i like this: “Design is about “love” and “hate,” not “like” and “dislike”—and hence the key to emotional bonding, internally as well as externally.”

“…they are governed by good ideas and executed with superb craft. Ideas not only guide work, but also help defend our designs (by providing reasons for choices) against arbitrary taste preferences.” Edward Tufte in Envisioning Information

I definitely would recommend lynda.com. For $25/month, it has every tutorial for any software program. Quick and easy to find the answer you need when you need it, or to teach yourself a new software…. very useful!

Today’s lesson is on press releases.

this is copied from a great website: Nonprofit Marketing Guide

1. A News Angle. Your press release needs an angle that shouts out why it should be read and followed up on NOW. What’s so special about your release’s topic and why should a reporter care about it TODAY? Linking your press release to current events, the time of year, or hot topics in the news is a good way to add a news angle to your press release.

2. Objectivity. Press releases should be as objective as possible. They are not marketing or advocacy pieces. Try to write them as if you were a reporter yourself, or at least someone not directly affiliated with your organization.

3. Quotes. Quotes bring your press release to life. Watch out for stiff or bureaucratic language. Instead, think of questions a reporter might ask and what your responses would be, in conversational language. Use those as your quotes.

4. A Contact Person Who Can Be Reached Today. Every press release should include information on how a reporter can reach you for more information. Don’t list your office phone number if it will trap a reporter in voicemail limbo. Don’t list yourself as the contact if you’ll be in meetings all day. Reporters are on tight deadlines. Tell them whom they can call and and how they can reach those contacts today.

5. Boilerplate at the Bottom. Always include as the last section of your press release a paragraph with the heading “About (your organization’s name).” It should contain the basic information about your organization (e.g., its mission, major programs, when it was founded, etc.). Don’t include this kind of background in the release itself–it’s not news.

another chapter opens in this new world of videography: lighting.

i’m cursing myself for not paying more attention in theater about lighting…. i was too engrossed with set design/building.
oh well…. off to google for instant how-to’s. this link is probably the most useful so far. Mediaed.org. It goes through the basics of tungsten/flourescent/halogen, and also key, fill and back lighting. So…. here we go!

another, and another.

Maybe this will become a regular thing for me: random images searches to see what comes up. This is the latest flickr search that brought a smile to my face.

Keyword: “computer mouse”

http://veerle.duoh.com/blog/comments/winners_of_the_what_is_graphic_design_poster_competition/

Love Glencraig’s poster. So True!!!