color
[image: favela]
they weren’t so bad to begin with, but this rainbow project in rio de janiero by favela makes these apartments downright tasty! thanks ohjoy for the link!
i missed the first post of print magazine’s series on color wheels, but now that the second one is out, i can share both here. look at these amazing retrospectives on color exploration through the ages!
the wonderous color wheel, part 1
the wonderful color wheel, part 2
hopefully we’re staying tuned for more…
if those made you want to put down your stylus and get your hands dirty, take a look at creative activities, from freelance switch and see how alternative forms of creative activities can keep your ideas fresh.
if you need a more conceptual way to do this, consider creative block’s design ideas for when you’re out of ideas for process strategies on the fly.
typography
[image: jim godfrey design]
a poster designed around a compiled list of ways not to set type, by jim godfrey. take a look at the full piece at the showcase post on underconsideration.com
we’ve all seen uses of typography that could have been chosen better, especially when it comes to era-specific visual references. typecasting: the use (and misuse) of period typography in movies, from michael simonson runs through some classic stylistic mismatches with entertaining commentary.
want to make fonts on your ipad by drawing with your fingers? these people are willing enablers in this effort!
design industry
[image: sharpie]
permit me an office supply love minute here, but sharpie is releasing a liquid graphite pencil that goes permanent after a few days. i have a soft spot for pencils [espcially soft lead mechanicals], and while i realize this is not necessarily what the world needs, i am curious to try it. also, how cute is the sharpie blog header graphic?! thanks to how magazine for the link.
in our ongoing adventure to create great things, i think it’s important to remember that design is for everyone. ravi sawhney asserts designers continue to dedicate an overwhelming portion of their attention and energy toward designing for the top 10% in most developed nations. and he’s got a point. read more of what he has to say in designers are still blind to main street, from fastcodesign.com
consider the factors of a design team, and if you’re working alone, perhaps consider which ones are fulfilled by you and which are done by your client: 4 essential members of a great design team, from michael roller
an interesting look at 4 “ugly” web sites that make millions (and what we can learn from them), from kissmetrics. clue: figure out function first and tell your users how to do it.
parlato design studio 
Thanks for linking to my post about design team members. It’s interesting to think about your client serving some of those roles, I didn’t initially consider that when writing the piece. It also made me think that as a single designer or freelancer, you need to fulfill multiple roles, which could be an interesting discussion as to how to do it right.
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The Rio project is gorgeous.
And I have a soft spot for all things Sharpie whether the world needs them or not…you know, now that I think about it, the more doodads They can create that will keep us putting some kind of pen to paper, the better. I’m no Luddite but let us please preserve some of our old tools, they’re beauteous things!
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@michael i see some of these roles being taken by both parties, like the client could come in as the evangelist, but then the designer could also be converted and they could work together on evangelizing energy going forward. when there’s only 2 people or 2 small parties, sometimes these roles are shared, so on my end i like to think about how i can be each one of these forces. but for any business owner, each client is different, so maybe it’s a good idea to find out how many of these roles are fulfilled by the client in a sort of fit-finding process.
@judy, i do love the sharpie pencil idea, i’m totally going to get one and try it out. in terms of the wastes i try to prevent, it is a small thing, and compared to the grand gestures by others, it’s a small thing by comparison.
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