Feb
21
 Spend any time being responsible for a Web site, and you will get an email saying the site is broken. Too often, “broken” is the full description of the error encountered by the helpful / outraged sender. While I agree that “broken” is bad news, it’s a bit broad when it comes to directing my efforts toward the actual malfunction. The addition of even a few basic details would be an enormous help.
I understand on one level why people would be reluctant to offer more information about something odd that happened on a Web site they visited. Nobody likes seeming uninformed, and without some knowledge of how Web sites work what insight can they offer?
I recently received the answer to this question, and not coincidentally it came attached to the first “your site’s broken” email that I did not hate receiving. The person who sent it simply attached a screen capture of what he saw when the error happened. This is a fantastically simple solution. It saved me who knows how much time chasing shadows in the back corner of the server- an effort as fruitless as chasing a monkey through a leprechaun fight. All that was necessary was to send a few details.
Feb
17
 The Northern Snakehead is a ravenous aquatic killing machine. An extra-thick coating of mucous covers the skin of this invasive species of fish. It has the look of a fossil that swam loose from it’s chunk of limestone to menace the native fishes of the Chesapeake Bay watershed, and modern civilization in general. Is this an appetizing description which belongs on the menu of an exclusive New York City restaurant? Continue reading “Snakehead? That’s not appetizing.” »
Jan
30
| | | Graphic design awards are the purest indicator of artistic genius and market savvy. Unless I don’t receive one for which I sent an entry, in which case they are hollow popularity contests. The American Package Design Awards are clearly in the former category. Nothing says “integrity” like giving me an award.
On paper the award was given to my employer, The Spangler Design Team. However, as this award-winning packaging came to life, I was the primary creative, client liaison, sales guy wrangler, and fish-species selector.
This packaging line has been very successful in getting from the shelves to the consumer, which is the best assessment of its effectiveness. Getting an award from people who see 1600 entries, 80% of which don’t get recognized, is kind of nice too. | | | |
Jan
17
| | | Some lucky person discovered part of my Web site using the truly unlikely image search string “apes on a unicycle”. Here are the results for that search. I noticed this unlikely visitor during my regular visit to the dashboard of SlimStat, the plug-in I use to log traffic here.
This discovery was an eye-opener on two levels. First, it is a demonstration of the enormous reach of Google. This version of my site is only a couple months old at the time of this writing, and it is hardly a high-traffic destination. Yet, the hard-working search spiders located and indexed my site thoroughly enough to find one obscure drawing in my sketchbook.
Second, it is a reminder of how differently it is possible to view the same subject. I could have spent weeks writing a list of search strings that might potentially return my site and never thought of the words “apes on a unicycle”. However, to the programmer that wrote the search spider it is just as valid a way to describe my site as my own name. To the person who ran this unlikely search, “apes on a unicycle” is how they will remember their visit. I’ll have to review my own preconceptions about my site, as well as apes for that matter. | | | |
Jan
15
| | | Only a tiny number of times in the many years I’ve been a graphic designer has an idea occurred to me that was fully resolved the moment it fired the appropriate synapse. Usually it is just the unresolved outline of an idea that arrives unexpectedly. I must quickly document the idea in the form of a quick sketch. If I fail to record a good idea when it happens, later I’ll remember only that I HAD a good idea, but not what that idea was. | | | |
Continue reading “What Does Creativity Look Like?” »
Dec
16
 Every so often I create something I’m proud of which is so subtle that many viewers will not even notice my work. Digitally-modified photography, popularly referred to as a picture that’s been “airbrushed” or “Photoshopped” is so common that an original unmodified image has become the rare exception. Many of these modified photos are created by inexperienced users. The poor-quality results are often viewed by those with so little understanding of this process that they don’t realize an “airbrushed” image has almost certainly NOT been retouched with an actual airbrush (an air -powered tool that sprays a very fine stream of liquid pigment).
The human eye is very adept at spotting unnatural variations in light, shadow, or color. While many viewers aren’t aware of the technical deficiencies of the modified photos they see, they do have the sense that the photo looks “funny”, or “just a little off”. It takes experience and attention to detail to create a digital image that does not immediately appear unnatural to the viewer. Continue reading “Can Your Plug-in Do This?” »
Nov
23
 I’ve designed many logos in my career, but only one has appeared on a cake. I consider this quite an honor. NuAire is a long-time client of my employer, The Spangler Design Team, and as such I have worked with them for many years. Their 40th Anniversary logo rendered surprisingly well in frosting. Now I wish the original design had a tasty green border.
Nov
20
 Jeff Kaphingst, an award-winning Graphic Designer, launched a newly updated Web site today. The long-anticipated update includes new and better creative, improved design, hybrid fuel system, and also many funny and sarcastic cartoons.
New and unconventional creative such as the official T-Shirt designs for southeast Minnesotas most famous fishing event, the Roughfish Roundup, are included. New and unconventional creative such as the official T-Shirt designs for southeast Minnesota’s most famous fishing event, the Roughfish Roundup, are included.
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