Happy Birthday Helvetica.

Not everyone’s a graphic designer, so not everyone knows that the popular typeface Helvetica is celebrating its 50th birthday this month. Veer has created an awesome sketchbook ($22) just in time. Choose sides in the design world’s love/hate relationship with Helvetica, or have it both ways. This two-sided notebook features a loving quote in Helvetica Std on one cover, then flips to reveal a darker intent. Favor one side or work from both, toward the middle. A center divider keeps the peace.

Improve Your Creative Life. Today. No, Really.

I’ve been reading a couple of incredible blogs lately – one of which is American Copywriter (and yes, it even pertains to us graphic designer/art director-types).

This post is from a few months back, but really stuck out to me. Especially this part: Don’t blame the creatives for not caring after round of revisions 13. Are you kidding? If your spouse asked you – no demanded – that you rearrange the living room furniture 13 times over the course of two days, stopping whatever else you were doing each and every time to do so because it “had to be done right now!” you would quickly stop giving a shit about where the couch and overstuffed chair were. In fact, you’d probably throw him/her and your cadre of Pottery Barn tchotchkes out the freaking window. So don’t blame the creatives when this happens. Man, it’s human nature to stop caring.

I Am Not a Graphic Designer.

Defined: Graphic Design involves effective visualization of communication concepts, primarily in print and electronic media (including interface design), in the context of business and technology, socio-political, cultural and educational environments, in transmitting government and institutional aims and services, and in visually explaining and exploring medical and scientific data and processes. Clients usually determine project aims. Graphic Designers help to achieve communication goals by analyzing, structuring, planning and creating images and text to enhance visual communication for specific purposes. They often act as consultants.

Here’s a really interesting article I came across by Mark Busse of Industrial Brand Creative, Inc. that speaks to the ever-changing roll of a designer in today’s world of communications.