if you’re in the business of design, or art, or culture, or urban living, or just generally going outside, you should really be reading alissa walker, which is getting increasingly harder to do, since she’s writing for so many amazing publications these days. but hey, you can start by simply reading her blog. she just wrote up a workshop she attended at machine project, a fantastically experiential art space in echo park. i often take it for granted because they’re so close and always doing so many great things, i’ve become spoiled. walker points out a feeling i share about why they’re so great: you get to experience the making of art, play and explore, and get involved in the art experience, which is a stark contrast to a view-only gallery experience.
last week i joined in on what will hopefully be a semi-regular event for creative business owners: freelancer frolic! a dog-friendly mental health getaway net-walking hike, where creatives can take a couple hours to recharge, connect with each other and our pets, and get into the beautiful outdoors around los angeles. i actually worked over the weekend to get ahead so i could enjoy this afternoon off.
for the inaugural frolic, we explored eaton canyon in pasadena, home to a cluster of entangling trails that lead up into the angeles crest forest. we took a trail that started along a mostly-dry washout basin, creeping up into the trees, eventually to a very live creek, and finally a waterfall. i’ve been on neighboring trails, but had no idea this oasis was hidden back here, what a nice surprise.
the scenery and exercise was a great setting to get people talking, and that’s just what we did. i know about half the group pretty well, so we were able to get a little more in-depth with what’s new and how our businesses are going. it was really nice to get to know some people i don’t see as much better as well.
once we got up to the falls, we sat down for lunch, topics turned to all our interesting food experiments of late—i love how everyone is trying new things and applying creativity in the kitchen.
freelancer frolic was promoted primarily through kernspiracy [scroll down for the sign-up link] and facebook, stay tuned for the next one!
doyald young talks about and demonstrates drawing type.
typography
[image: seb lester]
take an in-depth look at the creation of this amazing typographic limited-edition poster, and other works by seb lester. outstanding!
remember that design your own type contest by design sponge? it’s time to vote for your favorites! right now, today!
imprint takes a look at sign painters, a new documentary from faythe levine and sam macon on the timeless art of hand-painted signs. so much hand-lettered goodness in there!
speaking of diy projects, have you ever considered making your own wrapping paper? i often use plain brown paper anyway, but this design sponge post made me think i should dress it up a bit. diy project: handmade gift wrap.
[image: thedielinewine.com]
stunning packaging for jeremy wine co. by 6 west design. not only is it dually typographic, it’s a diecut wrap label that uses the negative space to create the letterform. excellent work!
but there are other things you can do besides drink for the holidays [you can always have an apple]. you could participate in machine project’s pop up pie shop in which you may purchase a pie kit and know you’re not only getting a complete kit for baking your thanksgiving pie—you’re also funding the los angeles food bank. why? because machine is awesome!
on the more foodie end of the spectrum, i am loving this salad of fall flavors from hot knives: hot rad winter salad.
if you’ve been hitting up the farmer’s market and creating original concoctions at home, write them up and submit them to epicurious’ farm-fresh recipe contest!
and it’s not that i want to end this post on a dark, gothy note or anything, but i found this feature from los angeles magazine totally fascinating: the end. death in LA can be an odd undertaking. trust me on that one.
i spent the last few weeks working a christmas elf’s schedule, creating holiday cards, thank you cards & gift tags. i think they’re super-cute and thought some of you might as well, so i built a simple store for my site, where you can pick some up: the parlato design studio store! trim your list of holiday-induced malarkey and get ahead of the game by getting your cardstuffs right here!
holiday cards
send holiday festivities to everyone on your list with cards celebrating animals, poinsettias & snow! choose your favorite or go for a variety pack, all are sold in sets of 12. cards are blank inside so you can get creative! all are printed on 100lb uncoated cover stock and come with white A2 vellum-finish envelopes to match.
• woodland animals: 5.5″ x 4″
• retro wonderland: 4″ x 5.5″
• snowflakes & poinsettias: 5.5″ x 4″
• variety pack: 4 of each style [set of 12]
set of 12 cards & envelopes: $8includes shipping
special offer!
* get a free set of 12 gift tags with your holiday card order, now through december 15, 2010.
thank you cards
say a resounding thanks to the people who make your day, week, or year fantastic. sets include 3 cards of each design for a set of 12, blank inside so you can write a personal note. printed on 100lb uncoated cover stock and come with white vellum-finish envelopes to match.
• variety pack: 3 of each style [set of 12], 5″ x 3.5″ with matching envelopes at 5.125″ x 3.625″
set of 12 cards & envelopes: $6includes shipping
gift tags
add flair to your gift wrapping this season, slap a nice gift tag on it! great for co-workers, friends, family & even your sweetheart. some styles coordinate with holiday cards, all are printed on 100lb uncoated cover stock and are small enough to fit any gift.
• variety pack: 5 of each style [set of 30], 3.25″ x 1.25
set of 30 gift tags: $5includes shipping
special offer!
* get a free set of 12 gift tags with your holiday card order, now through december 15, 2010.
another lovely week of november is ahead of us before thanksgiving hits. i’m recovering from an insanely busy week last week, but i’ll still manage to get out. how about you?
wednesday, november 17, 7-10pmtouch on: the evolution of how we work, play & interact FREE, at Royal T. join SapientNitro / AIGA LA for a casual evening of fun and interactive digital goodness, free and tasty libations, and chatting up fellow digital creative geeks.
other events for this week
tuesday, november 16, 7-10pmmotionLA meetup. Join Digital Media Artist Los Angeles every third tuesday of the month for Motion LA Meetup. Learn about tutorials, Blind Studios, and demo reels. Digital Media Artists Los Angeles (DMA/LA) is an association for professionals creating imagery for video, film, and other media using desktop tools. Hosted by Ko Maruyama, Organizer of MotionLA.
wednesday, november 17, 7-10pmstimulatté: coffee and conversation FREE! StimuLatté is a monthly social gathering for Los Angeles area design students providing an opportunity to network and create new connections. Come out to Aroma Tea & Coffee and start making creative connections through coffee & conversation.
bring up crowd-sourcing in a design community, and you’re sure to get an uproar of protest against it. bring it up with fledgling small businesses, and it’s seen as a cost-effective alternative to professional design services by many, though i wouldn’t say there’s a majority opinion. i think it’s important to address this topic beyond the design arena, and i think heller took great care in pointing out the you-get-what-you-pay-for facts.
if you really believe you need a logo before a brand strategy, and you’re willing to sacrifice the process that might make it meaningful to your business, by all means, hire yourself as art director and crowd-source away. here’s a tip though: some very successful businesses out there got started with a small client base, getting recommendations on the merits of their work before they ever had logos. put your work first, use the materials you can afford at startup, and make identity design a savings goal. there’s no need to rush, gaining all the setbacks that rushed behavior brings in the process.
we’ve changed our clocks and the official word is: it’s dark! but in the morning, it’s also light, bright & sometimes rainy, which is a lovely thing for the LA landscape. hope you have a fantastic week!
tuesday, november 9, 5:30-7:30pmthe valley networking mixer, autumn edition FREE! & a fun mix of people at a nice tapas bar in studio city. come meet my lovely friend, lelah baker-rabe, who hosts this biznik mixer, and add yourself to the great crowd she’s attracted.
saturday, november 13, 11:30am-2:30pmthe new downtown lapd headquarters: architectural talk Free for SAH/SCC Members; $20 for non-member guests. join SAH/SCC on a tour of this new leed-certified gold project for sustainability.
What promises are you (or your client) making that you know you’ll probably break? The best way to figure that out is to get to the heart of why, exactly, you’re even building this website in the first place. It seems like a simple question, doesn’t it? But you’d be amazed to know just how often web projects reach significant milestones only to fail to launch because it hasn’t been asked—or answered—by the people involved.
parlato design studio 