Scoop from around the design world to share with you on this Friday:

• The Art Directors Club and Idealist, a clearinghouse and website for nonprofit organizations, have teamed up on DesignismConnects.org. The new site connects creative professionals with nonprofits that need their services. Creatives can match their skills to causes they believe in; both sides of the equation post profiles and users can search to find partnerships they'd like to pursue. Organizations like Crime Stoppers of Mid Michigan, Food Bank of the Rio Grande Valley and Evergreen4Kids have posted projects ranging from TV public service announcements to website design. As the year winds down and you're looking for a cause to support, look to DesignismConnects.org (and maybe even get your clients involved, too).

• Neenah has updated its flagship CLASSIC CREST brand with new colors, sizes and weights; the entire portfolio is also FSC certified and manufactured carbon-neutral and with renewable energy. A new swatchbook is available.



• Noted design educator Roland Young joins the faculty of Academy of Art University in San Francisco beginning in January. The veteran teacher was hailed by the school's graphic design chair, Mary Scott, as "inspirational and brilliant."

Print Liberation, a funky design studio that's featured in our Nov/Dec business annual, just released a T-shirt commemorating the recent election.

Posted by Megan

Graphic Artist
Pixar Animation Studios

Position Summary:
Provide graphic art, design & support to feature films and related projects. Execute still and motion graphics that enhance set and character elements, that support general aesthetic of films and related projects.

General Duties and Responsibilities:
• Work with Production Designer & art team to help determine elements in the film that require specific graphic treatment.
• Utilizing both still and motion graphics, conceptualize, design and implement graphic elements consistent with the style and quality of the film.
• Research items, timelines, events, people, etc relevant to the period being covered in film to provide a high level of detail and authenticity.
• Provide art, design and graphic artistry to feature films and related projects.
• Plan and oversee motion and still graphics deliverables and ensure that timelines for delivery are met.
• Serve as general production artist as needed on related projects.
• Other duties as assigned.

Posted by Megan

In October, I had the pleasure of moderating a panel discussion featuring some of design's best-known business leaders, where they shared expertise and advice on how they've successfully marketed their design firms over the years.

The panel, which included Peleg Top, Petrula Vrontikis, Steven Morris, John Travis and Michael Hodgson, was part of the AIGA/Orange County's Ultimate Promo Show. The AIGA folks have made video segments of the event available, so you can benefit from the business secrets the panel revealed.

One hot topic: strategies these principals are undertaking in order to thrive as the U.S. economy tanks.

From Steven Morris: "We’re not going to change anything; we’re just going to keep doing all the things that we do all the time. I see it as an opportunity for growth."

From Petrula Vrontikis: "It’s kind of like riding out the storm and using it as a bit of education."

Check out the video (about 9 minutes) with more advice on how you can take advantage of the downturn.

Can you tell which of these logos is for a hair-care product and which is for a digital audio product? I got 13 out of 14 on my first try, but figuring out which one I had wrong took forever. Maybe it's time for a redesign.

via How About Orange

Posted by Megan

Moleskine recently announced a new collection of notebooks called Volant.

The newest addition to the Moleskine family of notebooks is a fresh, colorful collection! The Volant collection introduces a brand new format in an array of four colors and three sizes, infused with the Moleskine brand philosophy:
• a very neat and simple design;
• a soft Moleskine cover, light but resistant;
• the quality of the paper

Posted by Megan

Art Director
HUGE

HUGE is an innovative design firm with offices in Brooklyn, Los Angeles, Atlanta, and London. We have a renowned team of programmers, designers, and interaction specialists, all with a dedication to beautiful, highly-functional design. Our work has won countless awards and we've got a long list of smart, happy clients including IKEA, JetBlue, MTV, Atlantic Records, and Time Inc.

We are currently seeking an Art Director to lead the visual design for some of the biggest and most innovative media projects online. These are major consumer facing websites and we are looking for someone with experience building large scale projects involving high content properties and designing commerce sites.

HUGE Art Directors report to the Associate Creative Director and work alongside the account team, interaction designers, and programmers. He or she will be responsible for brainstorming creative concepts with the project team, developing original design concepts, and overseeing the designs execution. He or she will also participate in visual design presentations to clients, develop design specs for production, and oversee and/or build a junior design team.

Posted by Megan

Creative Curator
R/GA

R/GA, The Agency for the Digital Age, is an award-winning, full-service agency that transforms the way people interact with brands. From its inception, R/GA has won numerous top awards in the film, production, advertising and interactive industries, including the Academy Award, the D&AD Black Pencil and the Cannes Titanium Lion.

The primary responsibility of the position will be to manage the agency’s award submissions and identify award and public relations opportunities. Applicants should have 2-3 years of agency experience; very strong writing and communication skills; knowledge of industry trends and standards; and knowledge of multichannel marketing with an emphasis on digital.

Posted by Megan