ArtBistro

Mark Simonson is a professional typographic designer who has designed many popular fonts such as Proxima Sans, Kinescope, and Coquette. Mark has been designing fonts since the late 1970s but spent much of his career as an art director and as a graphic designer. Today, Mark works full-time as a freelance type designer. Read on to learn more about Mark and ...

As graphic designers, many of the projects we work with are the layouts of type and image. These projects are mainly done for the printed or electronic page. There are many ways to tackle this type of project, but there are 3 main factors to bear in mind - Emphasis, Unity, and Balance. Emphasis is the focal point that you desire ...

Mitch Breitweiser is a professional comic book artist who has illustrated numerous pop culture icons such as Iron Man, the Hulk, and the Fantastic Four. Grant Friedman interviews Mitch Breitweiser on how he began his career. Read more to find out about Mitch Breitweiser. *GF: Mitch, thanks so much for taking the time to participate in this interview. I have always ...

This photography class has been challenging throughout the quarter. I've been learning how to communicate a message or emotion in a photograph with the use of lighting, perspective, and small tricks done by adjusting the settings on the camera to create a creative exposure. The hardest part of the projects is finding the time to shoot, especially during the winter time ...

June 2010. My expected graduation date. So many things have been on my mind as of late! The future is what's been running through my mind non-stop, and at times it's caught me off guard on how quickly time is passing and how I'm halfway through my VC program at school! I admit I had a few weeks of doubts in ...

Jobs are getting harder to find because of the current recession. Which means that you need to be more prepared to develop a stronger resume and portfolio. This guide will help you learn how to stand out from other applicants by presenting your best portfolio, finding the right place for you to work, and a 4 Year Career Checklist. h4. "Create ...

Ahh, the wonderful, unknown world of 3D art that I just happened to dive into headfirst - scared to death - but now freeing myself to explore this new territory. Working with wood and cutting and gluing is messy! And you still gotta keep the model in good condition and be meticulous about those glue stains and such. We were working ...

What's Your Sign? Let's talk about logos. We all see them, and love many of them. What are the types of identifying marks out there and what are some tips to design them? Let me give you some thoughts. Logos Defined A logo is an identifying mark that communicates a great deal about a product, service, or organization. A logo has ...

I’ve found that there are two types of designers; those with a traditional education in art or design and those who are mostly self-educated. Design is unique in that it is one of the few professions where you can teach yourself the basics in the comfort of your own home without much formal training. I, for one, consider myself a self-educated ...

When I was in school, it was not uncommon for me to work throughout the night either studying or working on a design project. I found that at night, I could work much faster than I could during the day. In fact, I found that sometimes the quality of my work was better at night than it was during the day. ...

Remember how in my last entry I was oh so intimidated and pretty much exposed a lack of confidence to the world? Ladies and gentlemen, those feelings of fear have surrendered and bowed down to me! I am enjoying every single minute of my class, both in class and outside of it. I have become so obsessed with photography now and ...

First project we have done so far was learning how to adjust the ISO, aperture & shutter speeds to get a correct, yet creative, exposure. Our main objective was obtaining a deep/shallow depth of field in our photographs as well as explore a variety of compositions. For this particular project, I walked around Forest Park and Chicago shooting in the negative ...

How We Create Commerce Recently, we've seen some very creative advertisements on television, especially during the Super Bowl. This event has always been known for attracting top advertisements for top dollar. Although some are more effective than others, the art of advertising has been around since - well a long time. Let's take a look at the components of advertising. Defined ...

Just what are we supposed to be doing? As we get through design school and try to do a real job out in the world, we must pause and think sometimes. Just what is our job anyway? What are we really supposed to be doing? Is the whole thing simply a lot of words and pretty pictures? Is it fine art ...

As we all know the web is an international phenomenon. That being said, I’ve often wondered how having an international audience actually affects my site’s daily traffic. I live in the eastern United States so it’s fairly common for me to publish my posts early in the morning local time. That way, my readership will have my newest post waiting for ...

Even with Chicago's coldest winter yet: negative degrees, strong winds smacking your pretty face, layers upon layers of clothing that is oh so time consuming in the morning, I'm making sure my creative juices aren't going to freeze up like the rest of the city is, an "arctic tundra" as what my photography professor referred to it as. Throughout the winter ...

I was thinking back at some of the iconic figures of graphic design through the years. Our design team has been involved in researching some the past styles of design for a huge project we landed. So, naturally, we went to some of these figures to brush-up on what their styles were and what they have done. I have chosen 3 ...

If you’re applying for graduate school, you’ll have to write an artist’s statement. But how do you put your studio practice into words? I recommend the following exercise to my undergraduates as a way to figure out what they need to include (and exclude). Divide a big, 18 x 24 inch piece of drawing paper, into six columns and label each ...

A list of the goals I have set for myself in this brand new year, 2009. 1. Push myself over the limits. Break & bend the rules. Be fearless. 2. Do more than just exist with my art. Inspire. Be inspired. 3. Get out of the comfort zone with my art. Experimentation. Trial & Error. 4. See the beauty in things ...

Putting together a portfolio for graduate school can be a daunting task. Here are a few pointers to keep in mind to help guide you through the process. You can also apply these guidelines to your portfolio after you graduate and are applying for grants, residencies, and gallery shows. Step one: Get quality images that reflect your work well. You’ll need ...