Good-bye Pretty Ugly

Pretty Ugly has been fun… I've updated my personal site ispaan.com and have exported all the posts from Pretty Ugly the the new site. I'm learning WordPress, and loving it. A whole new world of web design has opened up for me. So please continue to check out the new site.
Love and kisses!
Ilsa

Latest Freelance Project

Part of my latest freelance project is to create a logo from a customer's concept. Below is a flyer that she drew up, with the logo she designed. (I blurred out the background somewhat.) It has a nice home-made feel to it.

But she's going digital, and would like to increase the marketing value of her venue. Today I created a logo for her, based on her original... and I just love it! Hope she does too!





It works great with her original concept and drawing. It's colorful and whimsical like her. The font is called Marker Monkey and is available at FontDiner in the free silverware section.





UPDATE: 03/01/09
She liked the logo, but was interested in an Art Nouveau font. So I found one that worked for the logo and after a tweaking it around a bit, this design emerged. I'm happy with it. Haven't heard back from her yet... but we'll see. (Font is Trinigan FG by Fontgrube)

Wake Up You Sleepy Head (You Can Sleep When You Are Dead)

Happy morning! Listen to this song every morning for a week and I guarantee the shiny yellow people will keep you smiling.

Logo Process for Best Political Campaign Ever

The fact that this guy got elected to be the next President of the United States is proof that the Obama '08 Campaign had one of the most successful branding strategies for a political campaign ever.

So how did they come up with the logo used throughout the campaign? Sol Sender of VSA Partners in Chicago led the creative process in developing the logo and discusses it here.





via Burstoid

via VSA Partners

Side Note: Although I'm delighted and giddy at the thought of our next president being Obama, I didn't vote for him. I'm Libertarian and voted for Bob Barr and my vote did count because the party will now remain officially recognized in North Carolina and doesn't have to spend all its money on getting signatures just to be on the ballot.

Christmas Music I Actually Like

Those who know me, know I'm not too much into the holiday spirit. But I am into good music.

Suburban Sprawl Music offers a free download of alternative Christmas music that doesn't fit the usual Xmas mold. Each year since the early otts, SSM has uploaded a compilation for download. I can vouch for 2006 and 2007 versions and am looking forward to listening to this year's selection.

I have emptied my iPod of all tunes 'cept these, and have been very much enjoying the shuffle.

Old and Interesting Signage Around Alamance County (Part 2)

This is by far my favorite sign in Alamance County. The caption under the "SHOES" says "MODERN SHOE SHOP". The kicker is that they have since painted the signage with white and red paint. So glad I snapped this picture first. The shop is open, but stacked with remnants from days gone by. Need to get by there someday to get the scoop.



Driving to work on the back roads through east Burlington there are many old signs. This one, on HWY 70 is still in use, not sure what for. If I worked there, I'd know for sure that I had made it to the league of "Professional".



Skids is right up the street from "The Professional Building." This sign isn't complete without a photo of the building (below). I especially love the glowing star on top of the restaurant. Haven't eaten there yet, but it's on my list of things to do some day.

Getting Noticed: Emails that Stand Out from the Crowd

In his article, 5 Ways to Make an Editor Delete Your Email, posted on FreelanceSwitch, Jeffrey Way describes how not to write an email if you are trying to sell yourself to a potential editor or creative director. After the what-not-to-dos, he recommends what you should be including in your email:

What You Should Include in Your Email

1. Introduce yourself. Don’t send me a novel, but at least give me a few sentences detailing who you are.
2. What experience do you have? This is important to me. Keep in mind that it’s perfectly okay if you have zero experience. But, let me know that. We’re always looking for the next new “guy”. Consequently, let me know where you’ve worked in the past. Have you been published? These are things that I shouldn’t have to ask you. Tell me up front. If you’re fresh out of school, use it to your advantage. Tell me that you’re willing to work harder than any other. Tell me that you WANT IT more than any other.
3. Find a way to get an editor’s attention by using weaknesses to your advantage. We all love samples. If you’ve had your work published, send me links to those articles. If you’re a designer, link to your website. I need to know what you’re capable of. You’d be surprised how many people skip this step.
4. Eye Of The Tiger. Okay, it’s corny to reference Rocky movies. But thirty years later, it’s still true. You have to “want” in this business. You have to be willing to work harder than any other. You have to be willing to sacrifice more than any other. You have to be willing to STAND OUT more than any other….
5. Stand Out In this industry, you’ll forever be in a state of competition. Find ways to separate yourself from the rest of the pack. I’m reminded of being a child and having my mother tell me, “If you want to win that coloring contest, be different!” Ask yourself, what makes me unique? How can you approach a task from a different perspective? Whatever that method is, show it to the editor. I can’t emphasize this point any more.

Time for me to get busy sending out those emails! Does anyone have other tips for getting your email noticed?

Blog Action Day -- Poverty

This year for Blog Action Day poverty is the theme, which carries with it so many possible angles! I asked my husband, Bill (who is a writer) to give me his thoughts on the subject of poverty in a word or two.

What Defines Poverty?

Poverty is deprivation. The lack of money, food, spirit, shared humanity, and a sense of commonality indicate poverty.

Today, the spiritual poverty illustrated through greed, self-interest, and the me-first attitude has impoverished our country, and our entire planet. The owner of an unneeded gas guzzling automobile, the predatory mortgage lender, the easy credit card, buy-now-pay-forever-plan, the television ads offering a houseful of furniture with no payments for one year, two years, transpire to send us all under the bridge, so poor we lack duct tape to build our cardboard shelter.

The citizens of the world must find a common sense of shared humanity and realize poverty of the spirit creates hunger and starvation for all.

Chuck Norris in Iraq

Everyone who knows me, knows I love bad movies and Chuck Norris is one of my favorites of the genre. A martial arts master turned Hollywood actor, he always portrays the honorable good guy who beats the crap out of the bad guys.

Imagine my surprise when my son-in-law came back from Iraq with this photograph. What an honor! Steven (on left) and his buddy are lucky Chuck Norris didn't kick their asses the way they are glaring at him!



Thanks to our troops for fighting to protect our freedoms. And thanks to Chuck Norris for restraining himself from the antics of these two bad-ass marines!

Latest Freelance Logo Project

My latest freelance project was to design a logo for a local storage company. Her facility is not on the main street, as are her competition's sites. We decided to brand her image with red and black and highlight the "off-the-beaten-path" aspect to its advantage. Below are three designs I came up.




She decided to go with the 2nd logo choice. It seems to stand out more from a distance. The line under it and the building in the logo ad stability. She changed the red from PMS 200 to PMS 185, because it has less of a pink quality to it.



The slogan we came up with is Mebane's Finest "off-the-beaten-path" Self Storage Facility. We highlighted the cleanliness of the facility with images and I created a small map on the back of the business card. We wanted to be able to use the business card as a marketing tool at the local downtown merchants. The letterhead design maintains the new branding elements of her company (logo/color/fonts).



This new logo and branding sets her company apart from her competition. It will soon be present on her web site and if all goes well, this investment will increase her presence in the community and get her much more business!

Your comments are welcome. Or contact me via my portfolio site to see how I can help you increase the visibility (and profits!) of your business.

Old and Interesting Signage around Alamance County (Part 1)

Have always loved this old sign for Western Steak House in the heart of an industrial area off of Hwy 70. Finally ate there. Great steak and great atmosphere!


Old laundromat sign from yesteryear on Webb Ave. Would be wonderful if it was restored!


Faded happy sign to nothing, on an empty lot on Graham-Hopedale Rd. It makes me happy!

What's growing in my yard?

There were several patches of these mushrooms in our yard this morning. They are beautiful and ugly at once.

Using the macro setting on my Pentax Optio S50 digital camera I got these shots. Click on any of the images to see larger version.