Many people think that my job as an art director is glamorous, which makes me spit coffee from laughing so hard. Mad Men gives the impression that my job consists of spending my days dreaming up witty copy as I order my fifth martini at lunch.
Read MoreDesign Police
When I leave the Art Cave and go out into the world, I become nearly overwhelmed with the temptation to correct bad design, grammar, and typos. I might just have to make myself a set of these stickers and start leaving them on menus, ads, and signage.
Read MoreWhy I'm sometimes stabby after a day at work
But this cartoon from The Oatmeal, "How a Web Design Goes Straight to Hell," has done the explaining for me.... But there's always a couple of clients who are just like this cartoon, and they can ruin my entire week's workload in a 30-second phone call.
Read MoreWhen designers snap
It's an ugly thing when a designer snaps and has finally had enough of a Very Bad Client.... Oh, how I've so wanted to send emails like that, with these charts: David Thorne, you're my new design god.
lowballing
With them, I could have a conversation about why good design was important; what design could do for their business; and what they should be looking for in a designer, even if they didn't hire me.... Enough firms have been burned badly by the lowballing designers -- who tend to cut corners, do slipshod work, and often don't support their work once the project's over -- that they're beginning to understand that you really do get what you pay for.
Read More