PROFILES OF THE WEEK: JUNE 13TH
PROFILES OF THE WEEK: JUNE 13TH
Adam Epstein, Editor. Brooklyn.
Ana Jaks, Illustrator. Falmouth.
Anne Sanguinetti, Copywriter. San Francisco.
Zachary Slovin, Copywriter. Boulder.
Angie Schoemer, Producer. Minneapolis.
Tim Hucklesby, Designer. New York.
Claudia Goetzelmann, Photographer. San Francisco.
Eddie Perrote, Designer. Brooklyn.
Are you a WNW Member with new work, exhibits, products, or news to share? Email us!
MY BUCKET LIST: ASHLEY HUHE
MY BUCKET LIST: ASHLEY HUHE
Despite the million and a half things WNW Member and Minneapolis-based Designer #7098 Ashley Huhe has already accomplished, her bucket list runs deep. So be it, the life of an ambitious creative. We asked her to share the top things on her list and in true Type-A fashion, Ashley illustrated a whole bunch of them for us.
It got us thinking about our own bucket list, most of which erred more towards Octoberfest than Everest. But hey, if enough WNW Members want to go spelunking, we're down to organize it. You'll have Ashley to thank.
Go Spelunking+Explore a Cave
Hike to Mt. Everest Base Camp
Fly a Plane
Sleep in an Igloo and Watch the Northern Lights
Learn to Do Sewn Book Bindings
Celebrate Oktoberfest in Munich
PERSONAL
Tell us about your background: Who is Ashley Huhe and how did you get here?
I was prophetically professed “Best Artist” in my High School yearbook from a whopping 150 people. Pretty embarrassing these days but my love of making things was always a part of my identity. No vote needed. After a 3-year stint at a public university where I studied abroad in England for a year (aka the best year of my life) I transferred to the Minneapolis College of Art & Design where I spent three years and a semester abroad at the Bauhaus in Weimar, unexpectedly falling in love with the German language in the process. I interned with Printerette Press and had a brief moment of letterpress love. I will always love print, always. I spent a semester interning with the French Alliance of Minneapolis / St Paul and The Thorburn Group after graduation. After graduation I decided to nip one of my bucket list items in the butt and headed to Germany for a year to be an Au Pair and work on my German skills. Upon my return I started to work at The Thorburn Group again. Getting to this point has been a whirlwind of adventure that influences my work in perhaps ways I might never realize.
We love your bucket list! You mentioned accomplishing the bucket list item of living in Germany. Any other bucket list items you've crossed off?
I have a ungodly long bucket list and it grows more than things get checked off. My proudest bucket list “check-offs” include:
1. Living and working abroad to learn another language. After graduating I moved to Germany to be an Au Pair for a year. I met some pretty awesome kids (and adults), experienced the culture pretty in depth, and I am able to carry a pretty decent conversation in German. It’s not fluent but it’s conversational :)
2. I have Norwegian, Czech, English and German roots and I wanted to be able to visit all of these countries. I accomplished this in 2013.
3. I’ve gone out to a nice restaurant for dinner alone.
4. I’ve written a short story.
5. I’ve picked grapes for a vineyard (and no I will never do it again)
6. Win a hula-hooping contest (Ok, I didn’t win but I got 3rd!)
What do you do when you’re not working?
I’m passionate about travelling and so I like to do that as much as possible. I also enjoy hiking and yoga but there are days, however rare, where I stay in, drink coffee, and watch Netflix. I also like to socialize with humans after working on the computer for hours on end.
PROFESSIONAL
What did you want to be when you grew up?
I actually wanted to be a Zookeeper primarily so I could bring baby animals that were abandoned home with me in the evenings.
Proudest career moment?
Being offered work right after graduation.
Biggest career challenge-failure-mistake?
I won’t get into the gory details but I learned not to internalise mean-spirited clients. And sometimes regardless of the client's decisions and wants ALWAYS get a physical mock-up from their printer.
BONUS ROUND!
Last three things you Googled:
1. Where the 2018 Winter Olympics will be held (it’s South Korea)
2. Kittens meowing and talking
3. Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade tips
Most significant creative influence, inspiration, or creative hero:
I think this is a melting pot of a couple things. First off travel is my most creative influence but with that comes many things like being outdoors and the textures, colors and shapes of nature. Also, being immersed in another culture and other human lives invigorates the mind and presents some of the most subtle changes in thought patterns that can make all the difference to a creative thought.
Current songs on repeat:
"Christine (Tilted)" - Christine & The Queens
Favorite quote:
Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?”
-Dumbledore / J.K. Rowling
Advice you’d give your high school self:
Work hard but don’t stress out so much -- it’s going to work out.
Also please don’t try Snus and definitely don’t do it twice -- it’s not going to be less potent in another country and you WILL throw up.
Two truths and a lie:
1. I’m allergic to horses
2. I’ve rode camels and slept in a tent in the Moroccan desert
3. Astronomy was the least useful class I took in College - Lie, it’s been one of the most useful as far as spewing random information out at people.
WNW Member whose work you admire and why:
Annie Ulku - Minnesota girl with some mad illustrative style and type skills
Got a bucket list you'd like to share? Email us!
DRINKING NOT DRINKING: MINNEAPOLIS
DRINKING NOT DRINKING: MINNEAPOLIS
So you can get to know a little bit about the host of our upcoming Minneapolis edition of Drinking Not Drinking, WNW #210 Adam Smith agreed to take on some of our extra tough questions. He's a Creative Technologist, and co-founder of digital development agency Interface (formerly known as UDC Interactive).
As Adam puts it, "Minneapolis packs a lot of creative punch into a small population... Most of the market here still seems to skew a bit more traditional, but there is a vast amount of talent here across all mediums." There should be a good sample of that this Thursday, September 24th. If you'll be in the Minneapolis area, you can RSVP here.
Background
Tell us your story! 140 characters, max. Just kidding :) Who is Adam Smith and how did he get here?
Adam Smith was a famous 18th Century economist who wrote The Wealth of Nations, and whose ideas and theories became the basis of modern day capitalism. Two centuries later, he would serve as my namesake and the life-long joke my dad played on me.
When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
When I was very young, I wanted to be a pilot. From third grade up until my first semester of college, I wanted to be an architect.
Cities you’ve lived in, summed up in one word.
Waukesha: Hometown
San Francisco: Balmy
Chicago: Food
Minneapolis: Home
Dream place you’d like to move.
Los Angeles/Southern California
How does Minneapolis inspire you? What’s the creative scene like?
Minneapolis packs a lot of creative punch into a small population. While the agency scene has somewhat diminished since the glory days of the early and mid-2000’s, I think there are a lot more city-wide efforts to inspire the arts and creativity. Most of the market here still seems to skew a bit more traditional, but there is a vast amount of talent here across all mediums.
Work
What are you currently working on?
Currently we’re working on our own website rebuild as part of our rebrand, as well as a new website build for our branding agency partner. We also are wrapping up a health-tech web application (HIPAA Compliant) and a few Wordpress websites. We are also in preliminary talks to do a VR and Apple TV project with an internationally known composer.
You seem to apply your creativity to a variety of roles in different fields. What does the role of Creative Technologist mean to you? Does it encompass most of what you do?
I think ultimately, a creative technologist’s job is thought leadership. Production is fairly easy to come by, but bringing in a creative technologist early in the creative process can help with what the product should be in the first place. That thinking is what led us to our core brand statement: Ideas First, Technology Second.
If you weren’t a Creative Technologist, what do you think you’d be doing instead?
It’s hard to say. I probably would have focused on design, or film making.
Running an agency
You co-founded a digital development agency called Interface (formerly UDC Interactive.) When did you start thinking about starting your own agency? What were some of the challenges that you encountered along the way?
I’ve freelanced on the side for years but I’ve always resisted starting an agency, mostly due to the instability and management side of things. Last fall, the right combination of projects and a good business partner fell into place. The biggest challenge has been consistent work, and not being able to get our name out there until our rebrand was finished. We know we do great work, now it’s time to let people know.
What kind of work does Interface do? What led you to rebrand your agency?
We concept and produce digital projects. Our core focus is modern web (front-end) since that’s where most of our business comes from. However, we can also do full stack development and are very experienced integrating various APIs ranging from social to Ecommerce to content. We also make time for experiential work, as I have done some out of home projects in the past.
Inspiration & Advice
What moment or project in your career so far has made you the proudest?
The countdown timer and Twitter application for the Forever 21 store in Times Square back in 2010 is probably the best memory, even though the work was fairly simple. The Porsche Color Theory site I did in 2007 was probably the overall best project, since I got to manage a small team as well as contribute directly in a programming role.
Who most inspires you creatively?
It’s hard to point to individuals, but I think agencies like Firstborn, AKQA, StinkDigital, and B-Reel have been inspiring not only in the caliber of projects, but in the sheer consistency of being on top of their game, year in and year out.
Who are some other WNW members you admire, and why?
The person that immediately comes to mind is my friend Sean O'Brien. We met at EVB years ago and it was the first real collaboration I had with strong digital talent who really understood technology and usability in addition to elegant and smart design.
What’s the best advice for a creative that you’ve ever heard?
I was actually just thinking about this this morning. One of the best pieces of advice I’ve ever gotten was: “Whatever you want to be, act like it.”
Things you would tell your high school or early twenties self.
1. Live deliberately.
2. Buy Apple stock.
3. The Boo’s always come from the cheap seats.
4. You have no reason not to be confident.
Bonus Round :)
What do you do when Not Working?
Depending on the time of year, it’s a mix of cycling, downhill skiing, NFL Football (watching, not playing) and wine.
What song always gets you in the creative zone?
The two disk set of “Perfecto Presents: Another World” by Paul Oakenfold works better than caffeine on most occasions.
Two truths and a lie
1. I used to be a guide for blind skiers.
2. I have not been on any TV shows.
3. It took me 10 minutes to think these up.
Last 3 things you googled (And yes, we will be sharing this ;))
LA Philharmonic VR, Migrating domains in Google apps, Virtual choir
Anything else you’d like to add that we haven’t asked?
Nothing that wouldn’t sound like blatant self-promotion!
If you are in the Minneapolis area on 9/24, RSVP here for Drinking Not Drinking.
HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF CLIENT FEEDBACK
HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF
CLIENT FEEDBACK
WNW Members #1395 Breanna Radermacher and #5602 Jen Serafini are designers on a mission to pay it forward. They've joined forces as co-founders of Be Free, Lance, an online course for designers who want to build a successful business from the ground up. The next session begins on June 1st and registration is now open. You can learn more about what the course entails right here. Last week on Free Range, Jen covered the importance of creating successful project proposals. This week, Breanna offers insight into getting the most out of client feedback.
Last week, we chatted about the importance of creating successful project proposals to make sure that expectations are set and understood up front. But when you’re in the thick of the design process, gathering helpful feedback from clients is another pivotal moment that can make or break a project. Think about it this way — you’ve already strategized, conceptualized, designed, refined, and created a killer presentation of what you believe to be the best solution. And although you may be extremely proud of the work shown, everything can fall apart in an instant if you don’t handle the revision process in a professional and educational manner.
So how do you facilitate appropriate feedback? Be a leader. I always like to start off with a strong presentation. Instead of just showing my clients something pretty, I give them some context as well. That way, they are learning about why I made certain design decisions while also being reminded about the original objective. For example, I may present a logo concept and also state the following: “Because we wanted to convey your outgoing personality, I used a bold and modern typeface. It’s solid, strong, and can stand the test of time, just like you. The composition, however, remains simple so that your branding does not detract from your beautiful artwork.” By shedding a little light into the thought behind a design, the client will better understand what they are looking at and be able to provide better feedback.
But educating your client doesn’t stop there. At the end of my initial presentation, I always provide a guide for feedback. I’ve found that more often than not, clients don’t have experience in giving critique, so it’s best to help them out from the get go. If you just say “What do you think?” there’s no telling what you’ll get in response. But if you outline some questions for the client to run through and consider, they instantly have a cheat sheet on what to look for. For example purposes, here are some questions that I ask most clients after they’ve seen their initial designs:
Is your gut consistently drawn towards one direction? Ask yourself this same question over the next few days.
Do you feel the typography represents your brand voice, in wanting to achieve something that is (put descriptive words about their project here)?
Do you feel that the overall tone is inline with your target market and what they’re attracted to? Remember, we wanted to go for something that was (put descriptive words about their target market here).
Do you have any other comments or things you’d like to see changed?
As you can see, most of these questions are structured in a way that helps remind the client about their original objective. It’s easy for clients to begin sharing their stream of consciousness without giving much thought to the strategy behind a design, so it’s important to guide them into it. And these questions do just that! But if you’d like to take things a step further, you can also give them examples of good and bad feedback, just so they have a starting point. For example, plain statements like “I don’t like that blue” aren’t helpful, but explanatory statements like “I don’t like that blue because it feels too childish” are.
If you find yourself receiving bad feedback, or even feeling like a design puppet (which is the worst), take a look at your revision process and evaluate your communication with clients. At the end of the day, feedback is a collaborative process, and if you are leading confidently while listening closely, things tend to go a lot smoother.
Bre Radermacher's Work:
Are you a WNW Member with new work, exhibits, products, or news to share? Email us.
MEET #1397 ANTHONY LANE
MEET #1397 ANTHONY LANE
Designer • Minneapolis, MN
WNW Member #1397 Anthony Lane specializes in logo and brand design. He cites Brandon Oxendine, Nick Brue, and Matt Chase as fellow designers and WNW members whom he admires. Anthony's appreciation extends to the craft: "Be grateful for what you do—we as designers have the privilege of making design and solving problems for other people who rely on us. This shouldn't be work, if it feels like work find a way to get over it or do something else. Remember, you could always be pushing paper somewhere."
1. How long have you been freelancing?
I started freelancing December of 2009, so 5 years. I've been working full-time as well over that period of time, but spend a lot of time freelancing outside of full-time work.
2. Is there a time or place that you feel most creative/have the best ideas?
Right after I look at great work from my favorite designers/studios or see something I really like. It could be an old piece of design (or anything really), that seems to trigger the desire to be creative. Driving in the car or doing something completely opposite of being in the studio also seem to be places where ideas come.
3. What's your ideal Working:Not Working ratio?
Now that I have a couple of children and a family, something like 80/20 feels close to ideal. Before that I felt like I wasn't being productive if I didn't always have something on my plate, I still feel that way, but have learned a whole lot about appreciating time away from design and that in turn, has helped me be a better designer and person.
4. Do your parents understand what you do?
They do, but I don't think they grasp the ins and outs of being a designer; I think they still think I just make logos.
5. What scene from a movie makes you laugh just thinking about it?
Buzz Lightyear tea drinking scene in Toy Story 1. Having a small child in the house, I've probably seen the movie a dozen times in the last month so it's immediately memorable. I'm just now appreciating the adult humor in that movie.
6. If you were stranded on a desert island, with your computer, what 3 websites would you take with you?
1. Wikipedia
2. Google
3. The Atlantic
7. What do you do when Not Working?
Depends on the season. I spend a lot of time indoors doing fun stuff with my two boys and wife in the Winter and in the Summer I mix that with being outside as much as possible riding/fixing my motorcycle and doing housework.
8. Do you have a hidden talent?
Does juggling count?
9. Any tips or advice for fellow freelancers?
Try to have fun with what you're doing and don't try to perfect everything—a lot of great things are found in the imperfections. Establish practices upfront that help with the management side of things to give you more time to spend on being creative. Be a master of setting expectations and asking questions. And remember why you were hired.
10. What's your favorite thing on the internet this week?
Spending lots of time going through high-res satellite images of our Earth from the European Space Agency. What an amazing world we live in.
11. Who are some other WNW members whose work you admire, and why?
Brandon Oxendine has a very neat approach, smart, weird, and always a little off—in a good way.
Nick Brue because he's a good Minnesotan and a really really talented designer.
Matt Chase has an incredible sense of wit and his range of execution in his illustrations are incredible, seems like a nice guy too.
12. Anything else you'd like to add that we haven't asked?
It's been said many times before, but be grateful for what you do—we as designers have the privilege of making design and solving problems for other people who rely on us. This shouldn't be work, if it feels like work find a way to get over it or do something else. Remember, you could always be pushing paper somewhere.
More of Anthony's Work
Are you a WNW Member with new work, exhibits, products, or news to share? Email us.
WORK: WORLD'S LARGEST ICE FISHING TOURNAMENT
WORK: WORLD'S LARGEST ICE FISHING TOURNAMENT
Jenn Ackerman + Tim Gruber, WNW Member #1505, are a husband and wife photography team based in Minneapolis. They specialize in a raw, authentic approach to capturing real people for a variety of clients including The New York Times, ESPN, Esquire and TIME. Here, Ackerman + Gruber tackled the World's Largest Ice Fishing Tournament on behalf of NBC. Take a look.