My iChat buddy icon is Wonder Woman. She is the ideal for strength and femininity in the comic book world (not that I read comics, but Comic Con would be fun to visit). Her lasso of truth is something I would kill to have—wouldn’t client meetings be a lot more fun with that in the mix? Alas, I’m not Wonder Woman… but I do have a superpower of sorts.

Like many other creatives I get run down. Deadlines, meetings, packed schedules—they all keep me on my toes, and often cause a little stress (<< understatement). We all feel this way, yet it’s part of life. I think as designers we secretly love it. The thing is handling it all—work, family, and everything else inbetween—is our superpower. And it can be for anyone. Some of us just need to learn how to reveal our inner hero.

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Recently I read a article titled “How Green Is My Sneaker“. In short, it was about a software tool that has been developed to measure the carbon footprint of products—from the harvesting of raw materials to end-of-life disposal. Soon, an Eco Index is going to be instituted, meaning companies will display the eco-value of their products on their packaging. It will stand for a multitude of things—it gives the manufacturer a way to look at environment and human-rights impact when designing their product, and it will help shoppers compare how green different garments are. There are only a few companies that are taking the stand to show us their ratings, including Adidas, Brooks Sports, Columbia Sportswear, Levi Strauss, Nike, Patagonia, REI, Target, and Timberland. No luxury companies are involved, so trying to find the rating on that pair of Pradas probably will not happen any time soon.

Although this eco index will not be ready for the public just yet, it kicks off a new beginning towards an eco-fashion future. This is really exciting when you think about the fact that the average American population sends 23.8 billion pounds of clothing and textile waste to landfills each year, and according to the Textile Recycling Organization 95% of that is recyclable. I also was reading that ILO estimates that there are 128 million child labourers between the ages of 5 and 17 worldwide, 126 million of whom are engaged in hazardous work, and 73 million of whom are younger than 10. That statistic is ridiculous, I sit and think of my young nieces and nephews and it makes my stomach sick.

Yet, like anything, there are always drawbacks.

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It’s that time of year again—the end of summer is officially in view. The breezes are stronger, and the cookouts are fewer. Fall is fast approaching, and most of us are happy to welcome the change in seasons. Here in the midwest we only get what seems like a couple weeks of this season, sandwiched between the excruciatingly hot, I-want-to-camp-in-front-of-my-freezer Summers and frigid, dig-your-car-out-of-the-snow Winters. Yet, that short time is enough for us to appreciate it’s highlights.

As designers, we tend to be drawn to the visual elements—with Fall that tends to mean the cornucopia of transforming colors. The ones that make you want to have pie and cider or jump in a pile of leaves. The beauty of the autumnal palette is in its diversity. From candy apple red to rich golds—the spectacular tones of Fall are worth taking a second look at.

Who else gets excited for Fall colors? Pantone of course. A while back, they released their Fashion Color Report for 2010 and the signature hues were all inspired by the upcoming season. Based on the hottest looks from well-known fashion designers, the list of hues determines the latest trends for the season—primarily muted tones, with a couple of brights thrown in. Favorites include Woodbine (PMS 18-0538), Oyster Gray (PMS 14-1107), and Chocolate Truffle (PMS 1901528).

The Pantone report is a great source of inspiration, no matter what sector of the design field you’re in. Even though they ARE considered trends, experimenting with this palette can add richness and depth to everyday projects. The warm neutrals make ideal backdrops for imagery, while the vivid brights would help any beautifully typeset headline stand out.

Of course, Pantone doesn’t include every color in the spectrum. That’s when a field trip outside can provide all the inspiration you need. Take a photo of a pile of leaves to create your own warm-toned palette. The best part is that nature does all the work for you in creating subtle tonal variations. Just let your Photoshop’s eye dropper do the rest.

This Fall, where will you find inspiration for your color palettes? Share in the comments.

“Bad Typography is Everywhere, Good Typography is invisible.” —Craig Ward

As designers, we live this quote daily. Whether it’s a horribly kerned sign on the train, or a flyer in the local paper completely set in Impact. It makes us cringe, wince, and gasp. All of us “type snobs” have been there:

“Why on earth would you think typesetting your resumé in Brush Script would make it seem more personal?”

“Really, real estate agent? You thought Chalkboard would make your boring paperwork more fun for me to read?!”

We all have our own personal tragedies, but sometimes there comes one so horrible that the masses turn their heads. It’s not that these typefaces are terrible; it’s more that their applications were so out of place that it made us take notice. So take a walk down memory lane with us and read about our favorite typographic controversies of the last few years after the jump.

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The newest promotion from Neenah Paper is hot off the presses, and it’s designed to inspire creativity. Put down that Wacom pen and pick up an X-Acto: the “Striking Every Time” piece for Oxford and Esse premium papers is more than just an engaging visual and tactile experience for recipients. It asks you to interact, and includes several clock faces that you can assemble and actually use – the kit includes a working clock motor. Read the rest of the entry >