Explore Art

"The static routine of the workplace can narrow our minds. Enlarge your creative scope through regular explorations of the vast territory known as The World of Art (both past and present). 

Exploring art is a lifetime journey.

When you explore art, travel lightly: leave preconceptions and opinions behind. Explore galleries, museums, bookstores (new and used), libraries, artist's studios. Meet other designers and find out what they are doing now and what has influenced them in the past. Many cities host a gallery walk at least once a month. How about an art history class?"

This is an excerpt from Creative Sparks, written by Jim Krause, and it offers one a chance to both return to a former schooling and embrace new inspiration.

THOUGHTS…
If, as a designer/artist/professional you find yourself too busy to explore the ever-expanding World of Art, then here are some steps I've come up with to let loose of those tight guidelines that box you in. In this case, embrace Taco Bell's mantra: Think outside the box.

1. Eat more Taco Bell. It may not be a 5 star restaurant, but you can choose another fast food (could be a chain) to fill up on as you step outside your normal routine of trying to eat healthy.
2. Make a board of all the small notes you write on a given day and post it on the bathroom door to remind you that when you're in the commode, deadlines, phone calls, photo edits and dreaded emails are on hold for at least 3 more minutes. Enjoy your peace.
3. Visit a 1950s-meets-2020s diner in the middle of Baltimore, MD. The Lost City Diner thrives on the futuristic space living as the servers parade around in WWII-inspired fashion. You'll love Saturn.
4. Sit down to a game of Bonkers and let the board change with every roll of the dice!
5. Call someone you haven't talked to in 3 months and let them tell you what they've been doing! Listen intently and ask questions to let them know you're following along. And smile—they can hear it in your voice.
6. Turn off all electronic devices, take out a book and read through to the end. You'll increase your knowledge on the subject matter and invest in becoming a better person—and a better reader! 150 pages later you'll be a new person.

If you have more ideas, leave them in the comments below. Thanks!

The Early Bird Gets The Chicken

People were lined up out the door, the drive-thru line extended into the intersection, and the phone would not stop ringing—or so people thought. Today, September 29, 2011 was the final Thursday in September for Marylanders to get a free breakfast entree from Chick-fil-a by simply saying: "The early bird gets the chicken", before 10:30am. It was a 1 month promotion (Thursday mornings only) by the chicken restaurant chain who has come to be known by the cows holding signs with this phrase "Eat Mor Chikin." Other phrases associated with them are "I can take the heat" and "We didn't invent the chicken, just the chicken sandwich."

What I learned from this experience:
When a restaurant decides to put a free entree on the table, asks the public to say a simple phrase which is usually advertised over the radio, and greets every customer with a smile, who wouldn't go for it? Who wouldn't get up a few minutes earlier to get a free breakfast? Who wouldn't stop at the Chick-fil-a they pass every day on their way to work? Who wouldn't try to be sneaky and go to multiple locations to get a couple entrees? To answer bluntly: everyone who was too lazy and scared to say that simple phrase. Chick-fil-a put out a promotion that only cost 2 minutes of your time (yes, they're usually that fast!). You walk in, you say to the cashier, "The early bird gets the chicken." As they smile, they say, "Ok. Will that be all?" You say, "I'd like a large peach milkshake and a large sweet tea." No, actually, you don't have to get anything else. I didn't even get my wallet out! When the woman who greeted me asked, "Will that be all?" I said, "Yes." She said, "Alright," turned and requested an "early bird" from the kitchen. I had my bag in 30 seconds. It was simple, efficient, and very fun—tasty too!


How does this effect graphic design, marketing, and/or branding?
Each day we're overloaded with over 5K images asking for our attention, time and money. Each day we choose from these 5K where to spend our lives, our conquests, our resources. Whoever screams the loudest and clearest consistently usually attracts our ambitions, but whoever can do that and give away free stuff will always only get about 35%* of the intended audience to react. The other 65%* are too busy, too distracted, and too lazy to make it happen.
When I first heard the announcement on the radio I was excited, since I missed out on the previous promotion for their spicy chicken sandwich (it was the same idea, only you had to say the phrase, "I can take the heat,"and you got a free spicy chicken sandwich). I totally forgot on September 15, but I was determined not to miss it on the 22nd. I got there on my way in to work, parked the car, went in, and said the phrase. I had also planned on getting a peach milkshake (so I did spend money), but I quickly recognized by the cordial service that I didn't have to buy anything if I didn't want to. So, I took it back to the office and gave it to my boss (he had been out for his brother's funeral and I wanted to cheer him up). When my other co-workers heard about the free entree, they were sad they missed it, but I told them there was 1 more day.
Tuesday (27th), I made little signs and posted them up as reminders for everyone to get their free chicken today. Well, as I rolled in and began talking with everyone, they all missed it again! I had even texted several of them at 7am to remind them, and they still said they didn't have enough time, or forgot, or didn't like chicken!
As a designer/advertiser, I sunk the ship because I'm the only one who benefited from my campaign to help them out! I was 1/12 of the crew and no one else saw this as enough of an opportunity to make something happen to "spice" up their day!


Was it worth it?
Yes. It was worth the sandwich, the campaigning, the smile from the cashiers, the smile from my boss, and the fun of experimenting with the kindness of the chicken giant. I've always been a Chick-fil-a fan and will continue to help them promote good food and good advertising, down to the last waffle fry.


*percentages based solely on personal experience.

Baltimore Business

JGD has moved to Baltimore! We still have connections in Cincinnati and would love to continue working with current and new clients in both Baltimore and Cincinnati (and anywhere else!)

Each step to move JGD forward has been met with challenges: of finance, of transitions, of new ways of communication, of new technology, of new ideas, of new jobs, of new clients, of new regulations (we could keep going and list everything but why waste the time and blogspace!). But I assure you we are persevering and working to make it an exciting design agency where creativity thrives and brims over into our clients' ads, brochures, websites, graphics, social networks, etc....

To sum it up nicely, Jeremiah Good, our creative director says this:

"Creativity wells up within me. Creating exciting compositions and thinking outside the box keep me inspired: to focus on the task at hand, to be ready to take on the next challenge. As a freelance graphic designer I jump at the opportunities to explore new concepts and projects that help people live more adequately. I believe that making something exciting to look at is just as important for the shirt in the store as it is for the canvas on the wall or the photo in the album. Each detail is important, each color chosen specifically, and each character kerned and tracked to communicate that specific message.

That's what I do."

And that's the way it's going to continue to be. If you have ideas, comments or questions, we're always open to them.


There are many ways to reach us. You can leave a comment here on Blogspot. You can LIKE us on Facebook. Or you can send an email to jeremiahgooddesignATgmail.com. We love to hear back from our fans, clients, friends and potential clients. 

Note: We're working on our website (see pic below) which will go live in the coming months. Stay connected on here and Facebook for updates on what we're doing.

More to come!

There's Evidence…

For many years I've considered what it means to manage my own company, how to be an excellent familyman, and how to juggle all my other activities. But it just isn't as easy as I thought. There are many good things competing for my time! I love what I do, but there comes a time when I have to accept the challenge of balancing it out! The focus isn't changing on the creative side—that's my strong suit. The focus is going to change in my methods and time that I agree to dedicate to specific people, events and ideas along the way. But it's not my words that will display evidence…it's my actions.

Update—It's been a while!

In the past several months since my last post (which was in January and so much has happened since then!!), I've been trying some new ideas, looking for exciting opportunities, and enjoying the path God is leading me on as a husband, brother, son, teacher, employee, and freelance designer. I also want to brag on my wife, who, in June, graduated from The University of Cincinnati DAAP's Masters of Architecture program!

Below is one of those opportunities. I applied for a job in northern Virginia as a visual information specialist, and it challenged me with some interesting questions. The 1st statement/question is below in BOLD, and my reply is below in ITALICS. I'll be posting the other 4 statement/questions in the coming days. I don't claim to be an excellent writer, but saw this as an opportunity to explore a creative essay. Please read the statement/question and let me know if you think I answered it adequately or if I failed to entice you with a proper message.

Seeks out opportunities to increase knowledge sharing with others within the team or unit

Each person is equipped with the tools of verbal and gestured communication. It is by these that we have the capacity to share the knowledge of and foster an environment in which these ideas and information can be shared openly. It has been my experience in both isolated and open conversations that an innate factor of humanity is to share something enlightening and loving.

Many times I find myself intrigued by the new idea that crosses my path or I hear about from others, hoping that this will be the next thing to push me into a better position in life. I cannot be satisfied with where I am and continue to learn, seeking out fresh content with relevant consequences, that I may grow from the experience and help guide others through similar circumstances. I have heard it put many ways, but the basic idea, that “when one stops learning, he stops living too,” sets a solid principle—one that should be followed with adamant focus. I also recognize that without the help of family and friends, and other external sources, I would not be who I am today. I value friendship and the company of another person, who I can share my experiences with, as well as listen and actively participate in their life experiences. I believe we are more vulnerable when we isolate ourselves, and our knowledge, setting up barriers to expression and freedom for the company we work for and ourselves. However, I believe there is an appropriate way of communication that must be addressed in the workplace, especially if it is classified and/or confidential information. Therefore, when working with a team or unit, I try my best to communicate effectively, efficiently and truthfully. I strive to make it enjoyable and exciting for those around me. This does not mean I just fool around, but it means that I take pride in being an encourager to my coworkers and peers. I recognize what can and cannot be said around certain people, and I also recognize the power of words. What we say and how we say it can have an immense impact on the receiver—whether it’s sharing knowledge about a new gadget or gossiping about a coworker.

As a freelance designer and art director, I have the privilege of communicating new insights that help develop others in their professional lives. Over the past year and a half I have successfully initiated the importance of using updated equipment for the purposes of ministry within the church. Prior to my coming on staff, each staff member had only basic equipment and software on their outdated PCs. I brought in my MacBook and iMac and showed them how to do some amazing things, like the ease of iMovie and GarageBand, along with the simplified navigation and convenient, user-friendly tech support. I worked on Macintosh computers all through elementary and high school, and college, so I had a wealth of knowledge from the IT side. A keen understanding of the keyboard shortcuts, coupled with the education I received in college in Visual Communication Design, and suddenly Adobe didn’t seem so hard to work with either. Thus began the transition over to Apple products, simply by demonstration that they had the better tools to work with. I’m not anti PC, but for the projects and ideas that needed addressed in the creative environment, the outdated PCs were too far behind and logically Apple made sense.

Another part of sharing the knowledge is capturing the moments of bliss for someone to look back on over the years. I’ve had the privilege many times to both photograph and film an event in a way that, once edited to perfection, will instill appreciation and honor for the persons involved for years to come. Sharing knowledge is vital in most forms, and to that end I do my best to preserve those special moments, so that they can inspire new waves of sharing in the future.

On The Way Out

CDs and DVDs have been something of extraordinary significance in the past decade. Cassette tapes and VHS tapes became almost totally obsolete. In fact, I read somewhere that, even if our parents and grandparents would hope, the latter two types of media really only have about 5-7 years of life to them before they start decaying. Maybe that's why when you tried to watch the video from your childhood you found that the tracking was bad and then, to your dismay, the VCR ate your tape. Or when listening to some oldies (but goodies) in your tape deck, all of a sudden it began making weird noises, like it was digesting your tape instead of reading it back to you.

Yes, Cassettes and VHS tapes are almost gone now and soon CDs and DVDs will join them. This, according to Yahoo! Personal Finance. The article is about what not to buy in 2010. I really think it's okay to buy most of these items, and they'll probably be available for another 5 years, but with software like iTunes, YouTube, and DVRs in your cable package, it just seems more efficient and economical to get something via the web.

"The days of going to a video shop to rent a movie are at an end. In September, Blockbuster (BBI) said it plans to close roughly 22% of its stores by the end of 2010; meanwhile, third-quarter revenue was down 21% from the year-ago period." And, "when was the last time you bought a CD or even walked into a record store? The past decade was one of the worst for the industry. In the beginning, there was Napster. Then came iTunes, which was introduced in 2001 and offered affordable pricing and easy accessibility. Face it, CDs aren't coming back.Record stores are feeling the pinch. Most Virgin Megastores in the U.S. have shut down following declines in sales and revenues. In 2004, Tower Records entered bankruptcy and by 2006 most locations had closed."

There are many options for saving/exporting files. "External hard drives are one option, but an up-and-coming alternative might be simpler and save you another transition down the road. Online backup services, like Carbonite.com or Mozy.com, allow users to back up data over the Internet."

As a designer, we must create a lot of files, and be able to store those files. My personal favorite is the external hard drive because it lets you open files and resave them with little to no effort or time. DVDs are a great backup to your ExHDs. But, you can only put 4GB on them and in this age, 4GB isn't much. However, in the event that something happens to your computer or ExHD, having DVD backup is a plus.

Go ahead and read the article and keep in mind who it effects most (it won't be your grandparents). Technology is ever-changing and to keep up is trifling. Innovation is a must as we uncover new ideas and knowledge. Yet, we must persist and perform in order to sustain and live.

Year's End: Now What?

I'd like to formally say that 2009 has been an exciting and blessed year for me. It had many highs: Engagement to my wife on a mountain in Phoenix, AZ; Co-directed an new Easter production; Another nephew joined the family; Spent an unbelievable amount of time with my family; helped my church get through a variety of changes brought on with renovations of the Nexus Pavilion, Impact Center, and the main Sanctuary; Married Katherine Search on August 15th and honeymooned in Seiverville/Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg—which is also where I discovered that Longhorn Steakhouse is my favorite restaurant of all time; Filmed 10 weeks worth of announcements; Spent an even-more-unbelievable amount of time with my in-laws because they're awesome; Joined with UC Collegiate Ministry on their Greatest Ever Winter Retreat at a lodge in Gatlinburg; co-directed another Christmas contada. Yep. It's been a joy to do so much and to work with everyone on these endeavors. I'm proud to say that 2009 was a great, fulfilling year.

Yesterday my wife and I celebrated our official 2 years of being together (I asked her out Dec 30th, 2007 @ 11p). She planned the evening: we went to see Sherlock Holmes (loved it!) and then went to Longhorn for a delicious dinner. As we were driving home, it occurred to me that I've spent a quarter of my life in Cincinnati. I was 18 when I came down here for college, and now I'm 24. 2010 will be the year I turn a quarter century old. Wow.

Well, here's to 2009 and the great decade it came with. I heard a friend say that "Dubya ruled politics" for the 2000s, and I'm satisfied with that. It's been a good decade for me.

So to you and yours, HAPPY NEW YEAR!