…. with five pages of (downloadable!) usefulness in this Visual Enforcement Kit. I stumbled across the DesignPolice website and thought their super handy templates were a crack-up. Use responsibly….

Using third-party environmental certifications (such as the recycled symbol and FSC logo) can enhance your client’s marketing message. The Paper Mill Store has posted a great reference for understanding and using third-party environmental certifications, including guidelines and logos for download.

Heads up, Creativos. Sharpie has just launched a new Web site, mysharpie.com, which enables you to customize fine point Sharpie pens! The pens are available in a eight different colors, and there are 10 different fonts and about 20 different pieces of clip art to choose from.

Okay, only six of the fonts are really fun and the clip art is kinda lame, but it’s still a cool idea. And they’re not too expensive, about $12 for six pens. Plus shipping, of course.

The August 2007 issue of HOW magazine had a great article on planning your professional future (Plotting Your Course, by Julie Sims). It’s geared toward graphic designers, but the tips can apply to other creatives as well.

One of points mentioned is to keep your portfolio up to date. Her suggestion: regularly collect samples of your work and write descriptions to go with each. I think it’s a great idea, as it’s easy to forget details (or to request samples) post-project. And the descriptions come in handy when writing copy for your website or other promotional pieces. (For graphic designers, it’s also useful to note paper stock or other production details)

I’ve created a section in my To-Do List, where I note completed projects, as a reminder to request samples — and now, to start writing descriptions for each!

… at least where design RFPs are concerned. I just read a great article on the IdeasOnIdeas blog about just that. It detailed why RFPs are not only bad for designers, but also for those who are “purchasing” creative services as well. I’ve included a few excerpts below, but encourage you to check it out. As a bonus, they’ve even included a well-crafted (and quite polite) boilerplate response. If for no other reason than that, their blog entry is worth the read!

The challenge with creative work, however, is that the solution is often informed by the process, and as such is difficult to postulate prior to beginning.

RFPs are endemic of an oppositional structure that rewards those who fill boxes, but not those who look for deeper awareness or insights that might result in a more effective solution. In our experience, organizations that use the RFP process to purchase creative services often find that their expectations are not met.

Yes, it’s true. But the first step to success is admitting the problem, right?
Luckily, I found this snazzy link to some pretty cool business cards to get my creative juices flowing.

… and so begins a really awesome post on the tinygigantic blog, regarding the expansion of the definition of design and a more inclusive approach to the creative community in general. Here’s an excerpt (but check out the whole article if you have a minute–its worth a read):

Design is not the making of posters and logos and brochures and websites. It’s not title sequences and motion graphics. It’s a way of doing which can be defined as making things that solve problems.
Here’s how it goes:
-You figure out what the problem is
-You figure out other ways to frame the problem
-You come up with a sh*tload of ideas
-You test a few of them out
-You decide what solves the problem and what doesn’t
-You refine it and make something dope

The comments also mentioned an apt quote from Saul Bass regarding his approach to a new design project (from a 1989 Communication Arts interview):

“A client comes to you with a definition of the problem, or ideas about what they want to accomplish. Sometimes they have a sophisticated view of it, sometimes they don’t. I find myself frequently spending time with the client redefining the problem, backing up, going back to the beginning. Not infrequently the “problem” turns out to be the “symptom.” You have to sometimes move back, in order to move forward to really understand what the nature of the solution should be.”

PaperSpecs, the online paper database for designers/printers, is offering a free webinar on Oct. 16: Paper 101 - Uncoated Paper. It will discuss the basics of printing with uncoated paper. This looks to be useful for designers and non-designers alike.

In addition to their free weekly newsletter PaperTalks, they have a nifty page called Must Haves, showing the latest paper promotions with a direct link to order samples. Even if you’re not a designer, many of these promos are nice to have. Happy paper spec’ing!

Designers, rejoice: Pantone has added 56 new spot colors to their color library. Get a fan book with new colors when you buy updated Formula Guides (unfortunately, you can’t buy it separately). Even if you’re not ready to buy, it’s nice to browse the new color palettes they’ve put together at InspireME 2007.

For fun, look up your birthday in the Colorstrology section of the website. I’m a Pantone 16-1442 (Melon): creative, affectionate, sensual. What are you?

This looks like an up+comer! Check out pica+pixel, where I especially enjoyed the bit about condom wrapper design from the 30s and 40s. Sexy!