A Gold Medal Win: the Vancouver 2010 Campaign via Fuel Your Creativity

2010 Vancouver Olympics Medals via Design Boom

Meet The 2010 Vancouver Olympic Mascots via Bitrebels

Cannon Design: Richmond Olympic Oval via Design Boom

Vancouver 2010 Advertising by Vanoc via Design You Trust

Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics Victory Ceremony Podiums via Core77

The Facebook Page for Design Something has been running now for a few months now and has now grown to over a 150 members! I want to thank everyone who has become a fan of the page, I encourage you to pass on the page to all of your friends so we can soon hit 200 members! The facebook is the place to go for all the updates regarding Design Something, and is an open forum for any thoughts and feelings you have regarding the blog. Here at Design Something we would love to hear your thoughts!

I hope you’ll consider checking out the page if you haven’t already, and joining the numbers of people who have already joined!

Shameless Self Promotion!

As long as I’m on the self promotion bandwagon, here are some other ways you can stay connected…

My Twitter

RSS Feed

Flickr Group

Other News

Keep your eyes peeled over at Design Juices for the official launch!

In the design community we are a different bunch of people and interesting eclectic mix of personalities. I wanted to see what the design community thought of being their New Years Resolutions, whether design related or otherwise. I want to say a big thank you to those people who responded to my messages and I look forward to any responses made in the comments below!

You may be interested in the following related articles as well:

What are Designers Thankful for this Thanksgiving?

My New Year Resolution for 2010 is …

bkmacdaddy: Web and graphic designer

I resolved many years ago to not make new year’s resolutions but instead to strive to continually improve, grow, learn and give.

crflores84: A rising designer trying to find my footing

I’d love to see the widespread popularity of minimalism with the simultaneous death of clutter and disorganization.

FredzGraphics: Freelance artsy dude

I haven’t given it much thought to be honest but I guess it would be to either take some courses or go to school to learn graphic design. =)

designthatrocks: Creative Director for Design That Rocks

My design resolution for this year is to do more creative/inspiring things in my life. This year was thin on concerts and events, which greatly inspire me to be and think more creatively, so this year I am going to attend more shows and events!

McConnellDesign: Web, print, brand design studio

Our design resolution this year will be expanding our blog audience and client base through awesome posts and great design!

gaksdesigns: Freelance Graphic Designer, Illustrator

My new years resolution for 2010 would be, to put out more personal work, better management of my time and to finally get my site/sites up and running.

sarahspooner1: Trainee designer, interested in logo design, illustration and digital art.

My design new years resolution will be to create my own website so that all my work is in one place.

mistygirlph: Graphics/avatar design, blogger.

To be able to make more designs and try to influence more people to bring out their creativity in a medium that they love

kalstudio: Designer. design & architecture affectionado.

To learn a new design app or something related; to schedule some time each week to draw or sew.

trudesign: Graphic, logo, web designer from VA(NY).

2010 will be an iconic year. More color, more design, more awesome than ever before. Take my skills to the next level. I resolve to develop my color use, continue to learn and hone my design skills, and increase my involvement in the community at large.

designshard: Lover of Typography, Web Design, CSS, XHTML , Illustration, Rock Music.

Try to make the best designs out of the the worst possible assets and not settle for anything less.

noellebydesign: Long time Graphic Designer/Visual Artist.

hhhmmm…. design resolutions? To continue acquiring knowledge and transitioning my Graphic Design degree into Interior Design.

francoispham: French graphic designer and illustrator. Games, music, manga, football, cinema, photos and drawing. PC user for now.

For 2010, I would like to experiment new ways about webdesign. I want to finish the next blog about stories and illustrations to, aswell as draw, draw, draw.

robertoblake: Ever since I was young I always knew I wanted to become a visual artist. Learning about Photoshop put me on the path to achieving that dream.

I think getting featured in more publications is one of my resolutions, and finding a cause I can put my designs behind would be the other.

mathewballard: Graphic designer, amateur photographer & random person.

That one is easy. To get my new website launched and get more freelance gigs then I did for 2009. Also, to become a stronger programmer.

nymphont: Dweeb. font geek. freelance designer. single mommie.

Personally my new years resolution for design is to start using my domain (nymphont.com) and to stop procrastinating on design projects.

myinkblog: I am a designer, blogger, twitter’er, wordpress’er, silverstripe advocate, blessed father and husband.

Improve the usability of the sites that I create and write better code.

GraceSmith: A 26 year old Freelance Web and Graphic Designer in ♥ with web standards and social media. An unashamed Apple Fangirl.

As a designer it would be to spend more time creating and developing my own projects and work with a wider range of talented designers and developers. Outside of design, I would like to focus on becoming a better photographer, as this summer I bought my first DSLR – a Canon 350D. I want to keep progressing and learning in all aspects of photography as it’s something I have developed a real passion for.

Visit Karen McDade’s Website Here

Find her DeviantART Profile Here

Follow Karen McDade On Twitter

You may be interested in the following Interviews and related articles as well:

Interview With Creator of Nymphont!

Interview With Creator of FudgeGraphics!

Recently i got the chance to exchange a few messages with Karen Mcdade and I hope you enjoy her responses, please don’t forget to comment at the bottom of this article.

1. What did you study at university/college and was there a specific reason you chose to study these areas?
I studied Communications Science and English as majors, as well as Philosophy and Psychology as minors at the University of South Africa. I was also fortunate enough to get a scholarship to study Communication Science and Philosophy at Charles University in Prague. My initial interest was in the advertising aspect of Communication Science and that slowly migrated to more of the design aspect of advertising. I now work exclusively in the graphic arts field. I had been learning to use Photoshop even before I started studying and for the most part, I’m an entirely self-taught graphic designer.

2. You have a great educational background and nine years of design experience behind you, has there been a situation in your learning (and working) which has made you step back and think this is something which I am going to remember for the rest of my life?
I remember being so excited the first time I saw one of my designs published in an established graphic arts magazine. That would be a moment I remember fondly.

3. Is there a particular piece of work or group of design works, which really made you, think id love to do what that person can do?
I occasionally see amazing art where I think to myself, “wow, I wish I had thought of that”. I try not to get too focused on any particular artist or style of art as I want to try focus on developing my own style. I think it’s important for artists to try hone their own artistic form so they can distinguish themselves from the masses of other designers out there.

4. You cite Deviantart as your favorite online community to showcase your work, what makes Deviantart stand out the most for you?
I like the ease of communicating with other artists in DeviantART and it’s a great platform for getting honest feedback about your work. The community is very engaging, much more so than some other portfolio sites out there.

5. What has been the worst experience in the design industry for you?
Not getting paid! lol, I’m a freelancer – it happens. I’ve also had my art ripped off and sold without my consent. Luckily neither of these two happens too often. I’ve also had my share of difficult clients and times where I’ve had creative blocks but that comes with the territory, so I can’t complain.

6. You have also had the privilege to work with big name companies such as National Geographic and the Discovery Channel. How did these great jobs come about? Did you have one, which you think has been the most beneficial for you?
I get a lot of work through my website and one day I got an email from my site asking if I was interested in doing this kind of work. Having well-known brands can go along way to establishing your credibility as a designer, and especially as a freelancer. It’s good work if you can get it

7. What software/hardware do you use the most as a designer and do you have a particular favorite, which can find you spend hours on end working with?
I use the standard Adobe packages, most notably Photoshop, InDesign and Illustrator. My hardware set up consists of an iMac connected to a MacBook Pro and a Cintiq. I can spend hours doodling around in Photoshop on the Cintiq – it’s such a natural and intuitive tool for creating designs.

8. Do you think you can ever truly switch off as a designer, or do you find yourself thinking of the next idea all the time?
Hmmm…. well I think it’s good if you can switch off as a designer and give your brain a break. Whether that actually happens or not is another story. I can be arbitrarily standing in a queue in a shopping centre, staring at magazine covers – not necessarily reading the text, but trying to suss out how well the retoucher managed to retain the textures on the models skin. I also carry a small cybershot camera around with me in case I spot a great texture somewhere, or see a clever design I want to remember. That said, I think it’s good if you have other interests and hobbies. Diversifying yourself can only make you a more original artist.

9. Which people in the social media community (such as twitter) do you find the most useful and great points of reference when in need of inspiration or to source an opinion from?
I have lots of great contacts on Twitter who are full of useful information. A few of my favorites are @robertoblake @Designely @DavidCousens @JThompsondesign @designblend @FeryKloucek @TipSquirrel @Minervity @An1ken and @designthatrocks… I can go on, but we’ll be here all day.

10. If you had no clients to please and no work in your to-do pile, what would you do with all that free time?
I would work anyway. I like working. I would do free designs for charities and small start-ups that need corporate ID’s but couldn’t really afford it. I would also create cool-looking graphics for my fiancé – he’s a programmer and creates awesome games in his spare time. His latest project is an open source online MMO-style pseudo-hacking game ([link]). That one is going to be fun to design.

It’s been brilliant to get a response from such a great artist as Karen McDade, I have been a fan of her work for a while now. No doubt I will continue to be so in the future and would like to thank her immensely for her time and input. Especially under such a large workload and other problems!

Thanks Karen, hope everyone has enjoyed this interview.

Don’t Forget To Leave Your comments below!

Article written by Jared Thompson

Head writer of Design Something Blog, currently studying Product design at the University of Central Lancashire in his final year. He has interest in minimal, clean and simplistic design styles.

Follow Jared (@Jthompsondesign) on twitter!

Check out his Design Portfolio here!

Be sure to subscribe to the RSS Feed for the best in design blog posts every week of the year!

1. I was amazed to learn that the design blog is only 17 months old, what was the first mission statement to yourself when beginning your blog? Did you have a definite goal you wanted to achieve when setting the blog up?

I did not have a mission plan or goal when I started the blog. It was a personal experiment to see whether I could do it. I wanted a challenge and an outlet for my creativity. Creating the blog was a very impulsive decision, which I have never regretted.

2. What did you study at university/college and was there a specific reason you chose to study these areas?

I’ve just graduated with a Masters in Physics from University College London. I was always good at mathematics, but wanted to study a more practical subject. Physics seemed like the perfect choice. I always compare the relation between physics and mathematics to the relation between art and graphic design. Furthermore I knew that a physics degree would give me plenty of career options (even though design wasn’t one of them.)

3. Where did fudge graphics as a brand name come from? Or does it stem from your love of chocolate cereals?

I wanted to come up with a brand name starting with ‘F’ to tie in with my name. That was the only premise. It was essentially the saying “what the fudge?” which made me choose the name. A quick Google search later I discovered that Fudgegraphics was still up for grabs and so I simply registered the name. I would love to have a great story about how I love chocolate fudge (which I do) and that it is the reason behind the name, but it’s not. It was just a random name I came up with and loved instantly.

4. Having previously resided in Luxembourg was it a conscious decision to move to London for graphic design work? Or was the move more personally motivated?

I moved to London for university. At the time I had no idea that I would pursue a design career later on. I’ve just always loved the city and hence applied to London-based universities. Now that I’ve graduated I can say that I’ll stay in London due to design. The city inspires me and I got most of my clients based in the capital. I know that Luxembourg can’t offer me any of it.

5. Has the move to the UK been positive? Or are there some horror stories about living in the nation’s capital?

It’s been very positive. Although 2 years ago my flat got broken into and they stole my laptop I feel very safe here. The people are incredible and I particularly love the vibrant live music scene. I can only speak for myself, but I felt at home right away. The city is very open-minded.

6. You say you like Indie music how wide is your music taste and does this music inspire you when designing work for clients? Is there a particular band/style of music you love to listen to when designing?

Music plays a major role in my design process. As soon as I start up my computer I open iTunes. I often design for bands so it helps to listen to their music while working on their projects. It allows me to grasp the essence of the job. While working on other projects I like listening to folk and Indie rock. Lately I’ve been listening a lot to Jose Gonzalez, Iron & Wine and Damien Rice.

7. How much of a role does blogging take in your average working week, is there a specific time of day/week that you set aside to work online? Or do you just play it as it goes?

I don’t have a specific blogging schedule. Whenever I come up with a new idea for an article I’ll write it down in my moleskin immediately and work on it as soon as I find time. The time spent on the blog varies depending on my workload and inspiration.

8. You signal in your bio; Scott Hansen and James White as your two favorite artists of all time, was there a particular piece of work or group of works which really turned you onto design and decided to study and eventually make it your career?

I love every single piece of design by these two artists and discover so many outstanding designers while researching new featured artists for the blog that it is impossible to pick a specific piece as turning point. Everything just added up and gradually I fell in love with design.

9. With such a successful site, do you have other people, which help you in its day-to-day workings? Or do you undertake most of the work yourself?

No I don’t. Fudge graphics is entirely run and managed by myself. Except for Alec Schmidt who has written a couple of guest articles including the very first tutorial published on the blog. By taking control of everything, including the areas I had no experience in, I gained invaluable knowledge. Sure it took longer to get the WordPress theme up and running, but it helped broaden my design and development skills.

10. What software do you use the most as a designer and do you have a particular favorite, which can find you spend hours on end working with?

That would be Photoshop and Illustrator. Many of my designs start of in AI as simple geometric shapes. Once the main layout of the piece is done everything is imported into Photoshop where I tweak the colours and add textures to give it a more organic look. Apart from the Adobe Suite I am a big fan of Billings, which lets you track your time and send invoices. Last but not least I use iTunes every day. Music and design go hand in hand for me.

11. What would you do on your vacation time, if there was no list client to complete work for and a free calendar was all you could see?

In that case I would travel. I didn’t have a real holiday for some time, just lying on the beach and enjoying myself. Also many of my friends are spread all across Europe due to university so I would go visit them.

Fudgegraphics is Franz Jeitz, who is from Luxembourg and is currently located in London where he work’s as a freelance graphic designer. Fudgegraphics was born in April 2008 and can be described as a design inspirational blog. It is a source of freebies such as photoshop brushes, textures and vectors.

Visit FudgeGraphics Here

Follow FudgeGraphics On Twitter

Article written by Jared Thompson

Follow Jared (@Jthompsondesign) on twitter!

Blogs are a great source of finding inspiration and keeping up-to-date whether its news from the design world or the world in general. I personally use Google Reader to organize my blog roll, and keep up-to-date on a daily basis with several blogs. But some blogs you may not have know which contain some great works and articles for freebies and inspiration.

Design Blogs

Typornography

Described as: “Typornography is an extension of bunnehmunches for you typography wankers.”

Interior Design Room

Features architecture, gadgets and humor.

Robert Cooper’s Personal Design Blog

Insightful design blog which showcases the work he does, Rob is a designer from Indianapolis.

Luke Ridge Blog

This is Luke’s online portfolio, this is where he puts up all his artwork. From Hand drawn art, Graphic design and Photography. As you look around you’ll see that a large amount of his work is influenced by the science fiction genre

Blue Ant Studio

This blog run by graphic and industrial designers Joel and Maria Pirela. The blog features all sorts of topics and great insights from mid century modern houses and furniture, minimalism, industrial design and furniture design amongst other things.

The Short

I would write a more in depth review, except this blog is in french? (I think) All i know is that i love the t-shirt designs which are posted and I wish i knew a way of working out how to buy them.

Out The Other Side

Great blog from Christy Latz from whom I either found through twitter or her Coroflot page, which has some brilliant work. The blog shows off her illustrative and cartoonist skills.

Obsessilicious

This blog is obsessed by chairs, typeface, paint, lighting, logos, colour furniture, wallpaper, architecture, print, pattern, interiors, music and film. That enough for you?

Other Blogs

Dave Gorman

His personal blog maintained on a regular basis, with some great posts recently about his up coming cycling tour.

Richard Herring

Richard Herring has maintained this blog everyday for several years and often features great stories from his day-to-day life. Catch his UK tour ‘Hitler’s mustache’ around the UK soon.

Sarah Milican

Female up and coming comedian, made famous by her routines on her divorce and love of cake. Brilliant little blog kept going on a regular basis. Currently in Edinburgh with her latest show Typical Woman, at the Pleasance Courtyard.

Alexisonfire

Canadian band Alexisonfire firs has this blog running whilst recording recent album Old Crows/Young Cardinals, and currently maintain the blog with stories from them on Warped Tour.

Article written by Jared Thompson

Follow me (@Jthompsondesign) on twitter!