Str8 Up RDQLUS!

What'up in the ONE; 11-06-09

2009-11-06T13:55:00.000-08:00

I was contemplating, quite painstakingly, about what to write for a new blog post. Toiling over the idea that I needed to write something… anything… was making it more difficult, to be honest. So as I sat back thinking about what all went down this week in the fantastically fractured time-lines in the life of RDQLUS, it hit me. My town is on the come-up. That's it. I'll just pen a brief "What's good in my little burgeoning, no-coast burg this weekend?" So…

It's been a crazy couple months here in the O.NE with an amazing amount of events and hob-nobbery going down on the streets. Meet-ups and culture clashes abound, with much to be seen and done, and hashed out and talked about.

Tuesday, there was another fantastic Omaha Tweet-Up, this go round being held at the Omaha staple, the Brazen Head Pub. It may seem a strange thing to meet with a bunch of folks you met or cavort with on Twitter, but it flies in that face of the skewed reasoning that some have of the web creating this culture of tech-pacified, anti-social zombies. Nay, this event proved that when used properly such technology can extend its reach beyond the circuits it was born and bred in. An good time was had and good info was passed. Oh, and I cop'ed my Omaha Bar Camp t-shirt that night. Jealous? You should be,.

Wednesday night/Thursday morn I had yet another installment of "What the hell are we doing?!" when I met up with my ever-present partners in crime, Megan H. (Princess Lasertron) & E-rock D. (Downs Design) for a late-night Perkins run. Strangely enough, we always seem to glean info from the excursions. you might want to get down with us the next time we re-up.

I hate that I missed the Matisyahu show last night at the Slowdown… if you were there chime in and let me know how it was. "Art & Copy" was last night too. So much goodness going 'round. It's tough to keep up.

Tonight, I'm heading over to 1020 Bistro in Dundeezle to have a libation or two and rub the stylishly clad, incredibly skilled elbows of Megan Hunt aka 'Princess Lasertron' who will be celebrating a release party of sorts for her inclusion in several wedding & event industry publications. On top of that she's kicking of the redesign of her website by personal friend and Friend of RDQLUS, Eric Downs of Downs Design.

After that I'll roll the chariot down to the Bemis Underground, in the Old Market, for the 18th Annual Nebraska AIGA Design Show to see some fine design works from the talented creatives here in the O.NE. Should be a good time, and with any luck perhaps RDQLUS Creative will have a reason to celebrate?

That's just a little chemical rinse of what this week was like in Omaha. There was much more going on and if anyone attended some of the events I missed, drop a comment and let everyone know what went down.

I'm RDQLUS… and I'm from the ONE!
Peaces.

How RDQLUS'ly Sketchy 10/22/09

2009-10-22T15:41:00.000-07:00

"SIR… BACK AWAY FROM THE MOUSE!"

Rolling on some black-marker comps for a project with an amazing creative outfit out of LA, Cali.
No, don't ask, because I cant say who or what for… not yet at least! ;-)
Check back, I'll fill you all in later.

Think RDQLUS can help with making your project a little sketchy? Holler this way…
("HEEEEEEEYYYYYYYY RDQLUS!")
sorry, couldn't resist the cheeseball joke. ;-)

"iD-Rx" for NYC-based fashion designer Trudy Williams

2009-10-22T14:28:00.000-07:00

It's always fun to get to be creative in ways that are often a bit outside of the stereotypical trappings of pixel-wrangling that we design heads normally find ourselves operating within. Thinking, writing, researching, and thinking (yes, some more!) is something I always look forward to, especially when it's in the process of using my process named "identity therapy" or "iD-Rx" for short.

I recently completed my "identity therapy" brand assessment process for New York City-based fashion designer, Trudy Williams and her upcoming line that will bear her moniker. Ms. Williams is an amazingly creative person with an very particular personal aesthetic that bleeds across into her work. She has a very cool revisionist view on creativity and construction that is not all about doing the next big thing but rather revisiting the refinement and details to give her line that intangible "something" that makes it special to her customer, who are a very particular lot. Let me tell you, her story goes deep and it was a pleasure to flesh out and help her establish some key points for the brand to move forward.

("iD-Rx" - 'Trudy Williams')

(foundation & pedigree)

(brand stance, voice & mood)

(color theory as tied directly to the mood & pedigree)

(birds eye view of visual mood, color palette & an example of possible combinations within the brand)

Peep The Fine Print

2009-10-02T10:54:00.000-07:00

Meet my dude from the way back machine, Ryan O'Malley. He, along with his partner-in-crime Joseph Valasquez, are on a roll. Literally. They've set out to blow minds with the complexities of a simple thing; Put a mark to anything that holds a mark. Novel idea. From there it gets even simpler; An old craft made new by showing it to a new audience. A tried and true method of rejuvenating things. All pretty simple so far, right? Okay, so like any endeavor—from art to corporate—one of the first and main thoughts is "where's your location?", because you need a base of operations, a theater by which to put on your show, right? That's where we take a left turn… and a few right turns too.

Ryan and Joe are an artistic duo touring the country in an Honda Element van, staying with friends, sleeping on couches and floors (maybe the occasional hotel room), going to schools, universities, youth groups… all in the name of teaching the ages-old crafts of wood carving and wood-cut printing to anyone who cares to listen, learn or be inspired. But there are a few cool twists to the story. They are housed, clothed and fed by the patronage of the people, schools and organizations who sponsor them and the pedaling of their work. Their work? While some schools may have printing tools and facilities not all can possibly be set up as classroom environments. So how do they do teach or do this work by which they eat? I did mention the Honda Element van, right? Welcome to "Drive-By Press".

I get a message from Ryan, who's an old college friend, that he's going to be coming thru town and giving a teaching demonstration at the University of Nebraska-Omaha. I'm for sure going to stop by, by but I was in no way prepared for what I saw…

Mounted in the belly of the van is an old school printing press. You know, the kind where "press" actually got it's name from? Yes, mounted on a track system to allow it to extend from the van into open working space, hangs a block printing press. Whoa. Consider my mind blown, but it gets better. On the side of the van, the inking station is set up to apply ink to the blocks that will be used for printing on materials. Blocks? Oh yeah, further to the side are a growing range of 25+ wood-cut blocks that these fine artists have cut and carved by hand! Boom! (that was my head… again)

But then comes my very own personal demo of how this all works. In a matter of mere minutes Ryan instructs me to pick a block or two and a t-shirt color that I like and a most delightful symphony of gritty, dirty, artistic movement is set in motion. about 7 total minutes later I have an exclusive, one-of-a-kind, hand-made work of art. I don't dare call it a "t-shirt". Remember, this all happened in 7 min. in the back of a van! There are a lot of things I could do in 7 min. in the back of a van, all of which I doubt would produce art or have a lasting positive effect such as this. Peep the process:

There's so much more to the story that I could tell, but that's actually part of their gig so I'll let them tell you all about it. The next stop for them was Chicago and then points unknown. If you want to know more, the guys would be glad to hear from you. Drop then a line or an email and prepare for the Drive By!

Joseph Velasquez | 254.228.6016
drivebypress@yahoo.com

A RDQLUS Chat with Jeni Herberger

2009-09-23T08:07:00.000-07:00

'Friend of RDQLUS', my best friend and all around creative & biz badass, Jeni Herberger, decided to kick off her new radio show on the Blogtalk Radio network by having a chat with her buddy. I was more than happy to oblige. Have a listen, and stay tuned as she's going to have a lot of good things to ramble on about.

Jeni Herberger Chats w/Stevie G

Jeni Herberger on the Blogtalk Radio Network

The Life & Times of RDQLUS 090918

2009-09-18T12:39:00.000-07:00

RDQLUS' 'COLDFOOLISH' CARE PKG 090918

2009-09-18T11:17:00.000-07:00

"If Travel is Searching and Home What's Been Found…"

Welcome to RDQLUS' "COLDFOOLISH"–the new weekly drop-shop of just a handful of fly goodnesses that I've come across this week. There's no rhyme, reason, slant or even purpose, except to lace you with a sip of tasty deelish while you zone on a Friday, faking like you're working. Get your [cmnd+tab/ctrl+tab] actions ready for when your boss comes lurking.

Click pics to get up… get out… and get som'thin!

Pullin' Jack(et) Moves… Garbstore @ hypebeast.com

Fix the Rip… PK Ripper "Fixie" @ highsnobiety.com

To tha' Moon Alice… Kid Cudi - Man On the Moon @ iTMS

Shadow Boxin'… food & style @ LuxiRare.com

Site Hump of the Week:
highsnobiety

"Take Me Out to the…" NOPE!

2009-09-17T08:59:00.000-07:00

Honestly MLB?! Have you not heard nor seen the benefits of viral mktg. Embrace the medium. Embrace the times. It's football seasons and you're losing viewers in droves. You claim the title of "America's Pastime" but we all know that has belonged to football for decades. Along comes a moment—a genuine, improbable, unplanned moment—where once again you were the darling pastime of America… and you block it. You quell the word-of-mouth buzz for reasons of profit protection?

Look, I get it. I'm a designer. Intellectual property is golden in my world. But every now and again, if someone wants to spread a little good word about me and my work and the goodness that is me… I may actually help rather than hinder. It's just a thought. I'm not even a fan, but I was right then. I wanted tickets to the next game, having forgotten what it was like to chill at the park and take it all in. But hey… way to pass on a goodwill moment, that in these times would have gone for a lot! Yes, even on your fiscal bottom line. Give a little… get more than you could even plan for.

What a cutie! What a dad! What a moment! You could have left a new fan saying "What a game!" Instead, the copyrights are all yours. You win. Or do you. That's just my humble take.

Steve G.

Read the original post by Jennifer Van Grove, that got me to thinking about this.

Thanks to Brian Mays (@brianmays on Twitter) for passing along the original link

You Wanna Talk about 'Interactive' Design?!

2009-09-15T10:46:00.000-07:00

It's often said — in our ever-growing technical and web-driven times — that "print" is dead. Well I rail against that because it's my view that paper is not the only medium that we "print" on. My opinion aside, paper continues to last and gain an almost cult status the way that vinyl, CDs, and soon your precious DVDs will enjoy. Ha. There continues to be a definite amount of skill and thought that goes into the tiered process of concept, design, printed output and the lack of instant gratitude or easy fixes. You had better think that design thru to the end result, because there's no CTRL+Z on a Heidelberg!

That all brings me to an idea that had the utmost of thought and planning given to the process of a printed piece. Designed by artist/poster designer Roland Tiangco, the simplicity of the concept and design are amazing. I'll spoil it for you by showing you the end result… but the real treat is the process. Peep the goodness after the link/click/jump!

Caught… black handed?!

Roland Tiangco's Dirt Po(or)ster

(Thanks to my good friend and "RDQLite" Brenda Lyman for the link via Twitter)

Style is not WHAT you do… It's HOW you do it!

2009-09-09T10:01:00.000-07:00

Being a creative bloke–doing design and loving fashion, like I do–I run into conversations on "style" almost daily. As is my usual, that got me to thinking on "style" and what it actually means in practice. (I say in practice because dictionary definitions are often too clinical to make any practical sense given the situation, place or time you're in)

It's my opinion that most view style as an absolute–a hard-lined definitive that allows for no flexibility or movement. We define our clothing as a style. We define our artwork as a style. We even define the foods we eat in terms of a favorite "kind". But I have a thought; Perhaps style is not the end result of what we do but how we go about the act of "doing".

For instance, in my oft talked about and cherished sneaker collection there are many "styles" of shoes so to look at them as a collection it would prove difficult to say that I have a style. However, my collection methods do give rise to the idea that I have a process to the actual collecting of said sneakers. I base my acquisitions on factors such as availability to mass audiences, the method and wardrobe with which I will wear them, the venues that I foresee myself rocking them in, and even the seasonal weather in my area. My collection is diverse, but my collection criteria is most certainly my style. For those who have seen me in my various pairs of customs, most have agreed, "Steve, that's totally your style", even given the completely different physical shapes and designs of the shoes. Why? Because it's not what I am rocking, but rather the way I consistently rock it.

Another example is my supposed design "style". In crafting my artworks for clients, I used to be quite reluctant to admit to having a style because I wanted to avoid the pigeon hole that comes from such definition. But recently (during this particular round of silly brain-bending) I've come to realize that I do tend toward a certain stylistic outcome. But the work I do varies nicely, so how is it that I have developed a style? I believe it's in the method and approach. I have a scholastic history in architectural design. My favorite genre of art and architecture bear the same names, in as much that they are a time period of particular display and structure more so than a style; Art Deco. Concentric shapes, balance, strong lines, implied visual kinetic movement from static elements, shading, color and lofty drama… all of these could describe the art or the structures of the day. The very architectural method of rendering structures, products and art produced a result that is timelessly unmistakable. In my affinity for the entire genre of Art Deco, I could never copy it if I tried. Well… I could but it would be far too evident that it was an attempt to copy. However, in personally digging Art Deco, I have a more "industrial" artistic slant to my work that is a heavy dose of "form v. function". This often leaves my design looking very minimal at times and at others somewhat opulent when the function calls for an embellishment of form, yet all with strong lines, a play on balance and a very strong lean toward shape. All very calculated in conveying message and emotion. When I stepped back for a blurry-eyed view of my work, I said "wow, I have a style", and it has little to do with the final look as many pieces look different. It was in the method.

Okay, so in all of this rambling… what am I getting at? From a both a creative and life standpoint, in our attempts to shake definition and be free of labels that hold us to any one thing, we tend to give ourselves definition and attach labels holding us to something else. We escape boxes by jumping into other boxes. If we must apply definition, pay particular attention to how we move more so than the direction we are pointing. How you move may offer flexibility in both journey and destination that a straight, aimed, defined, blocked path may not.

--
Steve G the RDQLUS One, out!

RDQLUS is Going Mobile… T-Mobile that is.

2009-08-21T12:28:00.000-07:00

How do I get myself into these situations?! What a RDQLUS life I live.

I've had the chance in the past to work with national telecomm company T-Mobile as an independent creative consultant doing some early idea shaping and writing for some of their marketing efforts. Over the past few months I was very fortunate to have the opportunity to flex the creative muscles behind the scenes with my good friends at T-Mobile on a particularly fun project, the rollout of their new 'myTouch' mobile device. Talk about fun?! My good friend, Jen Whelan, is one hell of a creative force and project management specialist and I was honored to be a part of her very capable creative team and add anything that I could.

Little did I know…

I got a call one day that found Jen asking me if I wanted to give something new a shot. Those who know me know that the answer was first, "Hells YEAH!" and a secondly, "uh, now what is it I have to do?" One thing lead to another and I find myself at T-Mobile's Bellevue, WA headquarters filming a spot for the 'myTouch' microsite and testing my acting chops!

When we've wrapped and it's time for me to go, I get an amazing added bonus: I'm given a 'myTouch' mobile device of my very own to test out! WHAAAAAAT?! Now everyone knows I have a full-on "love thang" going on with my iPhone, but who turns down tech-swag? I mean really! And I'll tell you, it's an amazing device that I carry everywhere right alongside my iPhone at all times.

If you're not a member of the "cult", then you should indeed check out this little gem manufactured by HTC & offered exclusively thru T-Mobile. View the myTouch "micro-site".

Solutions in our Subcultures

2009-08-21T08:54:00.000-07:00

I was having a discussion yesterday with Donovan Beery and Nate Voss of 36point and the subject of discussion got me to thinking about something I've given a lot of thought over the past few years.

The way I figure it, your subculture is the key. The tint that colors your take on the world at large. Because at the core, it's 'subculture' that moves us, shapes us, teaches us the skillset that we operate with and in the end gives us our set of beliefs and our personal standard download of "right & wrong" answers.

There are very simple examples (among many others) of how our cultures filter down to us personally. For instance:

[global > regional > national > regional > state > local > neighborhood > household] or [economic > social > neighborhood > familial > personal]

It's a big world but it's made of millions of small ones. We are all a part of highly functional subcultures operating within the boundaries of that big picture. Our subcultures define choices, actions, personalities, styles and more. In each level there are things learned, habits created, walls built, and opinions formed. It begs the questions; What are your subcultures? How have they influenced the way you make choices? And have you even stopped to glance back at what subcultures you may have come from or are currently a part of? From the clothes you wear, to the groceries you buy, to the jokes you tell and laugh at, to the channels you watch on TV and the media you consume… subculture has done this to you.

In a creative sense, this is the conversation I would much rather have. Keep your creative brief. Well, I'll still need that, but it's are merely a list of simple questions to which a client will give conditioned responses. I'd rather know the conditions that shaped the responses in many cases, over the responses themselves. If I know where a client is coming from and what makes them tick just a bit, I can anticipate how to better serve the functional needs of that client.

As I dig for the subculture links that I need, the creative briefing process it does kind of turn into a mini therapy session… have I told you about that yet?

;-)

New Stationery Design for INDIE IMAGES

2009-08-17T14:21:00.000-07:00

Photographer and "Friend of RDQLUS" Nancy Dobler approached me to do a cost-effective and simple stationery design for her new start-up photography outfit. With an Art Deco-style identity and a measured and graceful personal style, I wanted to give Ms. Dobler something just as stout and clean with very high-contrast. The card is 12pt thickness, with a full UV gloss on the information side. To add a mysterious touch of style and subtle bravado, much like Ms. Dobler herself, I designed the back of the card to have a clear spot UV on matte black for both a textural and visual contrast, taking the fact that there is no color–other than black and white–to a next level, adding a fully visible element using no color at all.

All was done with cost and utility in mind as print budget was a major concern. In the end, there was a happy client and a final production that I was proud to hand over.

When It's a Tat, It's an Honor!

2009-08-17T11:43:00.000-07:00

I recently got a sweet "tweet" (a Twitter message, for the non-online socialites) from a happy former client wanting to show off something really rather flattering for any creative who does this for a living.

It appears that the identity I fashioned for them has moved into the highest level of wearables–the temporary tatoo!

"Check this out Steve: http://www.flickr.com/photos/loraincounty/ We have people calling to wear logo now!"
(via @BRaBMultisport on Twitter)

Now how cool and RDQLUS is that?!

(pictures courtesy of Visit Lorain County on Flickr.com)

Like Free Fonts? Go Nuts!

2009-08-17T08:47:00.000-07:00

While cruising the webs and nets this morning, I came across a nice little nugget from my friends at HOW magazine. We all like the occasional freebie typeface but if you're like me, you're a little more than leery about the junkyard that is free fonts due to the incomplete, unusable, trash that is mostly for titles and then even barely that!

Well, check out this little gem of a furry-tailed, twitchy, font-finding friend: Font Squirrel.

HOW Magazine (blog): "Silly Name, Nice Fonts"

Thanks to Megan at HOW Mag for the post.
Original link via 'How About Orange'

Constant Motivation and The Myth of Inspiration

2009-08-07T09:34:00.000-07:00

Lately I've been going over a few things in my head that just don't make good sense, and those who know me know that when something doesn't make good sense to me my head becomes almost gridlocked until the thought is fully figured or abjectly dismissed. Well just such a thing has happened because I've recently encountered lot of talk of "inspiration" recently. I think inspiration is a good thing—scratch that, a great thing—for most humans on this planet. Note that I said "most". For a select few, inspiration is damn-near mythical.

For any who call themselves "creatives", a need for inspiration would signal a very bad thing. It would be an admission that creativity itself does indeed have an end point. An measureable fail point. That's a rather dire thought for me. In my head, that's what didn't make sense; in a not-so round about way, that is the blatant, almost purposeful ignoring of Life itself. With all of the natural miracles and everyday occurrences that we seem to take so blindly for granted an inch from our faces every minute of every day, many have simply become dead to the very details. At the end of inspiration, sits the admission that we have run dry of Life. Well I say damn that! Straight up. Now believe me, I'm not at all saying that inspiration is not needed for some, even many. What I am saying is that for us—the creatives of the world—there should not come an easy concession to being uninspired. We artists, creatives, keepers of great imaginations and innovative thinkers are the inspiration for others. We can't lack what we are at our core. That is complete self-denial and that ain't at all good.

What the real issue is "motivation". The very word by definition means "to move". If that's is true then we simply need to be almost physically moved. It's not even a spiritual thing most times. It's pure, grade-A lazy. We have grown complacent for the moving of one's own self to get out there and explore and find, to think and do our works. We can search for many excuses to say why that is; fast food mentality, technology, economics, social issues… To all of this I simply I say "lazy". We don't become uninspired. For the so-called creative-minded, it's more along the lines of becoming unmotivated. Listen, this life is a big one. This ball of dirt we spin on, while socially smaller do to the means by which we connect, is still a worthy, lovely, gargantuan place full of the biggest wonders and the most fantastic details. If you can't find the motivation to get out there and explore things that fuel you to go and be inspiring, then I fear you are might be poser. A fake "creative", simply acting out a role. If it is that easy for you to run dry of that motivation, you may not be a creative person. Nothing wrong with that admission, but in my mind, creatives are the source, not the needy. But if you truly believe that you are a creative by nature, then yours is not the task to find inspiration. Yours is the task to find the constant, prepetual motivation to be inspiring to the world around you. I humbly offer that I am not immune the the mental and verbal vomit that has found me spouting "I just want to be inspired", but it was hearing those words come out of my mouth one day that jolted me this momentary epiphany. Life itself is motivation enough for me. Life is the massive Rubbermaid™ into which I put all my toys. I go back to that container every morning and search for the toy, the plaything that fits my mood and my day and gives me the appropriate little spark, that motivation to go in a certain direction and do what I do. I'm not saying we don't run dry. I'm not at all implying that we don't need a little push or a hand up out of the mire that bogs us down and dulls our view. But don't ever attribute that to being uninspired. You just need help in motivation department. You just need the muck cleaned off your windshield so you can again see that amazing road you are traveling on.

Again, let me say that for the average person the word inspiration is perfectly fine. But we are not average. We are creatives. I truly believe that most are looking to us to be inspired. And to that end, we are inspiring to others. We just need to motivation to keep being that which we already are. Remember, we are the source that supplies those in need. You are inspiring already, so I'll just with you the best of luck on staying constantly motivated.

Yeah I know… this doesn't make sense to everyone. But it does to me. If I've confused you by now, just pat me on the head and tell me, "just be pretty, Steve." I'm okay with that. ;-)

-Steve G.

Take a Spot on the RDQLUS Couch for some "Identity Therapy"

2009-07-24T15:43:00.000-07:00

For a long time I've had a particular way of getting the info I need from my clients to do the best work possible for them, but it lacked a few key points. So over the years I've asked and borrowed and tweaked my process until it finally was far more useful than it had ever been. But… it wasn't fully ready yet. Then my good friend, and a client of mine, Jeni Herberger said something that caught my ear, "This was like therapy! You told me some things I didn't like and may not have wanted to hear but I came around. Yeah, it's therapy!"

And so came the name of the process: "Identity Therapy" it shall be!

My "Identity Therapy" process is simply my old trusty creative brief that I turned into a process and an actual product that the client takes active part in, and then ultimately owns and stands behind. Because of client buy-in and ownership, many traditional designer/client potholes are held to a more scientific method and less to the whims of either party, vastly reducing the traditional friction that comes with it all.

The tangible result of the "Identity Therapy" is an actual document of info that becomes the initial "brand story" and culture which many small start-up businesses never get because they come rushing in asking "can you design me a logo?". Yeah but I'd rather give you a full identity and brand. So in essence, it's a slimmed down, candid, straight forward way to get the info I need to do my work, all while giving the client a seat at the table, holding them accountable in a gentle but honest way and then rewarding them with the brand story that you built together.

Truth is, I developed this process working in corporate life to stop the ages old tug-of-war over ownership of the creative process between the internal clients (other silos & departments) and the marketing/creative department. I kept refining it over years and years and started to call it "Identity Therapy" because clients really got into it and had a story to tell, so I'd just sit and listen.

It's not painful, although a few tears may be shed. ;-) Wanna have a seat on the RDQLUS couch? There's much I'd like to know about you.

RDQLUS Heads Out to SEA… again!

2009-07-23T14:53:00.000-07:00

This has been an amazing summer of opportunities to make things happen. Times are lame, we all know this, but the ability to move on even the slightes crack in an opened doorway can lead to many god things. So with my trusty CHROME bag packed and backed, last week, I headed off for the cool patch-worked city of Seattle, WA.

(my CHROME bag is tougher than ya' momz!)

I recently found myself and the banner of 'RDQLUS CREATIVE' called out to the Seattle-area (yet again), this time to do a fun bit of work with friend and collegue Jen Whelan, Sr. Manager of Advertising at T-MOBILE. The fruits of this collaboration can't be told of currently but I am quite proud of the work and fully stoked at the opportunity to once again 'show & prove'. All i can say is get your heads ready… T-Mobile is cranking on goodness and getting to see it first-hand was pretty damn cool.

(Say "hi" to Jen W.! She rocks way big!)

While in the Pac Northwest, I was able to meet up with friend & client, Jeni Herberger as well. A delightful mix of work and play was had, so the line blurred quite often as one moment we'd find ourselves discussing identity, messaging and brand assets and the next, I'm sitting dock-side with the family and the dogs! (Love me some Bruce and Opus)

(Jeni Herberger… intelligent, fun and the only thing sweeter is the Maple syrup!)

"When in Rome…" applies wherever I roam, so of course there was much eats, sneakers and "Pikes" to be had.

As much as I do love my own town (the "ONE"), Seattle is an amazingly chill place. The set-up is that of a hub city with suburbs as "spokes". There's a different vibe from 'burb to 'burb and I thank Jen w., Jeni and the cast of others that helped me get around to these fantastic areas. 'SEA', I see you! OMA sends love and trust, I'll be back soon!

A RDQLUS time with AIGA-IA

2009-07-23T14:21:00.000-07:00

AIGA-IOWA's 'LUNCH & LEARN' Series Culminated in a 'RDQLUS' Event

As the final speaker of the their very cool "lunch & learn" Luncheon Series, AIGA-IOWA rolled out an inviting and chill red carpet for me and invited me to speak to their chapter over an extended lunch hour. Held at the refined rustic Jasper Winery, the event was about an hour and a half of good food, chats and commentary surrounding the topic of "Habits of Successful Freelance Designers".

It's always my hope that those I speak with always go away with at least a few nuggets of info, but more importantly a vast amount of good communication and motivation to go off and make their own experiences better. I know I sure leave a bit more motivated and almost euphoric as the good vibes take a long time to subside.

Hey AIGA-IOWA… I'll come back anytime you'll have me. You all are great!

Visit AIGA-IOWA

"HOW RDQLUS WAS THAT?!

2009-07-03T10:49:00.000-07:00

Every summer there comes a time when reasons for my annual burst of excitement is all too obvious. The HOW Design Conference approaches and I reach near giddy status in anticipation of meeting up with thousands of creative types like myself. Consider this: I never went to summer camp so this is my 12 year old self, packing and readying myself for a summer camp full of old friends and new faces. 'Meatballs', anyone?

This year's edition of the "HOW" was in the creative haven of Austin TX. No better place could have been chosen as it supported a very loose, indie, devil-may-care vibe that lies at the heart of many a creative person. The heat was record status, but that's not saying much for Texas in June, where 103º is no record temp. The food was incredible all week long. And the "weird" was definitely brought with force.

For the past few years I've been a member of the advisory committee for the conference and the last two years I've been fortunate enough to have presented and facilitated the Networking Lunch. So I've been involved on a different level, which may explain my passion for the HOW conference and my love for the staff. But this year there was more… I was "honorary staff"! Little did I truly know what that meant. The involvement went even deeper, more scheduled that even an attendee, and really pretty tiring. But also with that, deepened my appreciation and my feelings of why this is so important to me. I've seen the conference from the perspective of attendee, speaker and now staff. Nothing has dulled my view of what HOW means to me and so many others just the same. Some get jaded or the newness and excitement wear's off. Understandable. But for others, the vibe grows in importance and meaning. Just like summer camp.

So after introducing speakers and conducting on-the-street interviews, I was once again asked to speak on a panel with some amazingly sharp minds, a few of whom also happened to be very good friends. Jeni Herberger, Daniel Schutzsmith, Jeff Fisher, Andy Epstein, Megan Slabinski and myself held an early-bird special session to talk about some of the issues facing creative professionals of every type. To our surprise there were actually people in the seats that early! More over, they had to kick us out of the room because people stayed for hours after, talking things over and really taking the conversational art to heart. Have I told you why I love the conference so much? It's just that: the ability to connect and share for 4 days in a delightfully captive environment.

I wasn't able to attend many sessions due to working the conference this year, but lots of good things were heard about many a speaker. Von Glitschka, Daniel Schutzsmith, Mark O'Brien, Mark Randall and Andy Epstein are a few of the people you should look up because their info will be available and it was very well received.

This year was also special for me as a new author and a growing independent creative. The HOW Bookstore carried my new book "100 Habits of Successful Freelance Designers" and even set up an impromptu book signing for me. Thanks to the staff who worked the bookstore. You were so amazing! New this year was the incredible HOW Marketplace, where creatives were able to display and barter handmade goods. Leading up to the conference, I created an exclusive t-shirt that became a minor hit with conference goers. (raise your hand if you are the proud owner of an exclusive "Aus10tayshus" tee!)

And now we've come to the candy-coated goodness of it all… Yes, there was the now famous themed end-of-the-conference party, hosted by Neehah Paper and HOW. This year's theme of "Keep Austin Weird" was taken to heart by many, myself included and if you caught sight of my gold crown, golden "Elvis" shades and golden shoes, you know I was all in!

In all, another great conference and the excitement for the next has started to mount already. My thanks and love to the HOW staff. Bryn, Heather, Beth, Lynn, Barb, Alicia, Amy, Megan and Sara; You all are so amazing and I've always respected and appreciated what you've done for me and others, but I now have a new-found respect for what it is you truly do and pull off without asking for extra thanks or adulation. Well I'll loft up all the extra I can because you deserve it. And to the many others I met and chilled and conversed with last week; Props and all the best to you, colleagues and new friends. You've made this year as good or better than any other.

Keep the Conference experience going at HOW Design Conference

The Art of Saying NO

2009-06-16T11:58:00.001-07:00

"FoR" and editor of HOW Magazine, Bryn Mooth, recently contacted me with a few questions dealing with issues that freelancers face for the HOW Creative Freelancer Conference Blog. Here's part 2 of that interview…

Click the title or link below to have read the most recent post.

CFC Blog: the Art of Saying No

Advice from a Freelancer

2009-06-16T11:52:00.000-07:00

I recently did an interview with my good friend and "Friend of RDQLUS" Bryn Mooth, editor of HOW Magazine. Coming off of their amazingly popular HOW Design Conference, the staff at HOW have created the Creative Freelancer Conference aimed squarely at issues facing independent creative types. Bryn was kind enough to contact me with a few questions.

Click the post title or the link below to read the part 1 of the interview.

CFC: Advice from a Freelancer

Thanks to Bryn and the staff at HOW!

HOW Magazine Online

It's a Celebration!

2009-06-11T11:47:00.000-07:00

The night has finally been picked and the event is planned! It's going to be a low-key chill & spill for the official release of my first book! Yeah a little late but a brotha's been workin' y'all! I'm am very humbled, excited and very thankful to all who have helped or been involved in even the smallest way with so many of the good things that have gone down lately.

If you can join, come on thru and say hey! I'll have a few books on hand if you want to grab one, but it's not about that. I just want to celebrate and party with you… come on now… CeeeelllllabrAAAAAYshun!
(Cool & the Gang is NEVER wrong!)

Special thanks to Tanya Patry & Brenda Lyman for their lasting support and efforts making the good times happen.

(photo courtesy of Donovan Beery… who bought the most books of any one person!)

Limited Edition "Aus10tayshus" Tee for HOWaustin 09

2009-05-14T11:16:00.000-07:00

The Time Has Come! Announcing the RDQLUS CREATIVE limited edition "Aus10Tayshus" graphic tee for the HOW Design Conference in Austin TX this June!

With the advice of native-Texan, "Friend of RDQLUS" and killer creative Roby "Swagga'Fitz" Fitzhenry, the earth-tone brown design is the final call. So with that…

For the next two weeks, the tees are going to be made available thru the RDQLUS CREATIVE shop on Zazzle. When (50) total shirts are ordered, or the two-week period is up, the design will be discontinued forever!

Another small-batch, hyper-limited run of hand-numbered, screen-printed shirts will be available from me at HOWaustin. These hyper-limited edition tees will have a variation from the limited edition tees. But don't fret, all who get a tee will feel that special'ness that comes from "rare & exclusive" draped on their bodies!

Look 4 me in my custom 1-of-1 variation at HOWaustin and keep your fingers crossed that I have one left for you!

(The tees will be printed on semi-fitted AmericanApparel™ Organic tees)

RDQLUS CREATIVE: Dyana Valentine iD & branding

2009-05-01T23:21:00.000-07:00

Last year, I met a gracious, in-your-face, dynamic personality in the form of mentor/speaker/teacher, Dyana Valentine. Frank, honest, candid… and yes that mane of untamed goodness… she was in full command of the room as she spoke to eagerly listening freelancers, at the HOW Creative Freelancer Conference in Chicago, about finding our just who they were and what their focus was. Little did I know that our paths would cross and I would get the opportunity to do the same for her as a client.

Using my iD creative briefing process dubbed "Identity Therpy", I was able to take an assessment of who Dyana was at her core, her beliefs, and her message, which is that of passion for finishing what you start mixed with her own vibe quoted as "elegant utility". Wow was THAT tons to go on! And still again, there was that mane of untamed goodness…

So I steered directly into the obvious. Dyana Valentine is a sparkplug of a personality, but most people don't have an iconic and almost trademarked trait. She does, undeniably. She knows it, and she owns it, and anyone who comes within 100 feet of her can't forget it. But there had to be more to it, more substance—a back-story. So to create the silhouette of that iconic hair, the choice was made to create said silhouette from other icons that would represent aspects of her life and message that she brought to bare for hear audiences and clients. Each icon has specific meaning: big ideas, teaching, benevolence, searching for the details, hard working, yet regal and natural, raw energy. All of this that actually makes up Dyana Valentine comes together to make up the mark that represents her as a professional entity.

The full mark itself can be broken out into three phases: the "icon fro", the nameplate, and the icons themselves as useful tools for categorization and presentation of messaging and topics.

The new iD gave way to branding items that were necessary in the roll-out of her new professional suite.

Dyana is also known for her "Hello, I'm Really Good At…" stickers that are both teaching tools and ice breakers. So with a new iD, why not brand those also? A solid brand from top to bottom is a fine avenue for clear, consistent visibility messaging.

I'd like to say a big thank you to Friend of RDQLUS, Jeni Herberger, for the formal introduction to Ms. Valentine. I'd also like to thank Dyana Valentine herself for hbeing such a joy to work with and an exciting client. For more about Dyana Valentine and the amazing work she's always up to, visit www.dyanavalentine.com