derek shirk

The Coolest Thank You Card…Ever

derek — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 20:25:45 +0000

Working with clients who understand and appreciate the creative process is always a delight. Several months ago I had the pleasure of working with Therese Murdza, a local Portland artist to help her promote a First Thursday event and some upcoming art shows. Just a few weeks ago Therese contacted me and wanted to reprint some of the postcards I created for her. A few days after delivering the new set of postcards I received the coolest thank you note I’ve ever received. Therese was thoughtful enough to include a small personal piece of artwork from here latest watercolor series and a handwritten note. This surprise gesture was greatly appreciated. Therese, I look forward to working with you again in the future!

Kid Icarus

derek — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 17:36:02 +0000

In today’s digital age I long for handmade objects and designs with a real human touch. I was really inspired by the work of this little two-person shop in Toronto and thought the video was really well done. Worth your time to check out and definitely inspiring.

Mac App Spotlight: Alred

derek — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 16:55:15 +0000

I’m always looking for ways to increase my productivity. I recently found the Alfred App in the Mac app store and thought I’d give it a shot. Alfred is a launcher application which allows you to perform all sorts of helpful tasks by entering commands on your keyboard. For example you can launch applications, empty your trash, define words or do simple calculations.

One of the most appealing characteristics of Alfred is that the program will learn your most commonly used actions and prioritize them over time. I have already noticed Alfred getting smarter after my first week of using the app. I spend a lot of time these days writing code and I find it really useful to be able to perform simple tasks without taking my hands off of the keyboard. So far I am really enjoying the application. Some commands that the application seem to be lacking are the ability to create new folders or move files. I think that might be a nice addition. I haven’t found the need to purchase the PowerPack which is the more full-feature version of the app which costs about $18.00 but if anyone has purchased the full version I would love to hear your feedback.

Customizing My Macbook Pro Desktop

derek — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 15:00:05 +0000

Lately I’ve seen some pretty ingenious Mac OSX customizations so I was a little inspired to do some customization of my own. I wasn’t looking to completely overhaul the OSX UI but I did want to make my desktop a little more useful. So after researching GeekTool, an application which lets you output simple data onto your desktop like system stats and and other basic unix commands I decided to give it a shot. The image above is the final product after following a few tutorials and demonstrations. The desktop neatly outputs the current Month, Date & Time neatly tucked behind a layer of sand. I was also able to convert the OSX menu bar at the top of the screen from silver to black. While doing so, I also chose to have the menu bar hide itself unless hovered over. This helped me squeeze an extra 20 pixels of screen real estate out of my 15″ MacBook Pro which I like – more on that later. I would highly reccomend GeekTool for anyone looking to add a little bit of extra customization to their OSX install if you are not comfortable with unix command line . You can also find all sorts of existing scripts and implementations of GeekTool here.

My next project will be a customized start screen for Chrome. I recently converted from firefox and while I like the simple start screen that come out-of-the-box I’m hoping to expand upon its functionality. I will post my results from that project soon.

Wednesday Was a Good Day

derek — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 15:22:25 +0000

Wake up in the morning gotta thank #Jobs. So far, today has turned out to be a nice little wednesday. Even though this video made its way around the internet a few months ago, I thought it would be appropriate to post. Gotta love it. Hope you all are having nice Wednesdays of your own.

5 Examples of Texture in Web Design

derek — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 15:56:09 +0000

I find that textures are a difficult element to incorporate online. I see a lot of sites using texture but few are able to execute it well. Texture can be an overpowering design element that requires the right touch or possibly the right project in order to pull it off. Also, keep in mind that texture tends to translate better visually on a larger monitor than it does on smaller mobile devices. However, I do find myself being drawn to sites that are able to pull this off tastefully so I thought I’d gather some examples I’ve found recently of what I’m deeming effective uses of texture. Hope you’ll find this collection useful and inspiring.

Marie Catrips

Label my Coffee

Cake Sweet Cake

El Passion

Eastpoint Community

Design Quote #3

derek — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 14:00:33 +0000

Brand New Awards Book

derek — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 15:21:35 +0000

I had an opportunity to take a look at the 2010 Brand New Awards Book today from Under Consideration. The 252 page book showcases some of the best identity work produced around the world during 2010. This book is sure to be a sought-after addition to any designer’s bookcase.

My first impression of the book was the brick orange book jacket which is both eye-catching and intriguing. I like how the understated jacket design doesn’t overpower or compete with any of the beautiful work showcased throughout the book. Also, the paper choice is superb. The cover is printed on a Finch Fine/Bright White 130 lb Double cover so it feels very substantial upon opening the book. The rest of the book is printed on a Finch Opaque Smooth Bright White 100 lb text. I should also mention that the book is FSC certified and printed with soy and vegetable inks. The typography used in the layout throughout the book is comprised of Aptifer Slab by linotype, Benton Sans by Font Bureau, Gotham by Hoefler & Frere-Jones and Paperback by House Industries.

The 2010 Brand New Awards book is 252 pages of identity goodness. Generously spaced, illustrated, and documented, the book showcases the 101 winning entries with plentiful images, project briefs, desginers’ approaches, and client statements.

I must say I was really impressed. The book brings together the winning work of 56 professional designers, design firms, and in-house creative teams on behalf of 68 clients as well as the work of 30 students all in one very well designed package. Some of my favorite stand out projects are Comedy Central, Slice, Brooklyn Fare, Prom Peru and The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage.

The book is available here from Under Construction. The book is also available in iPad version which I would also like to get my hands on. If anyone has experienced the iPad version I would love to hear your comments.

Emiliana Torrini – Jungle Drums

derek — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 15:07:59 +0000

I love this song. A few weeks ago I posted this video from the Inspired Iceland Campaign. Since then I haven’t been able to stop playing it. Here is it is for you all to enjoy.

Artist: Emiliana Torrini

Design Business Tips

derek — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 15:55:38 +0000

As a freelancer and Co-Founder of The Brewhouse I have learned that there will always be times of uncertainty in the creative field. I guess that’s why I’m such a sucker for inspirational business quotes and tips on running a successful design business. I enjoyed this and thought I’d share it.

via: superbunneh
designer: Daniel Gray
Font: League Gothic