It's Been So Long

AH! I completely left my blog untouched for 2 weeks. But, not to worry, it was with good reason. I have been terribly busy with photoshoots, editing, and designing. Whew! So let's cover what I've completed...

Photography. It's allll done! We have themed shots, and icon shots. About 800 photos to choose from in all. [I finally understand and appreciate when they warn the models they only have 50 frames on America's Next Top Model! That many frames only produces 3 or 4 perfectly worthy shots...] Some of them are seriously lacking in inspiration, but others are breathtakingly gorgeous. I'm so excited for my final publications.

The logo. It looks so sexy with it's juicy color and high resolution. We're talking professional quality here people. And the "client" has seen it and loves. 3 cheers for getting it right!

The Look Book is DONE. That's right, I have put it all together and it looks fabulous. Now it just needs to be edited, and printed. It's been a fairly tricky process in that my client is VERY self-concious [which isn't a bad thing in terms of PR...] so picking photos that speak to the cohesiveness of message and ddesign has been difficult. She wants to feel pretty [can you blame her] but sometimes fails to see the beauty in particular photographs. Alas, that is the purpose of such a project... learning how to work with a subject and produce something more than satisfactory for both the client and the public or whomever it is inteded for...

That's well and good, you say, but what all is MISSING and queued up to be completed? Well, my good friends, I must complete the book teaser for starters. I need to finish the content and layout examples. It won't be very large, but it still needs to be sharp as a tac in terms of design. After all, it's basically a proposal. Also, I need to finish putting together all of my research. It is currently scattered like a broken string of pearls. Finding and picking them up is easy enough, but they are all over the place and will take some time getting back in order. Yikes.

With that, I must leave you so that I may continue working on my project. But you need some visual munchies to hold you over [I know, words are not enough] until the finished product. So I leave you with a few particularly gorgeous photos of the lovely Ruby Randolph. [My amateur photography skills are gonna leave you jealous and wanting more... I know.]

Uhhh. Ya.

I know. I know. It's Tuesday. You have been biting your nails all week and there wasn't a post to keep you updated. I'm late. But I wanted to have more to tell you lovelies...

So in the past week I have been working on the more artistic bits of my project. Titles for the client's first book as well as content. Flourishes and secial touches for the book design. Logo design. You will be pleased to know that I am in the process of transferring sketches to photoshop and making them suitable for design and layout work. I like them and so does the client. How did we get there?...

Well I took her out to look at fabrics, colors, and patterns. I took pictures and notes on her ideas and loves for colors and textures and prints. So I have arrived at different elements of designs and sketched them out so they can be pieced together and used for different flourishes and layouts on the book. Instead of copying patterns I had already seen or just copy and pasting, I decided to go ahead and just create my own. So not only are they unique, but they meld together her different inspirations and emotions to be shared with her and her adoring public. Fabulous.

The logo was actually fairly easy. I had an original idea that seemd very basic and possibly done before, but the further I got sketching out other ideas and possibilities, the further away from the brand I strayed. The original idea was the most true to the client, and the brand. It was organic in the sense that it was something that any person might come up with it as their logo or insignia, but everything about breathed the essence of the client and her brand. So I'm sticking to it!

I know that plenty of people would say that I need to branch out and try different things, etc. But I am taking a hint from Paula Scher: If it works than it works. When she designed the Citibank logo after their merger she did it in all of 15 minutes on, like, a paper napkin!!!! She discussed how clients like it when you take your time because they want to feel like they are paying for something but when you are good you are good, and when it's right it is right. That is the way design works. The best design doesn't always come from hard laborious thought and work. Sometimes it is just a random spark-- a synapse out of millions. And Citibank got what they paid for-- great design. Their logo is PERFECT in every way that a logo should be: simple, recognizable, memorable, and usable.

This logo happens to be one of my synapses out of millions. It just works. Disagree if you will, but I've made my design decision. [But you don't get to see it yet, HA!]

This week, we go shopping! Oh yes. the client and I are going hunting for the looks. Since this brand is about a personality, she has to have a "look." I've decided that it's not going to be too brand heavy. This personality may be about "fabulousness" but what is unique is how personable and reachable she is. It's nto about lording greatness, wisdom, and beauty over everyone else. It's about reaching people from where she is to were they are. What she has is unique, but you can get there too. The idea is to be your own original and be just as fabulous... not some New York skalking designer glamazon afraid of a polyester dress or an item off the sale rack.

Also, I will be putting together content for the brand guidelines as well as the book teaser. And as for the research, I am basically there. Survey analysis will be done next week, and I will be putting together a couple of short case studies of other self-made brands. And, unless my eyes deceive me, there is a photoshoot on the horizon... :)