’m with them. also enjoy exploring new york city, generally on skates (note: don’t skate across the brooklyn bridge. the path is made of wooden planks.). playing guitar too. trying to read more, but i’m such a terrible time-waster. and google maps. i really love google maps, and anything google does for that matter.
7. being creative and creating; what steps do you take to make sure that you are actually producing instead of just thinking up pie-in-sky ideas all day?
action method helps tremendously. i feel utter shame when i have overdue action steps. turning off email and chat is good to. those are often just distractions.
8. who are your top three design heroes and why?
shepard fairey. his deep understanding of ornament, and the relationship of one object to another, and his utter attention to detail blow my mind.
dan funderburgh. one of williamsburg’s own, amazing ornament and pattern design.
i’ve been kind of obsessed with H&FJ lately. i think designing type is one of the toughest design disciplines out there, but also one of the most rewarding. if you do a great poster, maybe a lot of people will see it, maybe not. if you do a great typeface and distribute it well, not only will a lot of people see it, but a lot of other designers will use it, and perpetuate your work for you. i think that’s pretty cool.
9. what is your greatest fear (pertaining to design)? what haunts your dreams?
i guess that i’ll go blind, really, and won’t be able to do it anymore. but i have to remember, that if i do go blind, then i wasn’t supposed to continue doing it anyway. i’ve got a different task.
10. what, in your opinion, is the highest possible function that design can have?
to communicate truth, and beauty.
the great brooklyn black-out of 2009.
June 30th, 2009
live from bklyn has gone dark! we've printed all of the buildings in black, and because the process is much simpler when printing in one color, we can offer them to you at $10 each. And $40 for a set of all 6.
you can find them at any of the following online stores;
randy hunt | citizen scholar
June 29th, 2009randy hunt is a designer/entrepreneur who works from greenpoint, brooklyn. he is the founder of citizen scholar design studio and co-founder of supermarket, a marketplace for fresh design. randy was kind enough to give the fantastic interview below.
dc: what does your workspace look like?
dc: what’s you desktop wallpaper right now?
rjh: my desktop wallpaper is “solid gray dark” in Mac OS X System Preferences.
dc: what prompted you to pursue graphic design?
rjh: i used to play in bands, and i’d make packages, t-shirts, and posters. i originally went to college planning to study music technology, but i got distracted by other requirements in the art department at the school and i came to realize not only what design was but just how integral it was to so many varied parts of our culture. i wanted to get my hands in that.
dc: what kind of things do you do to ensure that you continue to grow as a graphic designer and improve/expand your skill set?
rjh: i think specific skills pop up as necessary for certain tasks, say photographing something built for an illustration, and i go through the pattern of trying and failing until something clicks and there is, to one degree or another, a discovery. i don’t really focus on developing any specific “hard” skills outside of project needs at the time. it’s the “soft” skills, that i think can be nurtured. things like thinking techniques, maintaining focus, etc. i like to read about and experiment with those kinds of ideas.
dc: what’s one lesson that you’ve had to learn the hard way as a designer? how would you do it differently the next time?
rjh: even though our studio has a specific range of clients and projects we work on, i’ve found myself bidding on and putting time into projects that aren’t the right fit. it is so important that there is mutual interest and respect in what the other party is doing. i learned this the hard way and have had to both work through bad-fit projects, and in a rare case, cancel a project mid-way. i learned to follow my gut from that experience. if the first meeting or two doesn’t feel right, i know not to pursue the project.
dc: when you’re not designing, what are you doing?
rjh: eating, reading, or wandering the city, often in pursuit of food or books. i like to read about social/political issues, non-fiction classics, literary theory, or architecture. of course, design and pop business books creep in too. i’m also a sucker for competition reality tv shows, especially the fashion and modeling ones.
dc: being creative and creating; what steps do you take to make sure that you are actually producing instead of just thinking up pie-in-sky ideas all day?
rjh: i try to constantly remind myself that if no one is seeing it, then it’s no good. that might be a little harsh, but i like the motivation. ideas are a dime a dozen. the value is in making ideas happen.
dc: who are your top three design heroes and why?
rjh: i think this list would probably change on a daily basis. so the top three for today are:
peter bilak – he creates gorgeous typefaces that are part of very well executed families and is a design entrepreneur in every sense.
stefan sagmeister – i love that stefan is a serious thinker. i don’t think he gets nearly enough credit for how thoughtful his designs are. if there’s one thing i learned as his student, it was about that thoughtfulness and “making it happen” can take a design a long, long way.
naoto fukasawa – fukasawa’s industrial designs embody a sense of patience that i connect with deeply. the idea that a design and its materials become more valuable over time, as you experience them again and again, is an important one I like to consider when working, especially on interactive projects.
dc: what is your greatest fear (pertaining to design)? what haunts your dreams?
rjh: i don’t think my biggest fears pertain to design, and, sadly, i don’t remember any of my dreams.
dc: what, in your opinion, is the highest possible function that design can have?
rjh: i think that design at its best makes a person’s life more pleasant. that’s all relative, given any person’s current situation, but i think that is generally a good goal to aim for.
singularity and a chapel
June 18th, 2009
for the sake of differentiation, and to make the lfb blog more useful, we will now be dedicated to interviews conducted with fellow graphic designers. we’ve tried several subjects over the years with this blog, the chief subject being the work of other designers. but there are already several blogs that focus on that subject much better, and with much more regularity than lfb (like the strange attractor, form fifty five and the best part). we think it will be interesting and useful, and helpful to those reading this blog to look into the world of fellow designers, and see how they go about solving problems very similar to the ones we have.
we’ve done a few interviews already, but we would try to write a unique set of questions for each interviewee, which really just took a lot more time than we have on our hands right now. so, we developed a standard set of questions to use. designers are coming from so many different backgrounds, that we’re sure there will be no shortage of variety of answers.
we’ve already got the questions out with several designers right now, and the questions are posted below as well. if you’re a graphic designer (define that as loosely as you want), we’d love for you to answer the questions and return them to dailey{at}livefrombklyn.com for us to review and post. in the meantime, enjoy the most beautiful chapel in the world.
1. what does your workspace look like? (send a picture please)
2. what’s you desktop wallpaper right now? (send the image file or screen grab)
3. what prompted you to pursue graphic design?
4. what kind of things do you do to ensure that you continue to grow as a graphic designer and improve/expand your skill set?
5. what’s one lesson that you’ve had to learn the hard way as a designer? how would you do it differently the next time?
6. when you’re not designing, what are you doing?
7. being creative and creating; what steps do you take to make sure that you are actually producing instead of just thinking up pie-in-sky ideas all day?
8. who are your top three design heroes and why?
9. what is your greatest fear (pertaining to design)? what haunts your dreams?
10. what, in your opinion, is the highest possible function that design can have?
“blogs: mad about design” book
June 9th, 2009
the live from bklyn blog was included in this book, “blogs: mad about design.” i’m definitely honored by the inclusion.
if any you have actually been following this blog for a couple of years, you’ll notice that the images included in the book are from way back in the day. that’s when i was first contacted about participating in the book. so, it was a pretty awesome surprise when i received it in the mail yesterday. now i feel obliged to restore this blog to it’s formal usefulness, rather than the breeze shooter that it has become. i have some ideas up my sleeve, and on monday, i plan to launch into the revived live from bklyn with the new thrust.
i did want to mention print and pattern, a blog that is also featured in the book. how i do love brightly-colored, heavy duty patterns.
says karl
June 8th, 2009“Logos and branding are so important. In a big part of the world, people cannot read French or English–but are great in remembering signs.”
–karl lagerfeld
renegade craft fair
May 29th, 2009
live from bklyn will be participating in the renegade craft fair this weekend. come out and give us a high-five.
free postcards!
May 26th, 2009
feeling rather generous (and yes, wanting to generate a little buzz about lfb) we’re offering 10 free “thinking of u” postcards to the first 50 people to do two of the following:
• tweet about lfb
• post to facebook about lfb
• become fan of lfb on facebook
• blog about lfb
you can talk about anything in the portfolio, link to items in the etsy shop or whatever. be creative, make it funny. if your twitter feed is linked to your facebook status, or if your blog feeds into your facebook profile or anything to that effect, you can count that as both!
then send an email to dailey@livefrombklyn.com with links to posts and we’ll send you the postcards free, including shipping!
finer things
May 22nd, 2009information organization
May 8th, 2009the amount of info, and the organization therefore, is making me drool. mmmmm data umnumm mum nm….
