At first look on the homepage, OVO just looks… classy. The portfolio slideshow present on most of the pages showcases some wonderful images of their work and is a great dynamic element on their site. Each case study I read has an appropriate amount of content and concisely explains their designs. It’s nice to hear the reasoning behind their solutions when you don’t get to see photos of the process. While I enjoy seeing how identities and collateral are made, it’s just as fun to read about it.

What I really appreciate are the tags to the right of their case studies under the “Services Rendered” heading. It’s an easy way to see what they did for each company and the tags link to pages that fully compare the services they offer. Most potential clients wouldn’t know the difference between “visual identity” and “brand management,” so it’s nice to know that OVO took unfamiliarity into consideration.

One of my only critiques of the website is that it’s kind of… faceless. I understand that it may not be OVO’s M.O., as their site is pretty tranquil, clean, and portfolio-focused, but their philosophy stresses that they build relationships with their clients. Some clients would like to know a little something more about the personality of the company, partners or employees if they’re going to ally with them. Clearly this hasn’t been very detrimental to OVO because they’re flourishing and opening a new office… but I wonder if adding a more accessible page about the team dynamic could make OVO more emotionally engaging to potential clients. It took me a little while, but I finally found a couple photos of Kyle and Ryan (the principal partners) on the website — I was being pretty intentional in my search, though. If I were a potential client I’d appreciate having something telling of the team dynamic, or at least Ryan and Kyle’s bios, more accessible. They almost seem hidden. But I’m thinking this is an area of preference. Do you think that having photos of the partners more accessible could actually be considered pretentious?

Moving on, I really enjoy the lovely floating footer at the bottom of the browser. It’s available as you peruse the entire website, so you can sign up for the OVO newsletter or get their contact info without having to backtrack to the “contact us” page. Nice touch!

All in all, I think the new website is a great upgrade from the previous iteration. It’s an elegant, content-rich solution. What do you think of the new OVO site? Feel free to post your critiques in the comment section below. Start the discussion!

This last week, Forty, a local branding/design/marketing guru-collective, launched it’s new website. I have a lot to say, as I think it’s a great improvement over their old site. Forty’s previous site had character, but no work clearly presented. Their new website preserves their dynamic personality, but introduces their professional portfolio and case studies. I’m glad they stuck with the Forty green (though I think it’s a different shade than it was), and I’m even happier that they bulked up their online identity with lovely woodgrain icons and felt details.

Their old website seemed like more of a landing page than their new online home. It’s now content-rich with wonderful copywriting that just makes me smile. With lines like “Forty is a Swiss army knife with five amazingly useful blades. And probably a corkscrew.” you have to assume that Forty would just be fun to hire.

I’m always a fan of case studies on websites, and I’m glad that Forty included a breakdown of their projects. I’m disappointed, however, that there isn’t a standard for their case studies. What I mean is that not all of their case studies show the sketch process or design comps. Some include mind maps, while others only show the finished product. I’d like to see their case studies more uniformly presented to give the viewer a deeper understanding of their design process. They don’t need to include exhaustive collections of process photos, but I think each study should include at least a couple mindmaps, wireframes, or hand sketches. If they’re included in one, it almost sets a precedent that they should be included in the others. Also, it would be great if they included the results of their designs/redesigns. Did that new website increase viewership? How did that identity focus company X’s direction or demographic? Seeing good design is great, but knowing how it tangibly helped a client is even better.

I did notice a nice detail at the bottom of their case studies — a “Wish this were you?” button. I’m not even a potential client and I clicked it! It sends you to their contact section, which includes a nice email form and simple ways to get in touch. Each page includes the “inside Forty” section on the right-hand side of the screen. It’s a nice sidebar with Flickr photos of the collective and Vimeo videos that show off the team. Again, personality.

My last critique is that the links on the bottom of the website open up in the same window. I know it might be all about personal preference on this issue… but when I click on a link to Twitter or Flickr, I prefer that it launch in a separate tab. I enjoy having the site available when I’m checking out their social media pages. But check it out for yourself! Feel free to leave a comment here about your experience with the new Forty website. What do you like about it, and how is it lacking? Start the discussion below!

48 pages saddle-stitched. Set in Trade Gothic. Printed at Royal Penguin on a Komori press.

Recently, I had the great pleasure of getting to know an artist I’ve followed for the past couple years. The main reason I’ve stuck around to watch his work evolve is that he does something I thought I could never, or at least thought I would never, do — abstract photography. I love photographing people. They’re emotive, (generally) unpredictable, and very complex. And as time moved on I was content to end my photographic journey there. When I look around at the made world in comparison to people, I have a hard time seeing it as something worthy of my lens, or at least my attention.

Tyson Crosbie, a local PHX artist, sees the complexity and, even greater, the ambiguity of texture, layers, and pattern. His purposely vague pieces inspire questions about form, interaction, history, and yes, even philosophy. I think texture is beautiful… but I also think it’s somewhat boring when I try to compose it with my lens. I didn’t know how he could walk down a PHX alley and decide what to photograph. Why THAT cement wall? Why THAT pole? It all seemed so dreadfully vague! And I hated the thought of it all! …Until I tried it. Tyson has started to open up his Saturday afternoons to people interested in cultivating their photographic skills. Once a month, he hosts photowalks and leads discussion for a few hours as a group of photographers trek around a couple square blocks of the city at a time. This last Saturday I joined in and found myself… overwhelmed. At first I didn’t know what I was doing. I didn’t have a focus. I had 20 ideas floating around in my head and no actual conviction to follow through with any of them. Tyson said, “That’s why we have the rules.” Come up with a theme, choose something to focus on, and move forward. Yes, I may miss some great shots here and there, but when I start shaping a vision it will eventually become a coherent point of view — or in this case, corherently vague.

My main focus ended up being on screws and joints. I became fascinated with the fixtures I found in objects and fences in the alleyways and began shooting away, enthralled by the textures, shadows, age, and form of the objects. It may not be “abstract” in the normative sense but it’s more abstract than I’ve ever been before, and I’m happy to have pushed myself beyond my usual limitations. It was frusrating at first, but well worth the effort. Have you been thinking about something you’ve been nervous to try? Letterpess? Portrait photography? Type design? Do it to it. It may be terrible the first time around, but at least you’ve done it.

Below are some shots I took while on the photowalk. They’re not very abstract, but they’re definitely not what I’m comfortable shooting. I’m really looking forward to pushing further in the next several weeks. For a look at more of my photos check out my Flickr Set. For images from everyone who went on the photowalk check out the Flickr Pool!

For anyone who went to design school, there’s a significant and noticeable difference between the designer you were then, and the designer you are now.

Remember the person you were when you started design school? What would that student think of the designer you’ve become? And what would you think if you ran into your past-self on the street?

To figure it out, I imagined my student self meeting who I am now… Maybe for coffee, nothing too formal. I can imagine it playing out something like this:

Student Self: “Gee whiz! The future is so bright and hopeful!”
Current Self: “Calm down.”
Student Self: “I’m going to prove to you how much I love design! I know what an agate is, and look! I have a scalpel instead of a hobby knife because I’m that serious about my new profession!”
Current Self: “No one likes a perfectionist, Stephanie. Not even me… I mean, you.”
Student Self: “I’m going to BE SOMEONE! I’m going to be a design rockstar.”
Current Self: “Your worth as a designer has almost nothing to do with how many people know your name. Just make good things.”

I wonder if my Student Self would be angry at my Current Self’s aloof attitude, or if she would just be confused. I was that annoying student who needed to prove herself… and the temptation to do so is still alive today. But I have a trick, whenever I get into one of those running narratives about proving myself. I remember a quote from Paul Rand:

Don’t try to be original, just try to be good.

My Freshman-level doppelganger would nod in agreement, but secretly run off and work painstakingly all night to prove just how creative she could be. She would probably think of who I am now as lazy, unmotivated, or vapid simply because I don’t beat every project into the ground (and myself along with them). But Paul was right. It’s not about trying to prove how creative you are… because that’s vanity. And the satisfaction gained from fulfilled vanity is fleeting.

Ask yourself who you were then and if you’re better off now. Or maybe you’re in a worse spot. I don’t know. Think about it and figure out how the design changes you went through play into your professional life and goals.

This morning I met up with Garrett and Artemiz to check out the new office for Royal Penguin. The guts of the building are pretty much done, and we’ll be moving in furniture this next week. At this very moment, Garrett and Artemiz are looking for desks and chairs at a corporate surplus store that donates its proceeds to charity.

I got a tour of the office and warehouse, as well as the disclaimer that they’ll probably have to add on to the second level for more space as the company grows. It’s a pretty nice place, and I got a good feeling from it. Or maybe that good feeling was from the printing press. I can’t tell.

I met a couple of my new coworkers, as well as Artemiz’s brother and his girlfriend. Artemiz’s positive attitude is infectious! I’m excited to see how working with her and rest of the team is going to be.

On Monday I start at their current location off Pinnacle Peak and will be pounding out some projects. It’s a been a little while since I’ve had the tight deadlines of corporate culture, but I have a feeling I’ll be able to fall back into the routine fairly fast. Then, sometime around the new year, I’ll be in the new space, learning how to use the printing press, folder, stitcher, cutter, hole puncher, and shrink wrapper, as well as getting the general feel for my new corner space. Yes, I’m in a corner… for now. I have my eyes set on one of those offices, though.

After 8 months of searching for employment, I’m happy to announce that I’ve signed on as Lead Graphic Designer for Royal Penguin. The company launches in January 2010.

I have to thank my good friend Landon Armstrong for pointing me in the direction of this opportunity. And, of course, many thanks are in order for Garrett and Artemiz Adkins for taking me on as a part of their team.

One exciting thing about this opportunity is Garrett and Artemiz’s openness to the designer’s point of view. Even in my interview, I could tell that they valued design and what it could do for their company and clients. Heck, they even bought a printing press to make everything in-house! They asked if I was okay with being trained in how to proof and print my work… of course, my answer was a resounding “YES”. They have wonderful personalities and seem to enjoy what they do. All in all, I can tell that this is going to be a very positive environment for everyone.

On Friday, I’ll be meeting with them to help set up the new office and discuss the company goals. Yes, I will be in a cubicle *thumbs down* but I’m sure it won’t detract from my creativity or the collectiveness of the group.

I’m excited for this new career path, and, to be honest, a little nervous. As the only designer on staff, I’ll be without the discerning eyes of fellow creatives. One of my favorite things about the design process is having someone around to bounce ideas off of, ask for critique, or just keep me motivated. I doubt I’ll be lonely at my new job, as I’m sure the new team will be great, but I’m looking forward to the day when I can work alongside another creative to communicate the messages of Royal Penguin.

Thanks to all of you who have supported me emotionally, financially, and spiritually over the last several months. I’m thrilled to finally be moving on and can’t wait to share my experiences with you here.