Muses

color-scope

Amy — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 22:23:17 +0000

You may know your zodiac sign and read your monthly horoscope, but do you know your color-scope? Smart graphic designers know the color-scope of their target audience and execute color palettes that foster a connection with and inspire action by their audience.

Psychology Today personified the following colors based on the types of personalities that steer towards a particular color. People who like:

- Black: Are artistic, sensitive, and private
- White: Are organized, rational, and orderly
- Red: Are energetic, tenacious, and motivated
- Blue: Are reliable, sensitive, and empathetic
- Green: Are affectionate, trustworthy, and honest
- Yellow: Are optimistic, happy, and enjoy learning and growing
- Purple: Are creative, unique, and may be arrogant
- Brown: Are a good friend, dependable, and stable

Pantone, the authority on all things color, also gives colors personality traits. The color leader guides designers to color relevancy and effectiveness. For instance, Pantone voted Tangerine Tango 2012’s color of the year because, “This reddish orange is said to provide ‘the energy boost we need to recharge and move forward.’” Tangerine Tango is captivating and magnetic. As a warm color, like red, orange, and yellow, the color should make people feel energetic, happy, and also daring.

Check out Pantone’s top 10 colors of 2012 here.

facial hair grafik

Jon — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 16:30:22 +0000

I was sent this illustration by Peter Kim who came across our site while searching for resources around psychology and beards (google says I’m a bearded graphic designer). Peter’s team created a graphic that illustrates a brief history of the beard and how they are perceived today.

pinterest smarts

Amy — Tue, 29 May 2012 18:12:09 +0000

Pinterest is a great new tool for brands. Pinterest gives brands a virtual collage to visually represent their creativity, distinctiveness, and products and services. According to Compete research, Pinterest reached 7.2 million visitors in the U.S. in December 2011 and is growing faster than Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ did at their beginnings.

Pinterest Pros
According to SmartBlogs, Pinterest merges the line between sellers and buyers by brands acting as personalities with interests to share rather than promoters pushing products and services. Further, Pinterest is informal and casual. Pinterest is especially useful for brands with a strong visual appeal, for brands that appeal to women, and for brands aspiring to attract creative people looking for inspiration – whether a new recipe, a craft, or a feeling from a cool picture.

SocialMediaExaminer says Pinterest is another but useful SEO tool. Use key words, hashtags, and links on your Pinterest boards. Also, Pinterest is a great market research tool because pinners volunteer a lot of valuable information. Study who is following you, whom else they are following, and key words they use on their own boards.

Pinterest is great for B2B companies. Pinterest is an effective venue for showcasing infographics. For B2B products and services, infographics and imagery that describes their products and services may be more intuitive than writing about their products on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn (CIO.com).

Pinterest Best Practices
Inc.com says the best way for brands to use Pinterest is to keep it simple. Since Pinterest is like a collage, it is easy to build clutter and camouflage a brand’s message. For example, organize distinct boards with one main message and specific feeling. Other best practices include: 1) Link boards and pins directly to your company’s website to increase traffic, 2) Limit product pins and self-promotion, 3) Pin during prime time: During the week at lunchtime, at the end of the business day (5pm), and before people go to bed (10pm), 4) Crowdsource: Ask your audience to “pin pictures of themselves with their favorite product of yours and tag you, then you can repin those photos onto a VIP board.” Build a report with your audience and show them that you respect and like their interests (SocialMediaExaminer).

Successful Pinterest Brands
The following brands successfully use Pinterest:
Whole Foods creates diverse boards while staying true to its target audience. Whole Foods also inspires communication and involvement with its audience.

Real Simple shows pinners benefits rather than tell them what is good about the magazine. Also, Real Simple has extraordinary photography.

Etsy is exciting on Pinterest because it creates a culture of international art. Etsy is attractive because it organizes unique boards for specific interests, like pinners interested in Etsy Weddings or Etsy Pets.

What do you like about Pinterest?
Check out amusegrafik on Pinterest.

ars magna cards

Jon — Thu, 17 May 2012 22:09:46 +0000

I recently finished up some note cards for the talented photographer Allana Taranto, of Ars Magna Studio. Ars Magna specializes in weddings, portraits, and boudoir. Allana needed 2 types of cards: a reminder card for boudoir clients to get them excited for their upcoming photo shoot as well as thank you cards for all clients. The goal was to have the brand personality shine through as well. Crushed it!

I’ve been coworking and collaborating with Allana for the past year, first at Encandle and now at Oficio. We’re currently working on an exciting endeavor called One Big Open, which explores the potential of coworking as an economic catalyst. Follow the journey on twitter. Website coming soon.

new jobs

Amy — Wed, 16 May 2012 21:26:48 +0000

May means graduation time: Undergraduate and graduate school grads are entering the workforce as accountants, teachers, and millennial generational experts…what? A monster.com senior editor said that there are not only new needs that need to be met but also new ways of meeting existing needs. Therefore, new grads and veteran workers looking to reinvent themselves are pursuing careers that did not exist 10 years ago.

Technology
Not surprisingly, advances in technology have created demand for careers like App Developers and Cloud Computing Service Providers. Telework Managers and Virtual Business Service Providers are also needed to manage the increasing number of organizations with virtual employees who rely on video conferencing and wikis to stay connected in real-time.

Market Research
The Internet, algorithmic tracking tools, and social media content give marketers a goldmine of customer information beyond what could previously be compiled via surveys, focus groups, or other traditional forms of market research. But, this information can be overwhelming and worthless without making sense of it all. Social Media Managers, Market Research Data Miners, and Chief Listening Officers are information junkies who turn customer data into useful information.

Generational Communication and Assistance
Twenty-two year olds, glued to their cell phones and Facebook are much different than seasoned 40-50+ year olds. Millennial Generational Experts narrow the gap between generations working under one roof and help companies better motivate and communicate with different generations. Elder-Care Services Coordinators, Patient Advocates, and Senior-Move Management Services are new careers spawned from advocates for proper elderly care and the fact that people are living longer.

Sustainability
Go green, recycle, reuse, and sustainable energy are buzz words that have been spoken so loudly jobs like Sustainability Experts and Sustainability Managers are becoming more mainstream. Newer forms of environmentally safe practices are being led by people who demand Green Funeral Directors so the remains of loved ones are put to rest in the most environmentally friendly ways. Lastly, Interior Designers are so last season. Check out Interior Redesigners who leverage existing furniture instead of spending money on new furniture and creating waste from old furniture.

one person’s trash…

Amy — Wed, 09 May 2012 18:32:00 +0000

Here at amusegrafik we are always looking for inspiration. A truly inspired person can see beauty in the most unusual places. So, before you judge the person rummaging through your trash, consider that instead of trash they may be seeing art.

Noupe, a Smashing Magazine publication, compiled a list of 40 Terrific Works of Art Made From Common Trash. My favorites: The CD lounger, the ice scoop lampshade, and the aluminum can dragon.

Web Designer Depot found very cool silhouettes made from trash. These artists arranged piles of trash so the shadows formed realistic human silhouettes and cityscapes. The most impressive thing is that these shadows capture emotion and seem lifelike.

NYC Garbage takes garbage as art very literally. Their tagline: “100% authentic, HAND-PICKED from the fertile streets of NY, NY.” The inspiration came from artist and entrepreneur Justin Gignac’s desire to prove that anything could be sold in great packaging. Eleven years later, NYC Garbage is still in business, selling things like bits of paper and ticket stubs from the ground of Yankee Stadium at $100 a pop!

Trash art is an annual celebration in Maui. Every year, Maui County artists showcase art they make from recycled materials at the Art of Trash festival. The goal is to encourage the community to keep recyclable materials out of landfills. Good cause, great art.

innovative job titles

Amy — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 19:57:13 +0000

Director of Fun. Top Dog. Job titles are not limited to traditional names like CEO or Marketing Manager anymore. Why? New jobs, especially in digital and eco-friendly spaces, need job titles for these new careers. Secondly, professionals are getting more creative with their job titles to stand apart from counterparts and bring levity and fun to what they do.

Unique jobs titles may help:

- Increase morale, self-esteem, and motivation
- Show creativity and innovation
- Reflect the company’s distinctive culture
- Be more memorable
- Arouse curiosity

The main downfall with creative titles that are unique to a specific company is that they may not be intuitive: Prospective clients or consumers may be turned off if they do not immediately know what you do. Everyone recognizes a CEO. But, what about a Chief Executive Pickle, which is the “CEO’s” title at Little Pickle Press, or Chief Popsicle, the “CEO” of Feverish Ice Cream.

MarketWatch, a publication by The Wall Street Journal, found cool, exciting, and memorable job titles: Monotype Imaging’s head honcho calls himself the Director of Words and Letters. A social media marketer at Eyespeak goes by the title Director of Storytelling. Arico Natural Foods Company, maker of CrispRoot, has a plethora of fun titles. The “CEO” is the Chief Flavor Maker, the marketing and PR guru is the Communicator and Public Happy-Maker. And a social media and graphic designer goes by the Wicked Witch of the Web.

This title for the owner of Australia based design consultancy Monogram is simple and direct. Amy Jessica Nadaskay’s business card reads: “Boss Lady.” ‘Nuff said.

What memorable titles have you encountered?

kickin’ office spaces

Amy — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 20:20:47 +0000

What type of office space would inspire you to be your most creative and productive? Cutting-edge companies, famous for their leadership and impact on their respective industries, have their fingers on the pulse of inspirational office digs.

Google and Pixar
Google is a search engine leader whose employees need to develop complex algorithms and valuable advertising initiatives. Pixar is an animation leader that has influenced film development and swept awards shows over the last several years. These idea generators certainly have freedom of thought in the incredibly diverse, comfortable, and creative work environments. Employees feel less stress and are more productive in these open, colorful, innovative, and sometimes child like (slide anyone?) offices. Check out Google’s California and New York offices and Pixar’s California headquarters.

Facebook
Facebook encourages discussion and trial and error in its California office. And, it has proven successful because Facebook consistently executes exciting and revolutionary social media design and development. The open office space and high ceiling give Facebook employees the perception of clarity and levity – nothing is holding them down. The cluttered environment gives these creative minds a seemingly boundaryless environment.

Volkswagen
VW’s Germany factory is literally and figuratively transparent. The entire building is glass, with windows into the inner workings of the company. The German factory is an assembly plant, a museum, and a dealership. Consumers can see how Europe’s leading car manufacturer makes their revolutionary cars, giving consumers piece of mind that their car is made with integrity. The entire factory is high class and consumers are treated like they are visiting a luxury hotel. Inspiring for consumers, and also for VW employees who invest their careers in making an honest, notable product.

Parliament
The amazing office images you’re looking at? That’s Parliament, a multidisciplinary creative agency in Portland, OR. Check out more shots of their “world headquarters” and see before and after photos of the studio.

amüsegrafik turns 2

Jon — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 21:35:28 +0000

They grow up so fast : )

cool food packaging

Amy — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 21:56:14 +0000

Grocery stores can be overwhelming. How do you choose which products to buy? Food manufacturers need to fight for shelf space and attention. Food manufacturers implore the expertise of food packaging designers, who may let the product sell itself with simple, direct packaging, work to stand out on the shelf with unusually creative packaging, design for a cause, design with sustainability in mind, or design functional packaging.

Direct Packaging
W!LD’s salmon packaging immediately tells consumers there must be fish inside. Fresh fish is typically wrapped in newspaper, so W!LD’s pre-packaged fish looks like it is freshly wrapped in newspaper. Clever, chic, and effective.

Unusually Creative Packaging
Chokablok’s ice cream packaging makes consumers’ mouth water. The top of the package looks like you already dove into the delicious, creamy, chunky cream. Yum. The package makes you want more even before you had any. Similarly, Rubén Álvarez yogurt packaging gives the product life and dimension by pouring over the edges of its container.

Design for a Cause
Eggs for Soldiers’ camo-covered egg packaging raises awareness for men and women serving their country and money for Help for Heroes. The package not only is army-green, but also is textured like fabric and looks like an army pack.

Sustainable Packaging
A mobile restaurant in the Philippines created cool and sustainable food packaging. The packaging is eco-friendly because it uses less paper and energy to make since it is one piece and uses fewer materials because it requires no glue or plastic.

Functional Packaging
A graphic designer created Bloom Chips packaging out of frustration with reaching the bottom chip in a Pringles container. This packaging is simply brilliant: the cylinder prevents chips from breaking and then opens into a bowl for easy access to the very last chip.