Str8 Up RDQLUS!

RDQLUS Dropshots; 100226

2010-02-26T12:25:00.001-08:00

RDQLUS Interview with The Bauhub

2010-02-26T11:51:00.000-08:00

A few months back I did an interview with Scott Morrison of The Bauhub, a professional creative collective (of which I am now actually a member). Scott—whom I had met a couple years back at the Creative Freelancer Conference—had recently come across the book '100 Habits of Successful Freelance Designers' and had only recently realized that to his surprise he knew the author (hint: for those not good with riddles, that would be me). I was all too excited to fire up Skype and have a chat with him about some of the ins and outs of being a freelance creative, trying to do things I love… like turning on the heat and putting food on the table.

(click the pick or link below to peep the interview)

When Being Social in the AM for the Lincoln AMA Equals Brunch!

2010-02-26T10:53:00.000-08:00

Thursday morning started with a jolt and a bolt! RDQLUS was graciously invited by the Lincoln chapter of the American Marketing Association (Lincoln AMA), to sit on a panel centered around best practices when using the still burgeoning realm of social media for marketing and communication. The "jolt-n-bolt" came in when I remembered that I was needed on point as the get-away driver for my good friend and social media maven herself—Megan Hunt, of Princess Lasertron fame, who was also invited to share her knowledge of blogging and being social in the name of business.

The event itself was surprisingly good as there were many questions—and hopefully some good answers and information given back—as the early AM did little to dull the excitement over the topic. Other fine media-savvy heads in the place were Danny Schreiber of siliconprairienews.com, Deb Averett of freshnestdesign.com and toolulu.com, Christy Nelson of christynelson.net and toolulu.com, Khara Plicanic – kabloomstudios.com/blog, Lori Havens - Social Media Guru at Ervin & Smith Advertising and Public Relations.

So here's the rub, if indeed there is one… with the drive from the "ONE" to the Star City being well under an hour and the event lasting just a little over an hour, Megan & I were left with a bit of time and a need to make the trip to another Nebraska city just that tad bit more worth it. With a look at the time on the wrist-clock… Brunch for munch!

Ahhh… 'Bread and Cup', Lincoln, NE

With co-pilot Megz on the Map app for the exact address, we quickly found ourselves face-to-face at a nice table, discussing the good events of the morning while gnawing a couple of homemade peanut butter sammies—hers the famed apple butter variety, while mine was my signature PB & honey steez—at 'Bread and Cup'(440 N 8th St Suite 150, Lincoln, NE).

Megan w/Kevin, proprietor of 'Bread and Cup'

In all a fine AM, in the name of the AMA. Thanks to all of the fine people of the Lincoln AMA for a warm welcome. RDQLUS will indeed return when the need arises. Just flash the crown signal!

--
Steve G

RDQLUS Stays So Complex

2010-02-26T09:59:00.000-08:00

RDQLUS would like to thank Complex, who gave love for the third week (and 6 pairs) straight. Props to the crew over at Complex Magazine for the love. Keep doing what you do and I'll keep trying to come with the most RDQLUS style.

Dana College Gets RDQLUS

2010-02-21T10:42:00.000-08:00

RDQLUS Designs a Custom Tee for the New "Follow the Viking" Campaign.

When Dana College called to discuss having a custom t-shirt designed for their upcoming "Follow the Viking" campaign, I was a little leery of designing a campus t-shirt. I remembered the first week on campus, passing by all the tables & getting glad-handed an awful, gaudy tees that end up being your gym shirt more than your wardrobe staple. So taking this as the challenge, I accepted the project and aimed for a minimal, graphic tee that was more wardrobe status than gym-rat fodder.

A few sketches:

Here's the full mockup:

RDQLUS Designs a Custom Tee for the New "Follow the Viking" Campaign.

Thanks to Nikki Kinsey & Dana College (@DanaCollege) for the opportunity.

Speed Wobble + 25mph + iPhone = Still Stoked!

2010-02-20T05:58:00.000-08:00

I've gotten a few requests to repost the night that I owned Pacific Street here in "The ONE"… and then it owned me! But first, a little back story;

In the spring and summer, I routinely do night skates where—because of the time of night—traffic is slow to no, and I can carve way big on my Sector9 longboard. Well, on this particular night I had just finished an amazing run of the entire half-mile hill. I was full-on stoked and got the urge to record my next run… yyyyeah, here's the thing; When you're focused down on a 3" screen, you're not focused on the wide view in front of you and carving the road the right way. As I tried to restart my bigger sweeping carves, I realized I was already going to fast to correct. Any boarder or BMX'er knows what comes next… SPEED WOBBLES!

But, here's the thing, like any boarder or biker knows, after something like this you get "stoke" and even while you're hurting and bloodied, you're on a high. I scooped up my deck, walked home with the biggest smile on my face, cleaned up my wounds, and got right to posting this vid.

Ah, Spring… where have you gone and when are you coming back?!

--
Steve G.

RDQLUS Sneaks for Weeks!

2010-02-19T15:18:00.000-08:00

Complex Magazine has tapped RDQLUS Stash again, making it four straight selections and two straight weeks of making their top pics nationally for the best sneakers being put on the grid. It seems a small, trivial or slightly sad thing, but for those who truly love the culture, this is dream status.

This weeks selection was a mix of a classic silhouette from Nike's "golden era", and a fresh (and so clean) profile from a more recent upstart young footwear company, Supra.

To all my heads; Hustle hard… Rock higher… Step lightly… and everyone else can kick rocks!

--
Steve G

Man Up!

2010-02-19T14:58:00.000-08:00

Old Spice is at it again! Over the last couple years, Old Spice has had their tongues firmly planted in their cheeks with their cheeky brand of humor directed at lampooning stereotypes. Well they are back at it with the new "Manmercials".

Featuring a buff gent with a rapid fire delivery and an ultimately hyper-typical, manly persona. The result: belly laughter and a a strange urge to get my Old Spice product usage on, for sure!

--
Steve G.

Get Torqued Off.

2010-02-19T14:37:00.001-08:00

After being in the creative field long enough you meet a lot of people and even become very good friends with a few very talented individuals. There even comes a time when it ticks you off a bit how damn good they are. Not fair. Get up off my cloud! Well my boy Eric Hines is just such an individual. His Honest Bros. Concept Mechanics creative imprint has done it again with 'Torque'—a premium distilled, small batch vodka with specialty packaging and Honest Bros. branding all design by the HB camp.

I cold tell you more, but I want his Google Analytics hits to go up, so bop on over to the Concept Mechanics blog and read more about the work and the process. It's truly an amazing work and a good story. Seriously, how does he come up with this stuff?! My friends are upsetting sometimes, but I roll with the best.

--
SG. the RDQLUS One

COMPLEX.COM Respects the RDQLUS Passion!

2010-02-12T10:21:00.000-08:00

It's no mystery, to any who truly know me, that I have an affinity for fine footwear. Translation: I'm a sneakerhead. I've had good friends find, put on hold, alert me to, and even send me the choicest sneakers because I have stay consistent, authentic and true to my passion for wrangling of rare soles.

Well, a little validation can invigorate and reaffirm a passion.

Marc Ecko's COMPLEX Magazine is a staple with urban aesthetic, streetwear & fashion set. The magazine's website and blog recently began a twice-weekly feature highlighting the best in reader/tweeter footwear. This week RDQLUS was 2-for-2, getting props on both weekly installments for my daily sneaker choices out of supposed thousands that submit photos thru the COMPLEX Twitter feed. Now this might be because my feets is so fly, or it could b simply because I have monkey arms and can take shots of my own person, giving the illusion of fine photography… who's to say? But I do know that it's nice to get love for my commitment to my "thing" and shine a little love on my city, the ONE aka Omaha, NE, not really known as a bastion of style—high, street or otherwise. That's not true and it is changing.

;-)

Thanks to COMPLEX Magazine (Twitter: @ComplexMag) and love to all those sneakerheads out there. Walk lightly… all others can kick rocks!

---
Stevie G

RDQLUS Goes Clubbin'!

2010-02-10T11:00:00.000-08:00

Yeah yeah yeah, I know, I know… Drop shadows, lens flares and glowing effects aren't the high-minded, holy grails of design. All that goodness aside, every now and again it's fun to get your hands dirty with a little rule-breakin', happy-makin', booty-shakin', guilty pleasure fun work that shows Photoshop who's boss. So when a promoter pal called from NYC and needed a fly ass flyer fo' tha' ladeez, I felt compelled to rock it. Nuff said. Enjoy.

You Got No Game!

2010-01-29T19:14:00.000-08:00

… at least not like this, you don't! Peep the techno freshy fresh and marvel at the fact that "gamer" is not a new term to the worldwide lexicon of video game play—a universal language that obviously went global long ago. This gear is tasty madness and the only thing more future retro techno logical is a Daft Punk helmet (which may be in this collection!)

CONSOLLECTION

But don't sleep on the cultural impact and future design skills. Take time to read the info on each of these amazing machines. How many do you remember? Which ones have you had? Which would you pick up even now? Check it all out, while I get back to my 9-volt powered LED football. Rec'a'nize!

Stevie G.

Read One Way, Kern the Other!

2010-01-25T12:15:00.000-08:00

This isn't an elaborate tip, but I wanted to highlight a technique that I've used to help me kern type more effectively. I tend to kern type backward from the reading direction. But this seems counter-intuitive, doesn't it? Exactly.

In most of the Germanic and Romance languages we learn to read left-to-right. As this is the ages old standard, we never question this as a part of our learning and it becomes natural to take in information this way. As this is the direction we read, as we kern and shape the type-spacing of our information design, we are still taking in the information and our brains are analyzing the words we see—even if we are not reading them, per se.

So how do you stop yourself from reading words when it is in our intuitive nature to take in that information? Change the direction of which you are working as to not trigger the brain to read. This almost objectifies your kerning so that you are not "reading" the same direction you are working. I stumbled upon this by accident one day in a rush like the way it felt in my head, so have stuck to doing it whenever possible. By kerning type backward you tend to focus more on good visual spacing rather than understandability of the actual wording. A small detail, but it's helped me a lot.

Try it out and let me know what you think.

--
Steve G.

RDQLUS Plays Well with Others.

2010-01-22T15:06:00.000-08:00

RDQLUS CREATIVE is set up to be able to work not only with my own list of direct clients, but—equally as importantly—I work with many studio & agency entities to do work for their amazing clients. For this Communication Friday, I wanted to show a bit of work that I've been up to over the last quarter of '09 and into this new turn of the calendar. Enjoy, and there's more where that came from.

Good "Friends of RDQLUS", Tribecca Designs (New York City) called me with a need for a unique take for a strong client of theirs that manages taxi cab identifications (called: "medallions"). A fun one to work on this logo tended toward an almost cinematic era of NYC Art Deco and the more romantic times for taxis as the main mode of transportation. Happy clients right down the line.

Omaha Public Schools (Omaha, NE) will soon roll out a new program aimed at giving young minority students a more in-depth look at the impact that their cultures have had on the Omaha area and regionally throughout the Midwest. The "Making Invisible Histories Visible" program will use more culturally traditional means of gathering spoken histories, recipes, conversations with community elders and hands-on exploration that delves deeper than shallow archival information. With this information in hand, RDQLUS was set about the task of shaping a youthful—yet serious—new face for the endeavor.

When my personal a dear friend called in need of a favor for her 7yr old niece's dance troop, "Fusion", it took all of 2 seconds to agree to help. I know and agree with the rule of doing business with family, but the truth is there are sometimes when the call is bigger than the rule. This one was a favor for a friend that has literally put a roof over my head and food in my belly without question or fail when I was in need. So sometimes in life you have to pay it forward, willingly and gladly. It's not that I think it's award-winning, but that it was just a labor of love and an exercise in working very light, and very fast. And if you knew all the love and support this friend has shown me… it's already heavily paid for and I still owe. ;-)

More to come stay, tuned…
---
Stevie G.

"SPN Doctors" Throw a Party!

2010-01-14T12:19:00.000-08:00

Silicon Prairie News is a power-blog hailing on world-wide frequencies from right here in the ONE (Omaha, NE). Run by Friend's of RDQLUS, Dusty Davidson and Jeff Slobotski, they are hosting the "SPN Launch Party" this eve to celebrate and kick off a new level of offerings and a clean new look to match.

Join RDQLUS and many other SPN supporters this evening @ LIV Lounge (2285 So. 67th St), in the Aksarben Village, or follow the party on Twitter with #SPNLaunch or @Siliconprairie

New Year Communictation Friday brings much RDQLUS'ness

2010-01-08T12:32:00.001-08:00

What's good my babies!? Welcome to the first official Communication Friday of 20-10 and did it ever land with a very hopeful thud of a gift with much goodness inside.

First up, is a good conversation I had with my good pal Mig Reyes for the amazingly useful, fun, informative site Humble Pied. Mig uses chat communication in an innovative yet simple way to gather tips, words of wisdom and fun convo from the many people he's had the chance to connect with. He's a link, a connector and fine communicator… and a trait we share—a true hustler in that hard-working sense of staying on the move.

Next, I braved the icy conditions to reach the bunker of my cohorts over at 36point to record a "Review of the Aughts" for the Reflex Blue Show where we discuss the seemingly short 10 years that have transpired since the real crash of the dot.coms and the faux-Armageddon of the Y2K.

A RDQLUS start to the year, and I'm hopeful that this kindo f kick-off is a good omen of things to come.

--
Stevie G

Manifesto of a RDQLUS CREATIVE

2009-12-23T21:19:00.000-08:00

Hey world… I require that you have your own opinion. The strong often do and I welcome that, more so… respect that. But I give you this nugget of truth; My reality does not exist to serve your opinion. I can BE whatever I need to, but I AM what I am. I am not your "suit". I am not your executive. I am not a mazed rat in cubical chasing cheese. I am not your drone clone. I AM RDQLUS… far closer to a BMX'ing style-hound in custom sneakers that cost more than your Italian wingtips, carving my longboard to a meeting about your million-dollar initiative. Aw, sorry… you were expecting something different? Your mistake. Not mine. I'm focused. I'm pointed. I'm deliberate. Genuine, to a fault. Candid, but calculated. Yeah, you should indeed keep reading.

I am an unapologetic self-promoter. Self-assured and well versed in self-worth. But you should want this. Crave this. Desire this. I don't wait for your definition because you might not tell me, and if/when you do I might not like it. Not being harsh, that's just truth. So I don't look like the pack. I do not wear suits. I have tattoos and earrings. I boast a sneaker collection that would surely shame your best pair of executive loafers. But you know what—none of this matters because I have what you really want; My brain. My thoughts turned into gold, spun from the straws of our initial meetings. My choices are measured, tested and found true, and all yours for a proper fee. My experience is more vast than you could ever truly fathom because I exist on a time line and its tangents, not one simple plane.

I am not so many years into my profession, and decades into my life, without knowing a thing or two. If there is one thing I have learned all these years, it is knowing your audience and marketing consistently, organically, honestly and relentlessly is the proverbial "stuff". I most certainly know my audience and it has nothing to do with me sporting an executive look, or begging for particular approval. I never have, and I NEVER will. I know my audience and you may not be included, and that's okay. I know what you might be looking for, but did you ever care to think that the real balance may lie in what I might be looking for? This interview goes both ways. If my nameplate necklace is not high-end enough for you, then trust me, my occasional mohawk is an immediate no go, too.

Listen, I am NOT a mold-fitting cog. I don't have meetings about meetings regarding when we should meet. I am a "creative". I live where you imagine. Not one of my clients has ever come to me for looking "executive". Not one of my clients has ever left me for a supposed lack of high-end aesthetic. All have been serviced at the table of my need to bring all that I am to bear for them. If this poses a problem for you, the "chicken exit" is right here, right now. I will hustle hard and rock higher until the day my mind fails me. And at that point, I'll just settle for rocking higher, because even on half a brain, I do work! And I will not let you down if you're on board with me.

But hey, as I said… all opinions are welcome. But you have to clean up after 'it' and take it with you when you leave. I can't let you keep it here.

This is who I am.
This is what I do.
I… AM… RDQLUS.

RDQLUS Pic of the Day

2009-12-22T10:57:00.000-08:00

I'm really not sure what happened, but that shocked look is real… nevermind the crown! That's just how I get down.

(Where: HOW Conf. - Austin, TX, June '09)

Abigail & Adam's RDQLUS Wedding Invite

2009-12-20T21:56:00.000-08:00

There is widely-known rule in the design world: avoid working with family! As most creatives know, we rarely follow that rule. On top of that, brides are to be feared. Well, I ignored the potential pitfalls to do work for a young lady that is like family and getting hitched. I'm happy to say right away, she was a delight to work with. She had a vision for what she wanted and "married" that (pun intended) to the process and her trust in her designer. Nice! The couple wanted to be very price conscious where they could and still have a quality product with a hand-finished look, the finishing of which the bride-to-be wanted to handle, herself. Add to that, that this is for what will be her and Adam's most special day to date. With that kind of client the weight shifted from shouldering the load of a potentially impossible client to wanting to do all that I could to play Atlas to this globe-sized expectation.

For the design, I drew inspiration from the flowers that she has picked for her wedding day—peonies. A particularly difficult flower to silhouette or interpret, I actually paused on that approach and moved to looking at typefaces. And there it was: 'Affair'. (Ironic name for a wedding invite, but we'll read it in a good way) The sweeps and gentle, yet decisive bends of this font was too much to ignore. As I tested out a few phrases to get a look at letters and ligatures, it hit me; Could I possibly create a peony floral from re-purposing these letter-forms? A bit more serendipity as the forms I'd need to use came into focus: (2) families become (3) families as these (2) people come from each family to form a new one. There's also the fact that they will bound together in the eyes of the & the Holy Trinity. So with the numbers '2' & '3' of the typeface I created the "numeric peony" logo that would be used on both the invite and r.s.v.p. card.

The printing was done digitally to keep the costs within budget, and the paper selection would be critical to the finished product. Both was masterfully done by industry pro, Tanya Patry, rep'ing for Leading Edge Printing here in Omaha, NE. The invites and r.s.v.p.(s) were printed on Cougar Natural Cover and the holder/wrapper was cut from Classic Columns Epic Black Cover.

When Abi came to pick up the parts, she simply said "LOVE them! I'm happy, and the color is better than I expected." A designer could make career of chasing such words. Congrats to Abi & Adam and best wishes for a long, loving future.

(Thanks to Tanya Patry and Leading Edge Printing)

--Stevie G.

RDQLUS Designs Cover For Pulitzer Prize Nominee

2009-12-18T14:17:00.001-08:00

It's an amazing thing, the 6º of separation that truly does exist and just how short that space between can seem. Months ago at an Omaha Tweet-Up event, I met a young lady who was looking to help a struggling non-profit organization find a bit of professional design help. I just so happened that this organization was a community center that I had attended as a young man growing up in the inner-city, the 'Wesley House'. Say that name to anyone from North Omaha between the current ages of 25-40 and a proud smile will slide across their face. This place was a hub of my particular neighborhood but mostly in a summer camp setting for those who surely couldn't afford the glorious "Meatballs" experience. That alone would have been a saving grace full of knowledge and arts-and-crafts experiences, but there was a need—more so a call—to be more. Enter the times we live in and the struggles that financial short-comings bring.

That's where Mr. Paul Bryant comes in. To see him now is to see a razor sharp, sure-minded, firm-voiced gent often donning head-wear that would make the "Bear" himself proud to share a name. Paul Bryant is from the same streets where I grew up and found himself in the same predicaments that many of our counterparts faced and didn't escape from. After our introduction, there was first a very long conversation about the old "hood" and where the Wesley House had come since the times I attended. I needed to be brought up to speed because Mr. Bryant had a vision… the arts-and-craft approach had been good but was more akin to babysitting than true teaching. He wanted to see the place become a haven of building, molding and cultivating young minds to not be tolerated, merely lucky, nor babysat, but rather to be those who are found reaching and attaining goals through disciplined approaches to the game. So to that vision has now manifested itself as the 'Wesley House Leadership Academy'.

To the point, Paul Bryant has a message that feeds the vision; Living life, no merely with a goal but with an over-arching purpose that drives us constantly. To aid him in speaking engagements and meetings, he self-published a book 'The Purpose-Living Leader', yet the project had stalled a bit. That's where RDQLUS came in. As he explained his aim with the project, we began to talk things through and as a bit of paying it forward (or backward as the case was), I offered to help by creating an identity for him and his work and cover for the book project.

A few months later I got a call to have a it of lunch and catch up with Paul, where he informed me that the book had been nominated for a Pulitzer Prize and the message looked to be taking hold. It's nice to do a bit of "pro bono" work that's more like a return on an investment that someone else made in me long ago.

--Stevie G

REEEEEEMIX!

2009-12-16T14:14:00.000-08:00

("Stereo Lab, the Golden Receiver" Qee vinyl toy, designed by RDQLUS… holding down the beat laboratory)

Sometimes a former life comes back—in a good way—reminding me of my journey as a well-rounded and true 'creative', sparking up some of that good mojo that makes me who I am. After getting a Facebook message from an old friend from one of the lives of a previous incarnation of "Stevie G", I was called upon to fire up my musical side and hammer out a remix track. Yes, remix as in music. As the producing outfit 'DUSTLAB' & the crowd-rocker DJ 'Psyrendust', I loved the skill and atmosphere and always on point. I even had a brief legit music industry career that, to this day, I wonder about. Not in regret but more "what if…?"

So after much thought and mental maneuvering, I flipped the switches that brought all of my electronics to life—and made the local power company quite happy— and set about getting lost in the button taps and knob-twists that I used so many times in making a hall full of humanity roar to vibrant, kinetic life. Yes, I still have all of my equipment. Perhaps sadly looking to the horizon for a return to the game? Who knows. Maybe it just cost too much to get rid of?

So… Where's the track you ask? Still under consideration so I have to hold off on that. But rest assured, I rocked it as is my norm. As soon as I can post, I'll do a follow up.

'Til then… here's some other beats from that former life. The DUSTLAB Project

-Stevie G

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)

What a Release! The book has dropped

2009-05-11T12:48:00.000-07:00

May marked the release of my first book and I am way too humbled and excited for words! '100 Habits of Successful Freelance Designers', published by renowned creative industry publisher–Rockport, focuses on some very candid basics of going solo in the field of creative arts. Creative independent experts lend their insights and habits, from financial suggestions to how to get over the doldrums of creative block, as well as their fine artwork as indie designers.

I was tasked with writing all of the chapter intros, curating the artwork and habits of the experts, adding my own "habits" to the mix, as well as the honor of doing the cover design. I also developed a full set of line-drawings that accompany the titles and habits throughout the book.

This was an almost two-year process that tested and bested me at times, but ultimately taught me a lot about myself, my love of writing and the publishing industry on the whole. I truly cant wait to do it again, but not until this one settles in (which it may never!). as

100 Habits of Successful Freelance Designers can be found at this link, as well as through local booksellers, nationwide.

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

"HOW AUS10TAYSHUS" Can RDQLUS Be?!

2009-04-28T01:05:00.000-07:00

HOWaustin 09 Custom Tee from RDQLUS CREATIVE

So yesterday, by way of Twitter (@rdqlus_creative), I hinted at a limited edition, custom design for the HOW Design Conference '09 to be held in Austin, TX this summer. Well a sneak-peek of the new design has surfaced!

The overall design is a fun take on the name 'Austin' and features a random-typeset spelling of the word 'ostentatious', meaning: "designed to impress or attract notice". Well, uh… YEAH! The "HOW AUS10TAYSHUS!" design will come in (3) varieties, each featuring one of the RDQLUS identity colors.

The scrolls, stars, and cobbled-together typefaces all have a fun Southwestern feel that is decidedly Texas, while staying contemporary and avoiding and old, campy or played out look. The idea is to give mad props to Austin for all of it's creative vibe and cultivation of contemporary arts and creative cultures!

For more info on the HOW Design Conference, click thru here. Stay tuned to find out when and where this RDQLUS limited edition design will surface! Also check out 'Friends of RDQLUS' 36Point to see their plans for HOWaustin!

RDQLUS CREATIVE; Identity Work - The Purpose Driven Leader

2009-04-13T08:06:00.000-07:00

Through a very interesting '6 degrees of separation' I was introduced to Mr. Paul Bryant, an Omaha-area businessman who over the last 4 years has assumed the reigns at The Wesley House Leadership Academy in North Omaha. A staple of that community, I myself attended The Wesley House as a youngster growing up around the areas between Lake and Hamilton streets.

With the many projects that Mr. Bryant is working on, he wanted to begin to brand some of his speaking and teaching materials for greater impact and reach. So in a bit of paying-it-forward (or backward in this case) I fashioned a mark and title block for him to have the beginnings of an identity for his endeavors.

The Purpose Driven Leader series of works will be about the schooling, emotional and moral instruction. Starting with young men in the North Omaha community due to the location of The Wesley House, the message will extend from young men and women to even established adults of all races and ages.

The mark itself shows an instructor organizing a group of young men with his focus on the very young and as they get obviously older, they are further back in the line-up, more and more ready to go out on their own with the lessons learned. The silhouettes are created as much by what is not there as is what is there, allowing the eye and the mind to finish the composition by filling in the gaps. The very strong figure/ground relationship makes it an easily reproducible mark on a variety of mediums.

It began with young men because sadly the statistics are such that it is the young men of the community often pulled into less than favorable situations. By helping the young men of a community, it is often a large help to the community on the whole.

My thanks to Paul Bryant and The Wesley House for the kind reception and the chance to work with them on what is sure to be a growing initiative.

RDQLUS CREATIVE: Corrie & Andrey Photographers, Pricing Sheet Design

2009-04-11T17:35:00.000-07:00

I was contacted by the very talented duo of photographers, Corrie and Andrey Photographers, to have a sit down and discuss how RDQLUS CREATIVE might be able to help sharpen their identity and help their brand gain a little focus in the market. To ease into the process and have a jumping off point, we chose to go with a revision of their Sr. Photo pricing sheet showing their products and offerings mainly aimed at high school girls looking to get high-end, "model for a day" fashion shoot style sr. photos.

Initially the pricing sheet was (3) separate loose pieces that bore a slight resemblance to each other and truly didn't establish their identity or brand. These pieces were also available for download and desktop printing at the customer's leisure. this posed a problem in the degradation of what little branding was established because of limitations outside of their control such as print quality, margins/lack of bleed and color vs. black and white. Also, (3) sheets of loose paper with no binding just wasn't a cohesive pricing package. The overall look and feel was not particularly alluring to their desired customer base, so that would be an additional challenge to get the aesthetic to be a bit more attractive to their desired clientele.

before getting RDQLUS:

_____

The RDQLUS solution was to take the information down to a 1-fold, 4-panel brochure with the ability to be printed either duplexed, front & back or as a two-sheet print out. There are no bleeds or margin interruptions, so on the customer side there is no worry about the output.

By establishing a color palette much closer to their identity (which was already in play) we were able to get the overall vibe geared more toward young ladies. Couple that with the use of floral elements and their own scroll artwork we now had a look that was locked in on current trends in teen fashion and style.

after being treated RDQLUS'ly:

I was also able to contribute copywriting assistance with titles, subtitles and verbiage throughout the piece, which aided in the overall "model for a day" messaging that the client wanted to portray.

___

I'd like to thank Corrie and Andrey Photographers Corrie and Andrey Photographers for their cooperation and willingness to dive in and give some new thought to focusing the look of their product offerings by solidifying their identity and branding. RDQLUS CREATIVE looks forward to working with them again in the future.

RDQLUS Notions - 4/07/09

2009-04-07T10:54:00.000-07:00

Overheard:

"I don't make artwork… I make art WORK!"

- Steve Gordon, RDQLUS CREATIVE

Leaving the Nest, Flying Solo

2009-04-05T09:44:00.000-07:00

'Tears for Fears' said it best, "Everybody wants to rule the world…"

For many designers, going out on your own and developing a freelance business is the ultimate ideal: Be your own boss, set your own hours, work with the clients you want. ’What’s not to like, right? Well, like most endeavors, the reality of making this happen are quite a bit different from the dream, especially early on. As a freelancer you’re much more likely to have a dozen different bosses, aka clients, work incredibly long hours, and take whatever projects you can get. However, if you do get beyond the start-up phase, you can have a great business that brings you creative satisfaction, financial rewards, and, yes, lots of flexibility. The key is not just to work hard, but work smart. Fortunately, there are lots of people out there who have built successful freelance design businesses, and some of these folks have even been willing to share everything they’ve learned with you. So let’s start at the beginning: How do you leave a comfortable, if sometimes itchy, nest of a 40 hour a week gig, with the steady paycheck and the sole responsibility is creating design work, and not scouting out clients?

You’re ready to take the plunge, but that first step can be a doozy. You’re not sure if you’re jumping or falling off the edge. Or perhaps you’ve been escorted there because of a downturn in your employer’s business. For whatever reason, you find yourself ready to become an independent creative, or as others call it, a freelancer. Anyone who decides to go out on their own surely has the hope of creating cutting-edge design, winning awards and acclaim, maybe even turning the design world on it’s collective ear with a whole new level of creative expression. However, inspiration and talent will only take you so far. You’re setting up a business, not just doing great creative work, so it’s critical that you spend a lot of time thinking about your long-term goals, as you move forward into the adventure of freelance design.

RDQLUS New Identity Work: CONCEPTORQUE

2009-03-20T07:41:00.000-07:00

A brilliant young thinker and "Friend of RDQLUS" approached me to fashion an identity in line with his upcoming endeavor. Jon Husted is one of the most open-minded and talented young thinkers I've ever met. Superbly talented as a writer, photographer, and burgeoning creative director, Jon is a "techie" with a mind for all things new and pension for all things classic.

With 'CONCEPTORQUE' he will put this wealth of talent and skill to work, so I wanted to give him a look that was a bit 50's sci-fi but not so much that it was dated and not relevant now and in years to come as his project grows. The mark represents a new take on old motifs of putting in work and reaching that "aha!" moment went an idea comes to the point of action.

It's a little hush right now, but keep an eye out for this one. He's destined to blowup.

'Masterworks'?! Yep, That Sounds RDQLUS!

2009-03-10T09:20:00.000-07:00

A few months back, I was thrilled to hear that RDQLUS would have work featured in the upcoming annual LogoLounge 5. For any identity designer, getting a spot in such a well known compilation is a good feeling. Like it or hate it, at least they recognized it. So as I'm checking my email I just about trashed a notice from LogoLounge… I mistakenly thought it to be an old email popping up. Luckily I gave it one more read...

RDQLUS is to have two logos featured in the new "Masterworks" series developed by LogoLounge. The first iteration of the series is to be deemed "Initials & Crests". The first logo to be featured is a joint effort designed with talented designer and all-around awesome-dude, Travis Bellinghausen, currently creative lead at Corporate3 Design in Omaha, NE. The design, the "VNDK8 Grandroyal Crest", was one of the featured marks for our apparel & style brand 'VNDK8 Freestyle' (which is making a return this summer… stay tuned). Travis & I had a lot of fun bouncing this crest back and forth on what started as just a t-shirt design.

The next RDQLUS logo to get the call up to the 'Masterworks' is the mark for "Back Roads & Beaches", an outdoor recreation initiative organized by the Lorain County Visitors Bureau of Lorain Co., Ohio. Lorain Co. plays host to amazing outdoor rec activities and their big draw is the fact that in the square mileage of this one county, bordering the south shore of Lake Erie, there is beaches, road bike and cross-country mountain bike trails and plentiful opportunity for nature walks/hiking/climbing.

Thanks to LogoLounge for the inclusion, and really, thanks to all of my clients past, present and future who think getting a little RDQLUS ain't such a bad thing.

Steve G.
RDQLUS

Take That to the Banksy

2009-02-27T13:08:00.000-08:00

With all the recent hubbub surrounding the AP & Shepard Fairey's Obama image, it got me to thinking back about one of my favorite street artists. Now I know we all have certain stances on graffiti and tagging (and some of us even know the damn difference). We know of the legal kind of commissioned art and the illegal kind of thief-in-the-night vandalism. If you don't go read up. But that's not what this is about. Shepard Fairey rose to public prominence as everyone and their mom started to don the image of entertainment wrestling legend, Andre the Giant under the moniker of OBEY. That was supposedly carrying the commentary about this famous man whose life was all about being made to obey in old circus side-show freak fashion. But not many even know that. One of my faves is "Banksy".

Now this isn't passing judgment on the commentary of Shepard Fairey's work. Nor is it saying that Bansky hasn't pulled some crap things in the name of so-called "art" or "cause". The whole subject just brought to mind someone that I thought did an amazing job of using the environment to tell a story using things and situations that are pre-existing.

For instance below, the story is so clear and even sarcastically humorous. Graffiti of a power-washer removing cave drawings of the first ever form of graffiti artists. A vandal making art showing art being removed from a cave in a time where ownership was a fuzzy term and vandalism existed in different terms. Wow. To me, as an artist, that's powerful commentary. Love it or hate it, it makes you go "Hmmmm".

Google "Banksy" to see more work and read more info. There is plenty of art and commentary out there about it.

Peaces, my babies.
Steve G.

Cer-Té'nly a Nice Project.

2009-02-19T11:39:00.000-08:00

Well it has been a little bit since my last post, but trust I've missed you. So I'm back at you with some goodness!

Once again, I had the good fortune of collaborating with my dear friend, the most awesome Rebecca Leigh Brian, and her bi-coastal studio Tribecca Designs. This go round, Tribecca's long-standing client was a fantastic caterer and boutique cafe by the name of Cer Té. Having made a name in catering their current storefront location was an energetic mix of catering, walk-in sack-lunch'ers and sit-down diners. The back dining area seems miles away from the bustling street not but a few steps away. So as you sit and sip an espresso and look over your menu, you're happily greeted by warm, friendly staff and you really are transported to another place right in the middle of the Big City. Can you tell I've been there and I LOVE it?!

I was commissioned to work on a series of drawings that would then be made into poster art that would hang in the dining area of their storefront location on West 55th in Manhattan, NYC. Naturally, I jumped at the chance, creating loosely styled "art nuveau" drawings that would soon become the posters that would hang in the dining area. The idea was to visually transport the customers to other nondescript places around Europe lending to the ambiance of the dine in experience at Cer Té. The result was a series of (4)-18" x 24" posters and (1)-40" x 32" poster matching the style, color and vibe of the cafe itself.

Thanks to Rebecca L. Brian, Tribecca Designs and the good people at Cer Té for the opportunity to work on such a great project. Drop in and see them if you're in the area, have a mocha and send pictures if you have a chance. ;-)

Cer Té
20 W 55th Street
New York, NY

Tribecca Designs

(Thx Rebecca B.!)

I will update this post when I have some pictures of the posters as they hang in their natural environment. Stay tuned...

Loaded 1.0: Tribute to a Dying Skill/Art Form

2009-01-12T18:12:00.000-08:00

Like most things trendy and erratic with the fickle mistress that is the Web, when the conversation of "2.0" came into play people quickly dumped the skill of designing in and for Flash to hump the no-need-for a web page, skinned, high user-updatability and free hosting space of the blog-styled look, feel and function of Web 2.0 in all it's many facets. But when this happened, as it usually does, major trendy progress has one of two effects: obvious progression of the standard or a a vapor trail of burst bubbles from an overloaded trend humped to death (see dot-com bust of yesteryear).

Flash got a bad wrap because of its own trendy early overuse and further shot holes in the other foot with low content management ability, weak-sauce on search engine optimization, and the over-complicated, superbly cryptic upgrade to Action Script 3. But that doesn't negate the skills that many developed to bend this medium to absolute creative awesomeness. The test of a true Flash designer's skills was the often dreaded and highly necessary 'preloader' that let you know all the tasty goodness was soon to be pouring into your eye sockets and it had the loading progress percentages to prove it.

One site has gathered some of the coolest examples of such preloaders into a killer killer-loop of yum!

PRETTY LOADED

Thanks to Friend of RDQLUS, Daniel Schutzsmith for the link.

RDQLUS Work: Jeni Herberger Creative Concepts

2009-01-07T12:30:00.000-08:00

When colleague and 'bff', Jeni Herberger, asked me to help her with her new identity, needless to say I was honored. Jeni is a nationally-renowned creative consultant and sought-after speaker in creative circles. On top of that, she helms the very successful Seattle-area creative staffing & promotions agency, Big Fish. But when Jeni sought to capitalize on recent successes and market 'herself' as a go-to consultant for creative direction and logistics, that's when I got the call. With a full workup from her signature mark to a full brand color palette, typeface selections and stationery to get started, this project left her ready to promote and market herself in a way that she felt confident in doing so. That's a big endorsement coming from one who's identity is not some storefront, but actually her own self, face-to-face with audiences and clients.

There will be much more on the entire process in the next "Now Ur Just Being RDQLUS" e-newletter.

RDQLUS'ly GLOURIOUS!

2009-01-07T11:02:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year… Amazing… Enough said… We'll speak no more of this.

4 Inches of Pure Madness! Pt. 2

2008-12-20T01:01:00.000-08:00

So to bring it back with an amazing update from Seattle, I was to a meeting with my dear friend Jeni Herberger and as we crept thru traffic we came upon a harrowing sight. That's all I'll say for the lead-in. Peep the pics and read the story after the jump. This really happened and my pics are un-doctored and real!

Approaching something strange looking… is THAT a…

Yep! it sure is. not one but…

TWO! TWO busses near plunging onto the 5 freeway!

Full story in the Seattle Times

4 Inches of Pure Madness! Pt. 1

2008-12-20T00:45:00.000-08:00

It only takes a glance at my profile to know that I'm a Midwest cat and the Mid is known for a few things, perhaps most notorious is our very erratic weather. Tornado-laden springs, scorching summers and winters straight out of a action adventure set in the Arctic. So when I see weather patterns hit other cities, I love to gauge the reaction of he place on the whole.

Enter Seattle, Washington…

Now I had a lot to say but as I got to writing this I didn't want the good peeps of SeaTown to think I was just hating out their burg. So I will just say that I played witness to some of the most bizarre reactions to a 4" snow. As i talked to more and more people I came to empathize with Seattle-ites about the plight of the current climate challenge. But fully understand it, mah, that's not going to happen.

Seattle I dig you, but you can't get mad if I chuckle just a bit, can you?

To be continued…

RDQLUS Holiday Fun '09

2008-12-15T15:43:00.000-08:00

My wonderful wife has an affinity for snowmen around the holiday time, so after Thanksgiving a fleet of crafty snowmen take up positions around my place. I often tip them over or play around with them until she gets livid with me… then I do it once more for effect. Well i got to thinking, my longstanding battle with the little snow dudes brings me some laughs so I'd share it with others for the holidays.

RDQLUS Gets a Bit Sketchy.

2008-12-05T11:49:00.000-08:00

Here are a few sketches for an upcoming project that will be very cool and an amazing opportunity. I'll let that cat out of the bag next week with the "after" pics of these all fleshed out.

They Will Swing On You!

2008-12-05T11:07:00.000-08:00

Patting myself squarely on the back, I have a very keen ear for good sounds. Born and raised on the good, underground-style hip hop from the originals, shaped and molded as a rave and concert Jungle/Drum-n-Bass DJ with an affinity for Björk and Enya, my eclectic musical tastes and aural facinations are well documented. They have lead me to a relatively new group and they have quickly cemented themselves in my musical heart. Swing the way of PENDULUM. They are new to the states with their sophomore release 'In Silico', but they are established musicians from Oz.

This sonic barrage is like stepping into your own sci-fi movie soundtrack. Cue the flying cars and sweet tailored leather jackets. Bladerunner should be rescored to THIS! With an unapologetic, hard-driving sound they come at you in a full frontal assault that seems reckless until you find that they are getting through your defenses. They have a well-rooted sound that is 75% Drum-n-Bass with 25% ol'fashioned rock. Imagine that the Prodigy was haning out in the studio with your favorite hair-band while the Chemical Bros. tinkering on some beats, Trent Reznor whispering in everyones ears, and Kasabian and Linkin Park are chilling on the couch chiming into the convo… There you have it: PENDULUM.

Not since KASABIAN's "Leadfoot" have I fallen head-over-heels with a band's unique take on sound. Okay, at least until I cool out to Enya's Christmas CD.

Peaces,
Steve G aka RDQLUS

Stop the Violence.

2008-11-26T01:15:00.000-08:00

During this week when we are planning to celebrate "Thanks" and the very thought of being thankful, there is a bit of irony in the timing. Violence is an act that runs exactly perpendicular to being thankful.

Washington DC journalist and contibutor to Change.org, Jen Nedeau, wrote an important article full of links and informatiion about the dark subject and what can be done to stem the tide of gender-targeted violence.

International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women

RDQLUS Featured Work: ACO '08-'09 Season Brochure

2008-11-13T23:59:00.001-08:00

I love to collaborate with other amazing fellow creatives & studios on some really great projects. As a matter of fact, it's one of the mainstays of how I operate and work. Enter Tribecca Designs out of the New York City area, and my good friend Rebecca Leigh Brian. RDQLUS got the call to take the reigns on very cool project; The 2008-09 season brochure for the American Composers Orchestra out of New York City, NY.

The ACO is an innovative orchestra that features young up and coming composers who have created new works that push the often staunch boundaries of typical Classical music. Their main program theme is "Orchestra Underground", setting a definite mood right away. Visuals, new instrumentation and genre-bending compositions are the norm for this leading-edge orchestra. With their main venue being the famed Carnegie Hall in New York, they also play venues in Philadelphia.

The challenge of the brochure design was to bring a wealth of information regarding the season together with a freestyle, unhinged graphical look that was as loud and challenging as the orchestra itself might be. A standout piece that needed to be highly functional. After all—on both counts—it is NYC. to top it all off, not only did the piece need to stand alone, but it had to fit postal regulations as a direct mail piece also. In the end, it couldn't look like a brochure for a stodgy symphony orchestra company. The contrast of very warm, deep color and sharp, citrus highlight tones gives the feel of a traditional night of cultured music with the surprise and excitement of something fresh and new.

As of this posting, the piece was a huge success being well-received with patrons making for a very happy end-client, a great collaboration with a respected colleague for fine studio and a piece that all involved are very proud of.

My thanks and respect to Rebecca Leigh Brian and Tribecca Designs.

RDQLUS Humpday Hilarity

2008-11-12T14:56:00.000-08:00

Enjoy this clip from the absurdist comedy "Coffee & Cigarettes" (2003)

Mad funny quotables:
"He specializes in alternative medicines… that is, alternative to this PLANET!"

"You're Bill 'Groundhog Day, Ghostbustin'-ass' Murray!"

Coffee & Cigarettes (2003)
dir: Jim Jarmusch

The RDQLUS Drop: 88-Keys

2008-11-11T11:52:00.000-08:00

This cat is ridiculously talented and and complete breath of fresh air! Harlem MC/Producer is on some madness! imagine a less self-agrandizing Kanye West + the art of story-telling sensabilities like Outkast + old school vibes of A Tribe Called Quest. He writes, spins, produces and sings in that fun André3000 sort of way. Dude is a street Renaissence Man, with mad style and a breakout humor that allows him to transcend.

His latest release that I stumbled upon is "Death of Adam"; a particularly skillful exibition of lyricism and production. But there's something special here—the cat can tell a hell of a story. No, you're not hearing me… The whole disc is a storyline following the troubles of a man weaving thru the landscpe of relationships and troubles.

Peep and then cop… sleep if you want, but I wouldn't!

Pick Up the Spare.

2008-11-11T09:51:00.000-08:00

With the events of a week ago now done, it's time to get back to the creative rantings and style ravings, the RDQLUS way, shall we?

I'm a noted accessories junkie, so I cruise and paruse in search of all things tasty, even if lacking refinement and high-class snobiety, though I'm all good with that too.

So I found this oh so money belt on UNCRATE! It's made of intertubing, yes—real rubber tubing from a bike. I'm all for crazy fun, unique things that don't have to look mad stupid to get attention. Peep the flavor of this subtly unique item.

Spare Tire Belt @ UNCRATE

-story courtesy of UNCRATE.com-

This Moment of Clarity…

2008-11-04T08:44:00.001-08:00

So we've come to it. The day has come for all of the ads to stop and the votes to be cast. We will all breathe a collective sigh of relief as we lay down our choices and walk away with clear hearts and resolved minds. For some this history-making moment is bigger than anything we've seen.

Some know of my younger days growing up in almost stereotypical scenarios for a young Black male in the U.S. But striving to succeed in life and exceed expectations was always the mantra of the day for my mama. There wasn't a day that past that she didn't press hard on me to do better, not as some false hope and fairy wishes, but truly because she knew I could truly do somethign better. So I strived to make her proud even when I didn't quite know the outcome myself. But then it became a survival tactic. Trust me with all the things I've seen and been thru it was more of a running "stride" as my mother's belief in better for me became my own life-sustaining call to action. "RUN!", she would tell me, "Play this game and win!" So That's what I've done to this point and will always do.

This is where I come from… my old housing project in North Omaha, NE

But I bet my mother never thought she'd see it; A day like today.She's a woman of faith so belief in things unseen is what she has but with her own eyes, a child of the 50s & 60s, I bet she never thought the day would come when there is a good example of hope.

This is where I'm headed… around the corner from my polling place as I walk to vote.

Well Ma', here I am. At my polling place ready to at the very least have my voice be heard. Your own young Black man, about to cast a vote for one of my own who has a real chance at being the President of the United States of America. I'm crying while I write this because win or lose, I can't believe it myself. I don't care about politics. I care about life and hope and dreaming of things we want but feel we cannot reach. Well, reach people. REACH! You might just get your hands on something good.

He's Baaaaaack!

2008-10-27T13:35:00.000-07:00

Apparently there is rumors of music on the wind coming from Bed-Sty, BKLYN… Peep and be so excited… The Mighty Mos is coming!

Sincerity Looks Like This…

2008-10-27T12:29:00.000-07:00

My friend—and I am VERY proud to call him that—Dave Nelson of Secret Penguin took the time to record this and make a micro-stite of it. Now I dont care what your views are, this is the face of a sincere man. An honest man. A good man. How many of us would have taken the time or had the guts to do such a thing. Some of us won't even vote let alone record a pointed and informed video, make a site or eve profess your faith in anything at all.

Why I Am Voting For Obama

My hat off to Dave. I respect and admire you sir.

Your friend,
Steve G./RDLQUS

You'll Be a Hit at the Party Tonight!

2008-10-24T12:49:00.000-07:00

Check out this vid with amazing and very cool facts and then go stun your pals with your big brain trivia smarts!

(This is a temporary replacement video until I can relocate the much sexier-styled version previously here. The info is the same.)
Amazing facts to marvel at and think hard about.

(The link is courtesy of my very cool and amazing pal Nancy U. out of Sea-Town! Shouts out to you kid for the Friday love!)

Is Pepsi Sniffin' Coke?

2008-10-24T10:34:00.000-07:00

Hmmm… how to start this? "Dear Pepsi…"

I'm not a big soda drinker now but was in the past. Besides it's always cool to check the lens-flared, faux-moistured, drop shadowy goodness that is the visuals of the drink industry on the whole. No sarcasm. It's the only place you can get away with a lot of graphic design no-no(s) and have it work.

Ahhh but Pepsi. The new logo… Why run your old—but albeit, tried and true—logo thru a simple fish-eyed lens excersize? here's the equation: Logo + Photoshop spherize = new logo. Yeah… not so much. And then why make the other sub-brands suffer the same fate. That's like punishing me for what my parents did. Not my fault, yo!

Honestly, I like the Sierra Mist can. That's really dope. But to spread the new (& very weak attempt at minimalism) Pepsi branding across the entire drink platform is a mistake! C'mon, who's really gonna DO the DEW now. That is not "EXTREME", to quote the chodes from 'Harold & Kumar'

Have a look and have an opinion. This is a good Friday "beer30" banter topic, especially if you have a student or intern. It's not right or wrong, but everyone will have an opinion for the discussion.

"What Is Pepsi Thinking" @ TheDieline.com
--
(courtesy of TheDieline.com & Twitter 're-tweets')

Laughing My "Cool Kid" A$$ Off!

2008-10-21T20:20:00.000-07:00

Speaking of poking fun at one's own self (see earlier post "Beethoven"), I found this hilarious video cartoon lampooning current trends in anti-cool coolness. Peep and laugh… at yourself. I know I did!

Hipsters In Space!

Melty Goodness

2008-10-21T19:42:00.000-07:00

Design Meltdown has long been a good site for trend spotting and plotting when it comes to the web tubes. There is a long list of site examples and techniques based on even the smallest site details, from site color to visual style.

Give it spin, see what you can dig up. A great tool to have in your arsenal when starting a site or any design project.

Design Meltdown

From L.A. to the Beethoven

2008-10-21T19:12:00.000-07:00

I can't see myself rocking these but I love things that poke humor at themselves and the glamourized lifestyle of the big ballers out there. Now trust, I grew up street-level and have an affinity for hot sneakers, good beats in my trunk and my Jesus-piece & chain… but I never did go in for the heavy diamonds or platinum status. I'm a stainless-steel guy myself. So these silly baubles, from the AMBUSH line fronted by MC Verbal of the Teriyaki Boyz slay me!

AMBUSH Beethoven Pendants

The internationally-known music crew Teriyaki Boyz are known perhaps as much for their wild-out hip-hop-via-Harajuku style fashion sense as their music. Fronted by the ethereal recluse and street stylisto, Nigo—the man behind the A Bathing Ape/BAPE empire—have been at the center of the influx of Japanese street fashion flooding into the States the last number of years.

Notable street fashion cohorts of the T-Boyz are Kanye West, super-producer Pharrell Williams of the Neptunes & N.E.R.D., and more recently underground hip hop brainiac Lupe Fiasco.

(Full story & image: hypebeast.com)

RDQLUS Style: Rock'em Like it's '88!

2008-10-21T11:07:00.000-07:00

I don't really have many vices or obsessions so I consider myself fairly well-balanced although a bit out-there at times. But for those who know me, they know of my sneaker collection. if the ladies can spend insane amounts on one single pair of Choo(s) or Monolo(s), then leave me to my high-end collectables.

The newest additions are a classic pack of rare finds brought together for a killer combo. Behold, the Jordan III/XX combo pack.

There are nice… And I mean NICE! The III(s) alone are quite exquisite from my Jr high days before I was able to actually rock a pair. So between those & my mohawk, to quote the 'Cool Kids', "do the wop, do the smurf, baseball bat/rooftop like I'm bringin' '88 back!"

More sneaker shenanigans: The RDQLUS Collection (… and yes I rock them like dress shoes with suits, ties, slack and all. ha ha)

On the realness though, having something you love and are passionate about makes life all the better. Find something and dig into it; music, sneakers, style, gourmet coffees, duct tape wallets… who cares. You'd be surprised how the most trivial and silliest of things can lift the spirits or help you calm the mind from the fear-fest that is piped into the information stores of our everyday lives.

Ya' boy,
Steve G. aka RDQLUS

Knee-Deep in the Sh*t?! Was "Joe The Plummer" frontin'?

2008-10-16T13:23:00.000-07:00

Okay, I stay of the politics around this way because that's your own business. Just make sure you take your arses out and lay down a vote. That being said… here… we… GO:

Seems as if "Joe the Plummer", who brazenly shot himself to the forefront by fronting on Sen. Obama, and who was so lovingly embraced last night in the final presidential debate seems to have been frontin' on more than just Obama. Note to all, have your sh*t together before you start feeling froggy & go jumping into the pond!

Read the complete story linked to the New York Times, below.

Awww Sh*t, Joe! Right in the Pooh Now…

(credits: story - New York Times, & thanks to Jeff Fisher for calling it to my RDQLUS attention)

RDQLUS'ly Random: Pixel-level in the Big Picture

2008-10-13T15:44:00.000-07:00

Since I’ve been working out the new identity for RDQLUS, I’ve been defining a few new modes of operation and how I go about my work. I’ve been tossing around the idea that to see the all-too cliché ‘big picture’, we often over-shoot the mark and head straight for oatmeal-bland Acceptance Land. In our efforts to become more PC or acceptable on a wider range, we often ignore the fact that culturally we ARE different. As a part of our larger idealistic cultures, we exist—day-to-daily—in spheres of subculture. If the big picture is our mainstream culture, then the smaller, more pointed, more personal 'pixels' in that big picture are our each and every subculture. Subculture is our base station in the larger landscape of life. It’s how and where we define homebase for our expeditions out into the bigger world.

We are all a part of a subculture, maybe even a few of them. If we (especially independent/freelance creatives) design for the subculture links within our clients we stand a better chance of helping them find their place in the bigger picture in a way that breeds success, has lasting effect and adapts to changing needs more organically. The work is defined by path, not niche. Not as “small corner in a big house” but more a interconnected “key-to-lock” --> “lock-to-door” --> “door-to-big-house” lineage. Using subculture as a basis for tapping into clients needs and wants will often get us a step past

I don’t know if this is making any sense but in all the reading and articles I’ve seen, it’s always mentioned as “niche markets” and not so much subculture. As a hip hop-BMX-sneakerhead-fashionisto-style junkie, I know a little bit about how directing a message at a subculture vs. a niche market works better because the market aspect dies with dollars & cents at the end of the day, but subculture resides with us at all times in life.

This thinking easily attached to daily creative work and brings me all the way around full circle to my own personal design motto that “Functional Art Works!” meaning it has a particular and pointed job to to while looking good. So if our art has to be pointed, the overall approach should be as well. Cars don’t go without engines, but they sure as hell don’t roll without wheels! The grand idea of a vehicle is great but the particulars (the tiny “subcultures”) make it move. The grand scheme means nothing without the smaller groups.

RDQLUS Writing Featured @ AIGA National

2008-10-08T18:14:00.000-07:00

A few months back I was contacted by my friend—renowned designer Petrula Vrontikis of the LA-based Vrontikis Design Office—to contribute to a new section in the 'Inspiration' area of AIGA's national site. It was my honor to contribute and share virtual ink space with so many respected and smart people. Well my essay has gone live and I'm excited to share it with you.

Don't Waste Time

Published under 'Mentoring Essays' the collection of writings, stories, advice and musings is named 'Reflections, Rewards, Regrets', featuring (12) essays from creatives from all over the country, telling thoughtful and helpful stories based on experiences in the creative & communucation arts career paths.

Have a read, as they are all very good essays comprising a fantastic article. Kudos and props to Petrula V. who curated & edited such a great project. (thanks, dearest!)

-
Steve G.

Who's Blockin' Jimmy?!

2008-10-03T12:55:00.000-07:00

To continue the wreckles barrage of commercial hilarity, this is a gem from a bit ago. Keep an eye out for the girl in the kitchen with the most awesome t-shirt just about ever! Keep it smooth Jimmy.

Get Your "Swagger" Up!

2008-10-03T07:48:00.001-07:00

Aw man, I'm a sucker for cheeky humor and pokin' a little fun at one's own self. Old Spice, who's been around for decades and had to over come an image something close to English Leather (everyone's dad had a bottle of the English!) has done some fn reinvention of the brand image.

It starte with the perfection that was the Bruce Campbell commercial and rolled from there. The new Swagger ads that have been running are flat out hilarious. My fave being LL Cool J… "Now look at me… NICE!"

Happy friday from RDQLUS, go forth and laugh your happy arse off!

Nice!

An honor duEL! (love how he throws the cap! LOL!)

Ice cream… yep!

And of course… The BRUCE!

Peep the painting… that's how he rolls! And, rolls and rolls and rolls!

Crazy Insane & RDQLUS'ly Wonderful!

2008-10-02T14:23:00.000-07:00

Bike messengers are a different breed. If you are one, know one, seen one… you know that I mean. Now I want you to witness the free-wheeling love, in complete free-wheel!

I love NYC something crazy and I grew up racing and riding two-wheeled, pedal-powered pieces of a dream so this is a perfect marriage of the two. My guy Shane B. aka "Dunks" put me onto this and I haven't stopped watching it since. I even take a peek when I just need to see the city and feel the love again.

Now don't even think about doing this yourself! But marvel at the skill and freedom that you feel from riding along. I don't know who filmed it fromthe helmet-cam, but if you're out there… thanks man! I love this vid.

RDQLUS Gets Wicked "Nice".

2008-09-30T22:38:00.000-07:00

My little sis, Melissa Morris Ivone is getting a lot of wonderful coverage for her fresh and candid blog Operation Nice—a site dedicated to the very basic idea (and ideal) that it is not at all that hard to quite simply be nice.

I wanted to tell Mel that I had been sync'ing with her totally on the idea and wanted to share with her a story of complete nice-a-riffics.

Click thru and read about My Shared Lunch on a rainy NYC day, after the leap.

I highly suggest bookmarking and reading it often. It would be a NICE way to put a sprinkle of good vibe sauce in your life.

Thanks Melissa, and keep up the good works! RDQLUS LOVES YOU!

A RDQLUS Style Haven: ClassicKicks, NYC

2008-09-26T17:41:00.000-07:00

If you know me, you know I'm a 'sneakerhead'. Now careful, Mr. Wingtips… We're talking high style, baby! So I have a few low-key spots on the sneaker underground that I like to get to for artistic inspiration & retail therapy. Sadly , a few of the places even know me by my style preferences and that kicks I buy and I don't even live in these cities! Whoa.

I usually hit New York City a few times a year and when I do there is a standing list of must-do(s) for a quasi-native:
1. grab a slice at Pisa Pizza & a cider at the Gael Pub on the UES, down the block where my childhood peeps now stay
2. cop my unlimited 7-day MetroCard because I gets my transit on, majorly
3. HIT CLASSICKICKS!

Ah yes, and now a return to the Classics

Classickicks, located at… haaaaaa, you actually thought I'd tell you? You can easily find out but have the fun is the search, so NO! What was I saying? Oh, right… On the lower edge of the East Village, down a narrow side street sits Classickicks. Known mostly for the sickest collection of Vans and classic Nikes, this shop has major custom sneaker love on brew like a hot pot. From the moment you step inside, the staff is laid back but helpful and one of the guys always recognizes me and gives love when I bounce thru the door. You know it's an underground spot when you can get any photos of the interior or the staff.

Classickicks often gets rare styles and colors of Vans classics like the Sk8, Chukka and Half Cab, and have recently done a few collaborations with the legendary skate company. Proudly, I personally own the Classickicks x. Vans Chukka.

You can't miss the shop if you find the right path; from the flag haning outside to the blaze red interior and wire-hung displays. Tell'em Steve G. aka RDQLUS sent you. May not work but then again…

Two hard to find things: a bathroom in lower Manhattan & Classickicks! Thanks Crate+Barrel

How RDQLUS is My Desktop?

2008-09-24T15:47:00.001-07:00

I'll tell you how RDQLUS it is! My supa'fresh desktop on my delicious piece of MacBook Pro is straight owning the zone right now… and no, you may not have one… not yet at least. *wink* Here's a little slice.

-- RDQLUS Sounds Like… That Good Hip Hop --

2008-09-24T10:20:00.000-07:00

As you'll come to find, I'm an extreme audiophile. Clean it up! That means I digs the music, music of all types to be exact. But I most assuredly got my start with my music love affair at the house of Hip Hop. Not the silly, fake radio "rap" you hear on radios and MTV. I'm talking about the movement, the sound, the style that spawned an entire sub culture of American life. Rock has "indie", Hip Hop has "underground"

Well, while "diggin' in the crates" (a term meaning searching for good sounds stemming from DJ culture), I came upon great examples of the deepest level of hip hop. Indie and underground MCs and DJs doing thoughtful, thought-provoking, clever music with wordplay on the level of the most lauded poet.

Not to mention, the album art is often very cool. These are some gems, old and new, that I'm rocking at the moment:
De La Soul - Stakes is High (1996)
-classic track: 'Stakes is High'

Black Sheep - A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing (1992)
-classic tracks: 'The Choice Is Yours (Revisited)' & 'Similak Child'

Vast Aire – Dueces Wild (2008)
-hot track: 'T.V. Land'

-- That's Just RDQLUS! -- RDQLUS Work to be Featured in LogoLounge 5

2008-09-23T21:13:00.000-07:00

Well get on down! A bit of RDQLUS work will be feature in the upcoming LogoLounge 5. The lucky piece is an identity mark for VNDK8 Freestyle, a custom street-style & accesories project.

The LogoLounge books, published by Rockport Publishers, have become well sought after sources of inspiration for creatives the world over and a very prestigious honor for those designers & creative whose work gets featured in the book.

I hate to say it but I'm pretty stoked. I'm not really big on contests and such, but this is a very cool thing and I can't front on that.

--
Steve G.

Tuesdays: Weekly Awesomeness in a Velvet Box.

2008-09-23T15:20:00.000-07:00

My vote for most freshdope day of the week = Tuesday!

Truth is this;

Monday comes with way too much pressure. The thought of your weekend ending and hell at work the next day. Nah, keep that noise!

Wednesday has the burden of 'hump day', the weekly equivalent to a mid-life crisis… every damn week! What the hell?

Thursday is just the bastard step child of the weekend because let's face it, it ain't Friday. Marsha, Marsha, Marsha! Sorry Jan, I mean Thursday.

And Friday, I'm already half checked out and it's more part of my weekend than weekdays.

AHHHH BUT TUESDAY. Tuesday is like the lovable slacker of the week. No pressure to be anything but Tuesday. It's post-Monday, pre-Wednesday and too far from the weekend to matter. You just settle in and chill real hard, 'cuz Tuesday's got your back, suckas.

So I spent my tuesaday coolin' out, maxin' at a local coffee shop with the hypest name ever: The Village Grinder, right around 88th & Pacific in the O. Hope yours was as good as mine!

Peaces,
Steve G.

Hello Hello! I'm back my babies!

2008-09-23T13:30:00.000-07:00

Well it has been some time, has it not?!

Lots has gone on this summer and there will be lots mor to tell. I'm sprucing things up a bit so pardon the mess. But then you have your feet on my coffee table so you're not really that concerned then, are you?

The new look is coming along nicely and there will be lots more to come. Like actual posts! I know go figure… blame it on Twitter for taking up my web writing mojo.

Be well kids and come back soon. Thanks for being a little bit RDQLUS!
--
Stevie G.

Chillin' on my Lillypad!

2008-06-20T09:24:00.001-07:00

So it's not a huge deal but it's fun to note that logo/ID inspiration website LogoPond has chosen one of my humble marks to be in their cream-of-the-crop gallery.

LogoPond - get up in here!

Now I'm not big on awards and designing to win something, but I'm human and recognition feels kinda nice. I know, RDQLUS, huh!

PEACES!
Steve G./RDQLUS

Sober up!

2008-06-19T14:04:00.000-07:00

I need to get my act together! Everytime I start off on the path of clean and sober bloggin' I hit a snag or a bump in the road that facilitates my prompt departure from the wagon. Awww dammit!

So what do I do? I saddle up and head to HOW to get my creative but kicked for 4 days and pick up gems from some of the brightest and best, many of whom are Pals of RDQLUS.

Justin Ahrens ("JA RULE-29" as I like to call him), was just one of those pals of RDQLUS that laid down some serious mind sauce, appropriately on the swan-song day of the HOW Conference. Punch the link and go get schooled in the ways of staying sober as a creative and keeping the goodness going.

Justin Ahrens (of Rule29) presents "Designer Sobriety"

You SO suck at Photoshop...

2008-01-25T20:49:00.000-08:00

... at least that's what 'Donnie' says! Okay, so what do you call this? Reality Web? Loosely-scripted Action Internet? The site 'My Damn Channel' is a YouTube type of video site where the users can publish their own content. But this particular channel is a strange and wonderful find. Welcome to the "Big Fat Brain" channel.

This guy 'Donnie' puts up snarky, sarcastic vids but the trick is that you learn in the form of tutorials and tips. So getting a new trick in Photoshop is entertaining because there are crazy commentaries going on in the background. Whatever it is, it's hilarious AND potentially helpful because the the tips are real, although more for the beginner rather than the more pro user. Funny nonetheless.

More vids at 'My Damn Channel'

Thanks to Shawn "The Donut" of AdPulp for the point & click.

-Steve G., get-away driver for RDQ

Huh? What? I must have overslept! Somebody get TED on the line!

2008-01-25T20:04:00.000-08:00

Sorry about the lack of posting my babies. I've been slacking a bit. Busy, chillin', shopping for new kicks... you know the deal. So to wake things back up, I'm posting an amazing find sent to me from my guy Shawn Hartley of Ad Pulp.

The TED Conference is an amazing gathering of speakers rallying around the idea of sharing information that moves modern culture. TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design. It started out (in 1984) as a conference bringing together people from those three worlds. Since then its scope has become ever broader.

The TED site has started to share the video feeds from their speakers of past conferences free for streaming and download. This is an amazing wellspring of insights, information and inspiration.

Here's a vid of Paola Antonelli, design curator for MoMA-New York, speaking about "Treating design as art":

"Talks" @ TED Dot Com
TED Homepage

We've got a Positive ID! Jeff Fisher's "Identity Crisis" Goes Public:

2007-09-29T14:58:00.000-07:00

Friend of RDQ, identity guru and all-around fantastic guy Jeff Fisher is set to school us all, yet again, in the art of identity design. With the official release of his new book "Identity Crisis: 50 Redesigns That Transformed Stale Identities Into Successful Brands" Jeff has compiled amazing examples of redesigned identities that changed the complection of the businesses they belonged to.

Okay, I can't play coy folks... RDQLUS got a little ink in the book so I'm rather pumped to be attached to this wonderful project. Kudos and lots of luck to Jeff!

RDQLUS Happenings: NikeID Winner? Oh Word? Word!

2007-09-27T09:36:00.000-07:00

Okay, so on a whim, fueled by my love of custom sneakers and creativity the like, I cuised on over to Nike's NikeID site to enter their recent Dunk Premium design competition. Literally thousands of people entered (often multiple designs) to try their hand at shoe design and perhaps get some props for the skills.

Well.. Fast forward to this morning when I get an email pop up that the contest is over and they have a sinner. Awww, not me? But hey props to the kid that won grand prize, right? So I'm checking out the page and the hot designs and I notice one that is shockingly similar to mine... but it's not. BUT THE ONE JUST BELOW THAT ONE IS!!!!! WHAT!?

Complete with cheeseball photo that I never thought would see the light of day and my own description of my design, Nike has given a sneakerhead kid like me one of those life dreams come true: I've designed a Nike shoe! Not like I haven't before but this time it's not hanging on my Mama's fridge! Nike likes me, they REALLY like me!

Copy Shop Couture: When you absolutely must go Kinko's style.

2007-09-24T09:36:00.000-07:00

While I know we’d all like to imagine that we have clients with budgetary windfalls and the hands-off approach to business that would allow Creatives to send that 8-color, die-cut, blind embossed, spot varnished project to print… we are often hit with the ever-present truth. Most often we are forced to squeeze all we can out of a small budget that leaves us just enough overhead to make a visit to, you guessed it, The Kinko’s down the block. Sweeeeeeeeet.

So here are a few street-level tips that might help in that process and still allow you to turn out some arse kicking work and remain friends with our copy shop brethren.

Size Does Matter.
The truth is that size in the creative services world results in vast differences in the price of printed materials. Right at the outset, if you know a project is going to have ridiculous budget constraints, take this into account and design for the output means. Why fight the good fight of wide open creativity if you know your are going to lose that battle when you have to turn your files over for production. Design within your means. This can be just as creative an issue as any so show ’em what you’ve got!

The Conversion Rate.
Don’t forget that you are designing for machines that print CMYK by way of toners and in rare occasions, inks. Your Pantone books will become a headache if you work only on the premise that the printed flip-book is gospel! Chose your colors wisely and make sure to convert your colors and working environment to CMYK to get closer to your actual output.

If you can get your hands on a Pantone Process book for the picking and comparison of colors, you’ll be a lot better off. It’s rather frightening how far off some of the colors can be in the conversion.

Stackin’ Paper.
It’s not all about neons and cloud patterns in copy shop papers anymore. There are a respectable number of papers and finishes that can be run through digital copiers to produce very good looking work in the end. House sheet styles will be plentiful. Take your favorite paper sample book along and do a side-by-side comparison. You may not find exact matches but you will be pleasantly surprised at the choices you do have.

Also, very surprisingly, copiers can accept and take a wide range of papers that we all know about. You may be able to test out some sheets if you can get a hold of some samples from your favorite paper rep that you owe a drink or two. Classic Crest is a fave of mine for versatility, while McCoy Silk is an amazing accidental find for really quality high-end looking output. The way the ink lays down on the satin finish gives a spot gloss + dull varnish look. Again creative thought is not all just about the actual art but also the process.

Copier Cats.
Copiers lay toners and inks down on paper using a variety of means and they usually have some type of heat-finish at the output tray end of things. Black and white printers are to be avoided if you can stand it. Even if your work is black and white. The high-traffic usage of these machines causes a very dirty print that is acceptable for document printing but would leave far too many remnants and copy junk on the page. The suggestion is to use the color printer options if available. They cost a bit more but they treat your page with a little more respect than the very workman-type black and white printer/copier would.

Another reason for using the color copier/printer, and referring back to the color issue, rich blacks reduce the mottling and poor coverage that can often come with copier toner. Explore some formulas for a good rich black to use in lieu of a flat (K).

You have every right to test papers and machines. I’ve been to many copy shops that have been more than willing to help you get the output set before starting to charger you for print costs.

The Big Finish.
The finishing options are pretty impressive at most copy shops anymore. From saddle-stitching, scoring, perforation, folding and even some bindery options, there are lots of ways to get the look and the final functionality just right. Ask about what your local area shop offers by way of finishing. This will be a big added benefit to making your work look a lot more sophisticated than what most imagine coming out of a copy shop.

Jimmy Says Clean It Up!
Finally, straight up folks… BE NICE! We creatives have a very strong tendency to be rather snooty and snotty when it comes to the prospect of sending out high-style, high-brow, high-minded work to a copy shop. I’ll be the first to admit it, guilty as charged. But there is a huge benefit in having the turn time, the hands-on overseeing of your work and the 24-hour print option. Make friends with the staff member helping you or even the whole staff if you frequent a certain place. These good folks do work there on the regular. They know their craft and their hardware. They may just have some hidden gems that can make your work look Grey Pupon on a French’s budget. But then that would be making them part of your creative collective network, wouldn’t it? *wink*

The Rededication of RDQLUS...

2007-09-24T09:21:00.001-07:00

So after many posts of frivolous banter and witty commentary on life and times, I wanted to tie this little corner of the interwebs a bit closer into my own thoughts, researching and revelations about life and the specifics of being a Creative. I wanted to share my own takes on things that we all deal with ust to offer a different take and soap-box a little bit.

I came to be a Creative by shear birth and natural leanings toward artistic and creative actions but I came to the art and design world a much different way than most. I'm a Fine Art-trained traditional 4 (or 5, ha ha) year student with a degree and minors to speak of. But the truth of the matter is that I'm a street kid at my core. An urban junglist with the savvy of "hood" smarts and the training of a college education. So as you can imagine the view from my seats is a different angle.

So stay tuned... excuse the mess while I get this thing renovated.

Thanks for all of the support and puffy clouds of love for RDQ.

--Stevie G. aka RDQLUS