HOW's brand-new Creative Freelancer Conference is just a few minutes from kicking off, and I'm almost giddy about this first-ever event! The opening keynote is at 4:00 ET; unfortunately since the hotel doesn't have wifi in the meeting rooms (boo!), my plans to live-blog the event won't be so "live" after all. But I'll post a few notes from the opening session later this evening, and chime in as I can in between tomorrow's jam-packed day of sessions.

The creatives in Minneapolis/St. Paul are finding unique ways to respond to the upcoming Republican National Convention. To capture all the events, art works and happenings, The Walker Art Center is sponsoring a site called The UnConvention. One of the projects featured there, "Make an Effort," was designed by Campbell Mithun.

Campbell Mithun’s newly developed “Make an Effort” campaign, designed to welcome the Republican National Convention and its supporters, makes light of the typical stereotypes that have hovered over the party for years, reminding everyone, especially their predominantly Democratic hosts, that The Republicans are Coming.

Posted by Megan

Creative Group Manager, Fashion & Home
Target

This is a unique position for someone with extraordinary creative taste and vision. Someone with the uncommon ability to spot and nurture great thinking - and effectively sell it through all levels of the corporation. Finding ways to motivate creative people, guiding them, inspiring them, and defending their ideas. Bringing great creative to life without being the "hands on" art director. You'd be responsible for all things style: design, designers, fashion, home, and beauty as it relates to everything the guest sees and touches (advertising, packaging, in store). Here's where your Vogue obsession, that "people person" point on your resume, and that finger you so tightly hold on the pulse, culminates into an actual job. We hope you have creative director experience (or senior account management experience with a secret knack for identifying and fostering creative).

Posted by Megan

LogóLogos is a blog about . . . wait for it . . . logos! I'm cursing my bad Spanish because I can only make out parts of the text, but the idea seems to be to take existing logos and other images and show how they can be transformed into other logos through judicious subtraction, multiplication and division. A lot of the brands seem to be South American, but there are international brands represented.

Posted by Megan

Art Director - Online
Rodale Inc.

Rodale Inc. is currently seeking an Online/Integrated Art Director for Rodale Marketing Solutions Department, located in New York City.

Responsibilities include:
*Develop and create visual design of integrated marketing programs from initial presentation and comps to execution of program elements including microsites, online ads and banners, email blasts, in-book advertorials and high-impact units, direct mail, etc.
*Developing strategically sound creative to meet client objectives and creative excellence
*Design sales materials including sales presentations and proposals, invitations, corporate brochures, to trade ads
*Participate in concept development/brainstorming sessions with marketing and sales team
*Interact with all Rodale marketing and art departments -- individual brands, events, books, custom publishing as appropriate
*Manage freelance design staff and venders to insure best pricing and production results
*Help build reliable freelance creative resources
*Work within established budget and maintain cost efficiencies
*Collaborate with RMS marketing and sales teams to support overall business initiatives and goals
*Position reports directly to the Executive Director, Rodale Marketing Solutions

Posted by Megan

I can't stop looking at the illustrations and comics of Jen Tong. Are they fairy tales? Dreams? I don't want to wake up.

Posted by Megan

Is type taking over home decor? Here's a lovely shelf from Pottery Barn Kids that celebrate letters from A to Z.



via Smissmiss

Posted by Megan

Tomorrow, I'm off to Chicago's Hyatt Regency hotel for HOW's first-ever Creative Freelancer Conference, where I'll be mingling with 225+ independent-minded creative types.

For the first time, I'll feel like an attendee at one of our conferences, as this one is geared not just toward designers but also to people like me: writers (and also illustrators, photographers and other creative pros). Like most creatives, I've had opportunity to do some freelancing, either between "real" jobs or on the side. So I'm quite interested in what the speakers have to say, and keen to network with other "solopreneurs."

Assuming my schedule and internet access go as planned, I intend to do some live blogging from the event, so stay tuned Wednesday through Friday.

If you're joining us for this conference, you'll find me here:

Graphic Designer, Business Marketing
Google Inc.

As a Graphic Designer with an egalitarian approach toward all programs, you are able to transform statistics, text and abstract concepts into persuasive and elegant informational presentations. A requirement of this job is that you have the ability to create polished presentations – often with little advance notice. Additionally, you'll assist sales teams in the field, as well as less-experienced designers, with their design projects. This is a fast-paced, high-pressure, often unpredictable – but thoroughly enjoyable – environment in which you'll work closely with Sales teams to create other collateral such as pitch books, posters, signage, brochures, direct-mail pieces, logos, Web graphics and other customer print projects for use around the world.

Posted by Megan

A smattering of news this week from around the design industry:

• CTI Paper has released a digital version of its Aspire Petallics Pearl paper, suitable for printing on an HP Indigo digital press.

• Smith Micro has launched a free PoserFusion Lightwave plug-in that allows registered Lightwave users to incorporate figures created in Poser Pro into their animations.

• Digital imaging software developers Vertus and Imagenomic are bundling their photo-editing products Fluid Mask3, Noiseware Pro, Portraiture and RealGrain. The package offers a 20% savings and is available now through September 30.

• Toon Boom Animation announced an update to its Emmy award-winning software; Toon Boom Studio 4.5 now includes more export options (for iTunes and YouTube), and the new Flash importer lets users bring animation work directly into Adobe Flash.

• Extensis released its server-based font management system Universal Type Server for Macintosh and Windows clients.

• Pentagram partner Abbott Miller chose a very rare pine (previously thought to be extinct) as the subject of his new promotion for Mohawk Fine Papers' Options brand. Williamson Printing produced the piece. The mill also announced a 100% postconsumer-waste version of its Options paper that is formulated for printing on the HP Indigo system.

We're fond of illustrator Christoph Niemann, whose work manages to mix wit and deep concept in a really engaging way. Niemann recently moved his family from New York City to Berlin, and on NYTimes.com today (he's a regular OpEd contributor), he recounts a tale of redecorating the bathrooms in his home with interesting mosaic tiles. Among the projects, a bath for his subway-obsessed sons.

Director, Creative
Starbucks

This job contributes to Starbucks success by developing and evolving the visual look, feel, and tone of the Starbucks brand globally. Supports the marketing organization in the development and communication of visual strategy to achieve Starbucks financial and business objectives. Models and acts in accordance with Starbucks guiding principles.

Posted by Megan

This just in from FOH (that's friend of HOW) Justin Ahrens: He and his crew at Chicago-area design studio Rule29 have created a cool poster designed to encourage people to vote in this fall's election. Justin, Kerri Liu, Tim Damitz, Kara Merrick, Dan Hassenplug and Sarah Ahrens did the printing themselves as part of a mill tour at Appleton Coated; Appleton also donated the paper. They've posted a Flickr stream with pictures of the work in progress.

The Rule29 team identified 29 (natch) issues they felt were important for voters to learn about and consider during this election cycle, covering both sides of the political spectrum. They translated those issues into an illustrated U.S.map.

Rule29 is making the first 100 posters available for free to anyone who "pinkie-swears" to send a photo of the poster displayed somewhere in return. The rest of the run will be sold for $15 a pop. The firm has also created a website, 29 Reasons to Vote, where they're collecting the photos, and where you can request a poster.

I was just thumbing through the copy of In-House Design in Practice that just landed on my desk yesterday. It's Cathy Fishel's new HOW book that's part design annual and part business coach for in-house creatives.

In it, there's a great quote: "You can love your job, but it will never love you back." The quote reminded me of a conversation I was having with Steven Morris and Erin Sarpa not long ago as we discussed plans for their session at the upcoming In-HOWse Designer Conference. Steve, in particular, has tons of experience working with in-house teams at companies like Mattel, and he and Erin have interviewed a bunch if corporate design managers to find out what makes for a successful in-house career. They'll be talking about that in their session, Lovin' Your In-House Job.

Steve and Erin both advocate having a rich and rewardinglife outside the office, so you don't rely exclusively on your 9-to-5 gig for creative fulfillment. 'Cause there's only so much love you can expect from your day job.

Geronto Bis is a lovely font inspired by a letters engraved in the stone of a French Church. It was designed by Jack Usine and is available as a free download from Smeltery.

Posted by Megan

Community T-shirt site Threadless recently announced a call for entries for hand-drawn shirt designs.

Some of the best designs begin as a simple hand-drawn sketch. It's incredible how random drawings in sketchbooks, on coffee table napkins, or doodled across sticky notes become sweet pieces of art once fleshed out onscreen. Your challenge is to create an amazing tee based on your original drawing.

The prize list is extensive:   

* Wacom Cintiq 12WX tablet!
    * $750 Gift Certificate for the House Industries store!
    * $500 gift certificate for Utrecht!
    * A full set of Front Forty Books and CD's! Includes titles such ask Graffitecture, Matt Volla's Unruly Drawings, and Short Stories Illustrated By Artists.
    * Winning design (and designer!) to be featured in Print Magazine's February 2009 issue
    * An oversize poster from the Print Magazine 2008 New Visual Artists issue!
    * The 11-year retrospective Regional Design Annual DVD!
    * One year subscription to Print Magazine
    * $500 Threadless Gift Certificate (can be redeemed for $200 cash)
    * $2,000 in cash

Posted by Megan

Senior Interactive Graphic Designer
National Public Radio

The Senior Interactive Designer is responsible for daily art and design needs for NPR.org, the online presence of National Public Radio. Will be responsible for the design and production of news and other editorial graphics and interactive storytelling applications, including information graphics, charts, illustrations and maps. Will also occasionally create graphics for other NPR Digital Media initiatives, such as the NPR Shop and external digital marketing efforts.

Posted by Megan

I just booked my flight to San Francisco for the In-HOWse Designer Conference in October. I'm looking forward to spending three days with talented designers and experts figuring out to make in-house life and work even better. Will I see you there?

Posted by Megan