Who is MAX and why did he write his name in black tar on the sidewalk?

Lenington Financial Website update with new logo and design changes. Lenington Financial is an independent fee-only financial life planning firm with offices in Portland, Oregon and Los Angeles, California. We provide comprehensive or as-needed financial planning, retirement planning and investment advice to individuals and families of all types regardless of their net worth, income or investible assets.

I could not pass up this opportunity to look at design through a different lens. At the Sunnyside Piazza, in Portland, someone has taken on the responsibility to dress up the steel post that, in my own opinion, was by itself – rusted and beautiful. My initial reaction was filled with a bit of revulsion. A strong reaction to be sure. I would probably have let it pass if I had not just a few days earlier saw a tree, in San Francisco’s Buena Vista Park, with a branch covered in a camouflage knitted sleeve. I began to wonder is this a trend? I also found myself thinking – “Who am I to judge the design purpose of this new concept of “beautifying” everyday objects in nature or on the street?”. As I let my prejudice slide by I was able to look at this growing knitting trend with a little less judgement – not much less mind you but, still less. I can not explain why someone would think a steel pole would need a knitted multi color sleeve except that their own sense esthetic was disrupted by passing by this rusted piece of metal. Judge for yourself. We all have a different view of what is beautiful.

We just finished the new 2011/2012 Catalog for Objects of Desire. Merging the 2010 Catalog and subsequent addendum’s in to one 32 Page book. Complimenting Objects of Desire’s belief in creating innovative designs, focusing on excellent quality and presenting customers with the finest in fashion accessories and gifts.

Here is the new cover for Portland’s Gay Yellow Pages 2011/2012 book. This year we did a matte stock with a spot gloss on the logo. Was a great way to celebrate the 15th Anniversary Edition. The book will be here in time for Portland’s Gay Pride event on the 18th and 19th of June.

Lenington Financial just approved the new logo we have been working on. Take a look. Lenington Financial is an independent fee-only financial life planning firm with offices in Portland, Oregon and Los Angeles, California.

KB Footwear approved the new logo we have been working on. Take a look.

Design is personal. I understand how personal design is to me. I work hard to understand how personal it is to my clients. Design reaches across your desk and touches those around you, those you are serving and those whom you have never met. With that in mind to many cooks in the kitchen can make creation feel dreaded and overwhelming. When that happens it helps to step away from your work and remind yourself there are only two sets of eyes you really need to be concerned about. The clients and yours.

Some might say that the designer is designing with only one set of eyes and that the client should be happy to use whatever amazing emergence the designers imagination comes to. This is simply not true. My personal take on this is that the designer and client are both a designer in one. Unified in a common goal of creation. This is not always an easy collaboration of minds but, you can bet, in the end the client will be much happier to pay you for your services if they feel they are being heard, appreciated and included in the process of creation.

We designers sometimes look at our clients like beasts that have crashed down our doors, standing over us forcing their own ideas of how their company should be represented on us. “Don’t they get it! I am the designer.” we think – and yes, I have had these thoughts, that the client does not get it. But, they do get it. This is why they hired us to begin with. What we, as designers, don’t get is that it is not about us, our ego, talent or vision but about our use of imagination in how we collaborate as a team, pulling creation out from the deepest depths of both our hidden agendas. This is where real creation comes from. The clients vision and your ability to add spice with a 4 color process to that vision.

We are in it together. Each bringing to the table our own experience. So when it feels like it is not working and getting under your mouse, moving it away from your own ideas of how something should look, take a step back, breath deep and remember that you are only one part of the equation. Design is never simple but, it is personal to everyone involved. As it should be.

MY PLAYGROUND – PREVIEW from KASPARWORKS on Vimeo.

A documentary film by Kaspar Astrup Schröder about movement in urban space.

Interesting idea. A typographic map of Portland. Fun colors. I thought the green was the most appropriate for PDX.