Photo stock agency Corbis has come up with an unusually charming promotional scheme: cute and colorful DIY pinhole cameras sporting the agency’s photos and illustrations. The cameras, which take fuzzy photos that have a nostalgically lo-tech look, are ready for download at Corbis’ web site. All you have to do is to pick a pdf of your favorite design (there are currently three to choose from with more to come), print it out on high quality paper and follow the instructions. The cameras were designed by Fwis design firm in NYC who created them exclusively for Corbis. It’s probably a project best enjoyed by those among us that are somewhat crafty (not me), since the origami-like folding looks a bit complicated. But then again, it might be worth a bit of effort. Think of that warm inner glow of accomplishment. And it also makes a great gift. For free.

I recently switched web hosts for a client. I hate switching hosts, but it seems like a lot of hosts that start out great (good price, good customer service) hit a certain size and then go down hill rapidly. I’ve had that experience with Frogee and now with Midphase.

So, I looked at the site, checked what email addresses we needed and what services we needed, then tried to figure out the best way to do this switch with no downtime. In theory, I could switch them over without visitors even noticing, but having accounts at both hosts, so that the web files would be up in both places, when the DNS (domain name server) switched from pointing to the files at Midphase and pointed instead to the files at Network Solutions, no one but me and the DNS server would notice the difference. (more…)

Used to be, planning the HOW Design Conference involved choosing a site and inviting a handful of speakers. Now, there’s way more to it. Oddly, I’m always amazed and even a little overwhelmed when I see the final conference program, with not only the lineup of sessions that we’ve developed but all the other stuff that’s going on during the event. (more…)

I hope you enjoy my list of five wonderful things that have recently brought me inspiration. They are in no particular order….

iPhone: I know this is overused. But, my iPhone is so crazy-easy to use! I really tried to not include it, but the truth is that I have been
completely inspired since the minute I bought it and still am months later. On a recent trip, I researched a destination, called for reservations, and mapped it in a few minutes and four screen touches. It is brilliantly designed to be easy, and yet it functions better than any other comparable device. I really think it may be one of the best items I’ve ever owned. (more…)

Looking at other people’s work can inspire all kinds of feelings (jealousy, arrogance, humility and frustration being some of mine). No matter what these emotions are, there’s always something to be learned from them. But the most valuable reaction you can have to someone else’s creativity is to be reenergized by it. I’m not a designer, but I get a kick out of French graphic artist duo M/M. Their posters, ads and album covers are like erratic puzzles of slightly chaotic beauty that make me look at design in a different way. How come these juxtaposed images seem so meaningful together? Why do these chicken scratch letters look so right? Why do these swirly pencil drawn abstractions make me dream? (more…)

How do you turn a cool concept into an interface that’s easy to use? Ask Mike!

We’re very excited to announce the birth of our new column “Ask Mike!”, where guest author and usability expert Mike Madaio will help you make sense of fundamental user concerns, emerging technologies, and the ins and outs of usability testing.Mike also writes for NoD on a range of user experience topics.

Mike has been creating online user interfaces for more than 10 years. He currently serves as Chief Internet Architect at QVC, overseeing the online customer experience team, including user interface design, site navigation, information architecture, usability testing and integration of new technologies.

If you have questions for Mike, go ahead and post them as comments to this post on NoD. He will reply to questions frequently under the “Usability” category of Notes on Design

Recently and yet again, I was asked for a copy of a font. Someone I thought of as a legitimate designer asked me to e-mail a font I paid for so they would not have to. Though it has happened many times, this “I’m a shoplifter so you must be one too,” attitude never ceases to amaze and insult me. Is my attitude extreme? I think not. In fact, I believe the pilfering of images, fonts, and software is not just benign cheating or victim less crime, I think of it as professional suicide. Here’s why:

1. Minimizing the value of other people’s work minimizes ours.
Every knowledgeable graphic designer understands that good design and development require creativity, technical knowledge, and resources. A typeface designer not only conceives of, draws, and refines every turn and corner of every letter of the alphabet; they also craft sets of numbers, symbols, ornaments, and a standard set of foreign characters. Add ligatures, alternative characters, and width and weight variations and a single typeface family can easily represent literally thousands of individual images.
So ask yourself this: “Does type design have any merit or value?” If so then, “Should a type designer be compensated for the hours they work?” And finally this, “Should type designers donate their vision and craft so we can profit from it?” (more…)

I’m probably a little crazy, but I’m trying to have it all and I’m sure I’m not alone. I have a full-time design position with salary, benefits and job security. However, in this current economic environment, you never know what’s going to happen, so I still maintain an active network of freelance clients just in case my day-job turns out not to be as secure as I thought. It can sometimes lead to an insane weekly schedule, but with a little prioritizing and self-discipline, working a day-job and a night-job can be very rewarding (if not a necessity) for a designer. (more…)

Stefan at his favorite spot in the studio

Graphic designer Stefan Sagmeister specializes in the unexpected. He is known for idiosyncratic and humorous work that always gives you the slight jolt of seeing something completely new. When it comes to his workspace, however, Stefan is a creature of habit. He has been living and working out of the same 700 sq feet duplex for the past 15 years. Sagmeister Inc. is located on the top floor of a respectable but not particularly fancy residential building on the border of the upscale shopping and nightlife area Meatpacking District in New York. While the space is low in square footage it’s big on light, air and scenery. The floor to ceiling windows open up to an impressive view of downtown Manhattan, making the apartment feel a little bit like an aquarium in the sky.

We were curious about why Stefan is so attached to this space and why he insists on staying there. So we paid him a visit to find out. (more…)

With the deadline for your personal taxes just around the corner (and your corporate taxes a few weeks ago), it’s time to review if you’re doing what you can to save on taxes. Even if it’s too late for some of these strategies this year, it’s never too late to plan ahead for the 2008 tax year. So let’s talk about what to consider at the end of each calendar year.

Spend your time concentrating on ways to reduce your tax bill, not merely defer it. Here are some basic ideas to consider:

• If you own your own building, raise the rent you are paying to yourself. As long as that amount approximates market rates, you’ll be legally saving yourself FICA and removing money from the business in a tax advantaged manner. (more…)