Why might a business owner need to hire a professional designer at a time when so many DIY tools are available online? This question was one I answered recently when I participated in a short interview at a local business networking group. I only had a short time, so I thought long and hard about […]
An Art Jewelry Design Website Goes Trans-Pacific
When this Maui-based client, a contemporary jewelry designer, relocated to Oregon, we needed to adjust the website I had designed for her previously* to reflect her new locale, while retaining the minimalist aesthetic. While Hawaii still shows in her work, the new approach needed to reflect the influences of her new woodsy home on her […]
Design in the Broader Spectrum: Considering an Aging Population
Here’s a topic that veers quite a bit from graphic design, web development, or marketing. But it’s an example about how design––any kind of design––needs to function for its user. When I was in college in Japan I became aware of the degree to which US consumer goods are largely designed for tall, American men. […]
Empowering Clients: So Much More Than Just Design
I recently completed an e-newsletter template design for a client, a parenting educator/counselor, who wants to share her educational guidance blog articles with parents and colleagues. After understanding the emotional support message that is so important to her work, I designed for a balance of professional, but still very approachable and eye-catching feeling, to convey […]
I Was the One Interviewed but I Learned From It Too
In the past few months I’ve been invited to be interviewed by, respectively, a podcast focusing on web design and development, and an online magazine showcasing “inspiring people” in Los Angeles. So, along with inviting you to read my interview here, there’s a lesson in this. Don’t ask “why me?” The answer is “because it’s […]
The Canon of the Canon Logo
Like many designers, I am fascinated by logos and their development over time. One in particular appeals to me because of my academic background in classical Japanese literature and culture: the origin and evolution of Canon’s logo, which has, for me, an interesting history. (For the record, I’m also a big fan of Canon products.) […]