John Jay on Creativity

This is a wonderfully inspiring video for anybody in the creative profession. It's pure motivation.

Creative Mornings: Mike Monteiro

Mike Monteiro, of Mule Design, was a speaker for Creative Mornings recently and his talk was really refreshing to say the least. Instead of discussing design though, ( which would have also been nice), he decided to talk about the business aspect of design, the importance of making money, and having a good lawyer.

My personal experiences with the business aspects of design are a lot like the examples Mike outlines above, that is to say, I'm not good at it. I'm not sure if any new designer's are "good" at it. It's definitely a learned skill. These kind of talks, (designing + making money), should be more common. This topic is probably one of the most misunderstood yet most important aspects of being a designer. After all, we all need to get paid.

A quick side note: If I ever become a design professor, I'm bringing in a lawyer to help teach the students about this kind of stuff. I wish I had someone show me this when I was in college.

(via Pentagram)

“Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing in the world is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.”

- Calvin Collidge

Put This On, Episode 3

Put This On is a web series and blog that's basically about dressing like a grown up. Their blog is updated daily with really good advice and tips for the average man. Jesse Thorn (Co-Founder and writer) really knows his stuff, and the blog entries are always a good read. Put This On has really inspired me to “step my game up”, dress-wise. After all, design is all about aesthetics, and these guys are promoting just that – only more specifically, as it relates to dressing better.

The episodes in their series have been nothing short then wonderful, but this one in particular stood out to me, mostly because of the topic: dressing for work. It was nice to see the perspective of Director Paul Feig, and his reasons for dressing better. Everything he was saying made a lot of sense. Dressing better also shows a level of respect for your colleagues, showing them that your serious about what you do, and that you take them seriously. Aside from all of that, dressing better just makes you feel better.

If you haven’t clicked play on the video already, now is a good time to do so.

Insight from Frank Chimero for design students

Frank Chimero is one of the most knowledgeable and talented designers there is. In a recent blog post, he gives insightful snippets of advice for graphic design students. His advice seems so simple, but it still remains entirely accurate. It’s definitely something that every aspiring designer should read. Image 7 of 11, of the Inspirational Design Posters set On a side note, if you’re looking for more great things to read, I recommend you spend some time on Frank Chimero’s site. It’s filled with informative and thought provoking stuff.

“There is a major disconnect between the life of a design student and the transition to being a design professional.”

- never sleep, Thinkingforaliving.com

By the folks over at Baltimore Print Studio, Quoted from Herb Kelleher.

“To fulfill a dream, to be allowed to sweat over lonely labor, to be given the chance to create, is the meat and potatoes of life. The money is the gravy.”

-Bette Davis

“An elegant person is a gentleman, one who knows how to handle himself. He cares for his life, and intends to live it in association with others who care and with things that are beautiful and fine.”

 - Mid-century novelist David Loovis, quoted by Ivy Style, from The New Yorker

(via putthison)