Heart of Arts

I love the Seattle Art Museum. I mean it when I say “looooooove”. That grand staircase (remember before the remodel?), the lofty ceilings, the hush-hush, and clamoring to get up close … like most houses of art, it's something like a church, complete with worshipers, leaps of faith, and miracles. Stand before one of those juicy impressionists and you’ll know what I mean.

Creative Process, Anyone?

Creative Process — it’s the mysterious “how” of getting from the glimmer of an idea to a fully fleshed-out creation. In my work as a designer, I think about Creative Process everyday. It’s the framework that takes me from a blank page to a finished design that supports and enhances our editorial content. With it, I’m better prepared, have more information to work with, find more solutions, and hit the target with better designs. Without it, I flounder in frustration and take twice as long to get to a design that’s half as good.

Ads That Woo, Part 1

In the Creative Services Department at CPI, we see hundreds of ads. They’re spilling out of inboxes, piling up at the printer, maxing out the server… As we process submitted ads and design others for placement in our magazines, they become a source of regular dialogue. And the million-dollar question is this: What makes an ad stand out?