graphic artist → designer // https://xitter.gq/t.co/21Iyp12fma
Joined March 2009
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This is a great concept, but showing off how a company with absolutely unlimited resources executes an idea feels less impressive.
Exactly how Apple Music used sound to build its new brand identity
🔗
buff.ly/PqVoUBO
buff.ly/PqVoUBO
New work - cover artwork / cover design for Thrice Audiotree from Nothing - Record Store Day vinyl release.
When a young band from the underground breaks through and finds mainstream success you can either be a too cool curmudgeon OR bring positivity and support like it’s your own friends on the big stage. Be the latter.
Young designers, we are not all like this. Some people will be cold and not reply and some will take the time to give you some encouragement.
No, I won’t check out your portfolio.
Here’s why.
Anytime you ask someone to do something, it’s a pitch. In a pitch, say what’s in it for the other person.
What’s in it for me to check out your portfolio? Why would I spend my time, energy, and attention—all of which I value highly—on that as opposed to anywhere else?
If there’s nothing in it for me, then you’re asking for charity.
If you’re asking for charity, then ask for charity. Make it clear. I like doing favors sometimes and being charitable sometimes. But I can’t tell if that’s what you’re asking for, and I won’t assume it.
Even if I agreed to it, you haven’t even given me any criteria. Is there something specific you want help with? Something to improve? Something you’re stuck on? Some job it’s not doing?
General questions get general answers. Specific questions get specific answers.
Since I don’t know what you want help with and there doesn’t seem to be much incentive for me, it’s a pass.
Here are some examples of pitches I would consider more (even if I’d still say no):
“Dan, would you be willing to do me a favor and review my portfolio to help me land a design job working on a U.S.-based team for a fintech startup?”
“Dan, can you please review my portfolio to see if the UI design work feels closer to junior or senior caliber? I’ll make a donation to your favorite non-profit as a token of thanks.”
“Dan, would you mind looking at my portfolio to see if I’m the kind of person you’d hire? I know you value your time, attention, and energy, so I’d gladly take any feedback you can provide after looking for even 30 seconds.”
@odeniransulaimo, wanna pitch again? I’m open to you trying again if you’d like.
But even better: pitch someone who’s in a closer position to help you get what you want. If you want a job at a sports betting startup, pitch a hiring manager at a sports betting startup to check out your portfolio. Even if they won’t hire you for THEIR startup, their feedback would be way more relevant to getting a job at a sports betting startup than my feedback would be, since I’ve never worked at a sport betting startup.
In short, when you pitch, make it about them and make it as easy as possible for them to give you what you want.
I always have a difficult time with when pricing my work so that the hours and hours of graphic design goofing around with the project in an obsessive haze actually makes me some money, but inevitably I’ll mess with it until it equals out to charging around $2.00 per hour.
Probably the most punk thing I’ve seen in 20 years.
Hayley Williams performs “True Believer”!
Watch the full performance ⬇️
youtu.be/sNNYei__joU
#FallonTonight
Weird thing about being a graphic designer is that you have nothing, then you have an idea for something, then you make that something into a thing, and present it to people that approve the thing, then you send the thing to other people that make the thing. Then you start over.
Crazy that I keep seeing people say the new Deftones album is “mid” - these are some of the catchiest songs that they have ever released.
Even after being a graphic designer for a long time and all of the careful planning, preparation, testing, and calculation, I still feel a sense of relief when the project comes back and works / looks exactly as intended.
Weird band merch tip that I’ve learned over the years. If they send you a logo asset and say “Feel free to use this but we’re also open to something custom too.” Just use the logo don’t waste your time. They want to use their logo.