Several months ago I discovered a wonderful product, BookBook case for Macbook by Twelve South. While it was not a practical solution for me, I still appreciated the consideration to design, detail and innovation. When the iPad was announced, my first thought was, “Oh! Will Twelve South make a case for iPad?” I heard nothing about a case on release day so I defaulted to Apple’s case. I waited months. No case was released. I gave up my little fantasy and decided to order DODOcase [review coming soon]. The DODOcase served me well for about a week, until finally, this passed Monday, Twelve South released BookBook for iPad.

. . .

The Good

This case looks even more amazing in person than I could have imagined. The vintage leather treatment is impeccable. It really gives the appearance that it’s an old book. And moreso, it feels like a book. Especially when you zip it up closed. The hardcover and weight creates a brilliant illusion. All of the small details – like the inner spine bevels, the zipper pulls and the multi-colored thread on the stitching – makes me feel like this product was carefully though out.

The interior is ultra plush… and ultra protective. Not only is the soft brown texture nice to look at, I can feel confident that it won’t scratch my iPad.

The hardcover also reinforces the strength and durability of the case. I’m convinced I can drop the case + iPad (closed of course) and my device will be safe and sound.

Overall, the material selections were an amazing and it couldn’t look any better.

. . .

The Bad

It seems as though no one compensated for the curved back of the iPad. When you set it inside the case, at first it appears to  be seated properly. Though, when you zip it closed, the flaw becomes much more apparent. It’s like trying to fit a square peg in a round hole. The entire back of the case bows and bends creating a dissonance of extreme proportions. And while I appreciate the leather lace to tie back the case and assist in standing, it only adds additional imbalance when tucked away under the iPad. Otherwise the lace floats free and dangles around, creating somewhat of a nuisance.

As a segue onto the next point… When standing or flipped around for lap/tabletop resting, the zipper stretches so much, I’m afraid of it’s going to snap at any moment. I understand a taut piece of material lends itself to looking neat and tidy, but I fear this compromises the integrity of the product. I’m confident at some point this zipper will snap – so much so it makes me not want to use the case at all.

. . .

The Ugly

The leather support corners are horrible and the elastic band does nothing. At first it was a bit tricky to fit my iPad into the case. That is understandable as leather is at first quite tight. That is not what bothers me. The support corners are lined with plastic. I’d imagine this is so the iPad can easily slide in and out of the case – again, seemingly a good idea. But in real world applications when you’re lifting up your iPad and moving it around, flipping the case, opening it, closing it, the corners seem to push the iPad right out of the case. And when this happens there is nothing to stop it. The elastic band on the opposite side only holds down the iPad (to minimize that bending and bowing defect I mentioned earlier) it doesn’t hold in the iPad at all. So when holding horizontally (an orientation of preference among most) slowly, then quickly the iPad slips out of the case. Not a good feature to promote. And the zipper doesn’t even stop the iPad from sliding out. It just folds in and under the iPad.

This really let me down. And I’ve been using the case nonstop for nearly five (5) days. I’ve given myself a chance to become comfortable with using it.

I’m not even sure I want to keep the BookBook case at this point. It pains me because the aesthetic value is so high, and often times this is hard to come by (at least for a picky person like me). And it’s the exact type of case I wanted too.

. . .

So is this ByeBye for BookBook?

I’d love to hear how Twelve South responds to this. I’m sure they will make claims that my specific item is defective. But after all those months of waiting for the release, you’d think they would have spent enough time testing, ironing out every imperfection.

It’s a SadSad day for iPad cases.

I love typography. When I first saw this I got pretty excited about it. Not only because I could make fonts on my iPad, but because the kinds of applications developers are striving for are fantastic. Really? A portable font creator? Wow. Those are the strides I like to see. Kudos.

The app is called iFontMaker: The First & Fastest Font Editor for iPad – from The 2TTF and is currently available on the App Store.

I ran my test using a stylus my friend Matt made for me. (Good to know an engineer) I felt it the perfect application for a stylus.

PROS:

• Speed – Once you draw the glyphs, you can export a TTF, (fully editable) PDF, or PNG (of composed type) in a matter of minutes.

• Sharing – You can share the link to download your font right away.

• Responsive - The drawing is quite smooth and responsive.

• Guides – Multiple grid options and template overlays to get you aligned and even.

• Live Font Testing – You’re able to type out words and phrases and see instantly how it’s looking. You can even adjust the tracking.

• Simple, Clean Design – I like the white-on-black chic style. It’s appropriate here because it creates maximum contrast without being distracting or hard to read (as sometimes white on black can be).

• Blob Brush – Strokes act like the blob bush in Illustrator – This is kind of fun actually, but does have a few drawbacks since it’s the only functionality of the brush.

• Price Tag – At $5.99 (current sale until July 7th – normally $7.99) it’s definitely worth it. Even if it can’t handle heavy lifting, it still makes font creation pretty fun.

CONS:

• There is No “Real” Editing -  After you create your strokes you can’t really manipulate them. There isn’t even a simple eraser tool. It would be great delete some of those unwanted strokes without having to redraw the entire thing.

• No Landscape Mode - Landscape mode feels best for iPad – sits more comfortably on your lap and typing is a breeze. Unfortunately when you change the orientation of your iPad, nothing happens.

• Precision – I wish the pen tool were really a pen tool. Add some bezier options and we’ve got a winner.

• Tools leave much to be desired - Giving a few more brush options would be fun. If this isn’t about making a “perfect” amazing typographic work (a la the next “Gotham” font) then we need to see some more fun here by way of brushes and manipulation. Other options such as editing the angle and tip of the brush would be fantastic. It doesn’t have to be complex, just a few options much like the Brushes app. Perhaps there is some sort of “Warp” brush, additional brush heads, etc. that can push and pull ad ben your glyphs.

• Bugs –  Still a few glitches. This is an annoying one. The strokes go haywire a bit.

• Some of the UX is confusing – At first editing the brush and its sizes may not be totally intuitive or logical. i.e. I should be able to get “brush options” (such as style and size) when clicking the brush icon.

• Exporting – All export options should appear together. Currently “Glyphs” and “Compose” modes have different export options.

Other notes and wishful thinking:

• Glyph pagination – I wish swipe for pagination was added here.

• Importing – Would be really fantastic to be able to import paths / line work into the app. Even if a template or special file needs to be used, this would be a really expansive feature.

• Project Manager with previews – Rather than an informal pop-up, it would be great to get an overview of the fonts in progress by seeing a page of thumbnails of each font. (See quick mockup below)

. . .

While the “Cons” seem a bit overwhelming, this application is pretty solid and a great start. I’m eager to see how it evolves over time. I’d definitely recommend playing around with it.

Oh, and you can download this font I made as a test, Cloud Doodle TTF. PIN: 0870

Once of my nieces is obsessed with Dunnys… and she just turned 2 years old yesterday. Yea, sounds crazy doesn’t it? Once she saw my insane collection a while back (commonly referred to as “The Dunny Museum”) she was completely floored. Her jaw dropped and she screamed “Dunny” over and over. I figured it was only a natural progression to give her a custom Munny for her birthday… even if she is only 2.

We all remember that amazing interface from Minority Report. (Wow, has it been 8 years already?) Since then, we may have seen experiments and tests done that could simulate or partially recreate elements from that brilliant system. And while they were really interesting and hopeful, they were nothing anyone could actually imagine using on a daily basis. Now, John Underkoffler presents us with the beginnings of an actually useable, viable prototype for such an interface. OK, so the next new iMac won’t include this technology, but it will definitely come sooner than we think. Watch below or Watch on TED | Watch on iTunes

From TED.com:
Minority Report science adviser and inventor John Underkoffler demos g-speak — the real-life version of the film’s eye-popping, tai chi-meets-cyberspace computer interface. Is this how tomorrow’s computers will be controlled?

When Kidrobot introduced their new do-it-yourself MUNNYWORLD shapes, I saw Bub and instantly pictured him with a beard. I haven’t had time until now to actually create the custom, but finally I’ve nearly completed this guy.

Got a little inspiration from Samurai Jack and (one of my favorite toy designers) Huck Gee. I still think he needs an accessory of sorts. We’ll see what I can come up with.

Behind The Scenes:

I just received my copy of Computer Arts Projects, May Issue No 136 in the mail. I’m featured in the “Designer Challenge.” To read the article and check out the comps, you can download a PDF here. It was a nice little project. Thanks to Nick and Josh.

View Full Size Comp

A few weeks ago I received an email from a student – Joi West of Tuscaloosa, Alabama. She had a few questions about education, and careers in design. It was a great Q & A and I thought it may be valuable to others in the same situation.

. .

What college did you attend and what was your major?

I attended SUNY Purchase College, in Purchase NY, and I majored in Graphic Design.

. .

Did you originally want to study to become a graphic designer or was it a change of passion?

Many people start out being as fine artists, then realize it may be easier to get placed in jobs as designers. I actually started out wanting to become a designer. My father is a designer as well, so I was always exposed directly to that world. It just sort of “clicked” with me.

. .

Were you involved in any extra-curricular, honor societies, or professional organizations? Were you in a Sorority or Greek System?

Not during college. I was 100% focused on working (designing). When not in class, I worked. When not sleeping, I worked, When not eating, I worked. Working on design was my extracurricular activity. I tried to learn and grow as much as I could because being a student, you have no real obligation to do anything else (i.e, no rent, minimal bills, no dependents, etc.) Learning is your job. I wish I had the time (now) I did back then. There’s always so much to absorb, so many ways to grow as an artist.

I always wondered about internships, if they were necessary to get job placement in a company. During your final year of college or as you graduated, did you take any internships?

When I was a Junior, I took a class (Advanced Flash) taught by an adjunct who was an alumni of my college. It was a fun class and we became buddies. He told me he had started an agency and needed an intern. I definitely wanted those extra credits, so I interned for them that summer. At the time his agency was made up of four guys, so they were really just getting off the ground. But I definitely learned a lot of valuable tips and tricks of the trade, things you can only get by experience. Several years later, when I was working at VH1, my former professor contacted me. He was looking to hire an Art Director. Shortly after, I left VH1 to go work for him as AD, and I’ve been there for the last three years. Yes, my professor was actually Executive Creative Director, Charles Bae, of Rokkan. So, you see, interning is not only good for experience, it’s good to make connections as well. The design world is small… very very small. You will see.

. .

Is graduate school necessary? If so, how did you decide on a program to better you knowledge and skills as a designer? I have thought about graduate school after I graduate, but I have mixed answers from professors here.

I don’t think it’s 100% necessary. I mean, is college even necessary? If you manage to learn and master your craft and tools, you should do well. It all depends on the individual. I know some folks who are pretty successful, running their own (small) agencies, never having gone to school for art/design at all. I also know some people who went to college and graduate school, and their work is pretty horrible. They manage to find jobs, but they can only go so far. I think the real motivator here shouldn’t be a degree. I think it should be knowledge. That’s not to say graduate school is not beneficial – if that’s the way you want to learn and grow. But you can just as easily start working and start getting (invaluable) real world experience right away. And that’s something school can’t give you…

. .

What I worry about most is getting a job right out of school . Could you tell me about your first job? Did you work for more than one company? What was your decision-making process like at this point in your career?

My first job was for a small design shop in suburbia. There were only four people working there, including the founder. I started doing mostly print design. I worked on projects for local hospitals, colleges, charities, law firms, etc.. It may not have been the most glorious job, but it was great to work with a small group and really hone in on my craft. I worked there for about a year before I took a leap to the “bigtime” –  Rockstar Games – to start my career as a web designer. After which I hopped around a bit from job to job until i found my way to Rokkan. During those seven years I really got to find myself as a designer. I think it’s good to jump ship early on, not to settle in one place for too long. Get your feet wet and discover different things. Discover yourself. You’ll eventually find your niche.

And you have to do what feels right. Don’t just think about the big clients or big money. I’ve turned down many many amazing opportunities because they didn’t feel right at the time. Everyone is different. In the end just be true to yourself and things will work out.

. .

Working at Rokkan seems like an interesting atmosphere, with the work in video games,  web design and advertisement, it seems like everyday would be busy.  Could you describe a typical workday for me?

The best thing about Rokkan: the atmosphere. No stuffy people. No egos. No hangups. Don’t get me wrong, our clients are amazing, and I love the creative freedom we have, but we aren’t a typical agency. Everyone is super easy to work with and really laid back. I think that’s really important, if not the most important thing to consider: it’s not all about what you’re doing, but how you feel when you’re doing it.

A typical work day? It’s probably the same for most… Sitting in front of a computer, pushing those pixels around, haha. Nothing fancy. But it is busy, I’ll tell you that. You better get a comfortable chair…

How did you get promoted from a junior graphic designer to Art Director? From the articles I have read on design blogs and websites, being an Art Director takes years, more time than people stay in the business of graphic design.

The process of moving up the ladder varies per agency, and per person. I think even after a few months, feeling the dynamic of a place, you can see your options. There may be some room to take on more work or more responsibility and you can climb right on up.

Sometimes things are very set in stone, people are very comfortable and set in their ways – and no one’s going anywhere. In that case, just move on out. When you feel like you can’t learn any more from an agency/shop, it’s time for the old heave-ho.

I mean, generally, you’re not going to become Creative Director right out of school, so don’t expect it. Don’t expect people to owe you anything. No matter if you are good or not, you have to just pay your dues, do grunt work, be somebody’s “bitch.” I mean, everyone goes through it. You have to crawl before you walk, yeah? Just be patient. But also be smart. If you’re at a place for a while and it’s the “same old same old” start looking at other options.

. .

I have a couple of more questions concerning advice to get my foot in the door. Do you have any advice for me concerning the following areas: 1. Classes I need to take and 2. Possible internship or extra-curricular opportunities that I need to take to get ahead of this competitive crowd? I always hear about a portfolio being crucial when a person is looking for work. Are various types of technique needed, including web design, animation, illustration, and graphic design, for a portfolio now?

Do as much as you can. Learn as much as you can. It will only help, never hurt you. There aren’t really “requirements” to help you get ahead. Just learn what you like and do more. If you can learn an extra skill set, why not do it? The more you know.

Of course a good portfolio is crucial. No one really cares if you went to Yale if you can’t draw a box. As far as presentation of your work? Less is more. Don’t go overboard. Be yourself but have a discerning eye. Edit edit edit.

. .

Thank you so very much for taking time out of your busy schedule to answer these few questions. I really appreciate receiving answers to all of these mind boggling questions in a field that seems to change and grow so much in a short amount of time.  Is there anything else about the field of graphic design that you would like to offer some advice to someone like me?

Two things:

1. Don’t forget how to speak, read or write. You need to communicate properly with others and convey your ideas to (clients) without all of that “design jargon.” You can’t forget basic language and social skills.
2. Real. World. Experience. I can’t stress that enough. You can be the most talented and amazing artist, but if you can’t roll with the punches what good are you? There’s no place for divas in the design world. You gotta deliver.

. .

If anyone has any other questions, I’d be happy to answer them.

Thanks Joi! Best of luck to you.

Official Classic Dot Com EPS Vector Shop has now turned one year old. From Oliver:

We’re really excited to announce that our vector catalogue has officially stepped to the next level >>>
Started off our website with a collection of  500 vectors / 20 sets in the end of March 2009.
Since then we’ve doubled up and today reached a real milestone with _1000_ vectors in 38 sets.

Check out their Birthday Sale >>> 1000 detailed vectors in 38 sets. Only 99 Euros! Great job guys. Keep up the brilliant work. Oh, and don’t forget to check out their site and grab a sample.

Is the iPad really worth it? Only you can answer that. That’s like asking – are $120 pair of jeans worth it? $25 bottle of sage honey? $400 vinyl toy?

People have a tendency to ask “the public” if a price tag can be justified. Everyone has different priorities. Some people love video games. Some love to eat out. Some love to travel. Others shop. Everyone has different opinions, experiences, preferences and needs. So please, take all those iPad reviews out there with a grain of salt. Even my own…

WHAT IS THE BIG DEAL?

When the rumors of Apple’s tablet device started to surface, the fantasies began: VIDEO CHAT, GRAPHIC TABLET, PHOTOSHOP, TIME TRAVEL, TELEPORTATION, CURE FOR CANCER… And so began the hype. There was nothing that Apple could release that would satisfy everyone. The expectations were too high. If the new device didn’t make people walk on water then it was going to fail.

The fact of the matter is there isn’t anything else on the market right now to compare it to. So we get a chance to focus and hone in on what new content gets created and pushed out. We are at the beginning of this digital push for a new way to discover and  interact.

WHAT IT DOES WELL

It Uses iPhone OS

I think this is great. This is an operating system users are familiar with. Mac OS X is too hefty and complex for these types of portable devices and why have another OS altogether? Just keep it simple.

Simple Tasks and Mobile Computing

Browsing the internet, reading email, scheduling events, storing contacts and taking notes feel like they were made to be done on the iPad. And Apple’s native applications are perfect for the job. I don’t need much more than they provide, and I think neither does the average user.

When performing other tasks like twittering, instant messaging, RSS feeding, etc. there are some other third party apps make that stuff perfect for consumption.

Iconfactory has done a great job of getting us a solid, nice looking client for Twitter feeds, Twitterific, and it has subsequently be added to my dock. (Though I’ve secretly still got my sights set on Tweetie, my app of choice.)

AIM‘s chat client is actually pretty good as well. There are a few glitches, and no image sending support, but it’s decent enough to use. (FYI: The app I’m waiting for is Beejive. Pricey, even on the iPhone, but well worth it.)

The iPad is also great for productivity tasks, word processing and other jobs you don’t really need a laptop for, but couldn’t possibly manage on an iPhone. Any great amount of typing or reading is not that comfortable or efficient on an iPhone.

Things is a wonderful app. I use it on Mac, iPhone and now iPad. It syncs with your Mac as did the iPhone version. LOVE IT.

Apple has given us a fabulous suite of apps to wet our appetites – iWork – completely designed from the ground up and specific to the iPad platform. The interfaces are great and usability is high. Pages, Numbers, and Keynote are must-buys.

Point is, there’s some pretty good stuff out there on Day 3 – and that’s pretty impressive. AND it’s only going to get better.

New Content Delivery

The iPad isn’t just a big iPhone/iPod Touch.  To start, it’s a much more powerful machine. Everything is faster and more responsive. Battery life is excellent. (I can perform a whole day of computing and still have juice for more.) The screen is definitely larger, yes. Ah, but the better to see with. Interactions on a large screen are much easier and more fluid if there is more physical space. Take the keyboard as an example: Typing becomes worlds better now that the keys are nearly the size of a physical keyboard. Just think of how clicking items in a game or on a website will be… quite a different experience.

One application I’ve seen that is definitely a step in the right direction is Yahoo Entertainment. The content is basic – TV guide, news, videos. The presentation is fabulous. Not only do we get amazing design and information architecture, the experience and simple interactions are great.

If other developers follow suit, we’re headed into exciting territory. This not only elevates the content and overall immersive quality an application can give, it elevates design as a whole. That is great news for us (designers) out there. I’m very eager to work on unique interfaces for this new platform.

And then we have the publishing industry… We have yet to see how magazines and newspapers (and books) will really be expanded upon (I’m looking forward to WIRED, myself). Right now we have a few applications, but honestly I don’t think they take advantage of the platform. They’re all a bit boring in my opinion. I mean, can we do more than have a page flip animation? Can we give users a richer experience than a page swipe/scroll?

The news apps are quite stale and leave much to be desired. Sure some may think they are merely “no frills” but I’d also say they are “no fun.” I’d rather point my browser towards their home pages instead. USA Today has one of the better apps, and it is probably worth checking, but it’s still lacking creativity.

I downloaded the first wave of digital magazines as well – Time, Popular Science, GQ, and Men’s Health. I must say, overall, I’m not impressed. They mostly look like ports of their analog (printed) versions. Very predictable. At times, frustrating – you’re given a tiny printed magazine layout (facing pages), which you have to zoom in and pan to read – annoying. Some layouts even change (quite drastically) depending on the orientation of the iPad. That may sound like an interesting idea, and it does help readability in some instances, but it has yet to be resolved. Again they need to push forward to create a special and seamless experiences for users.

I’ve been reading that many people have been gravitating toward Popular Science magazine, but I just don’t see the fascination. To me the interactions are a bit uncomfortable and drab. OK , so you hide the text and see the background imagery. It’s the same every single time. Maybe it needs to grow on me?

Fun Stuff

After work is done we’ve got a whole barrage of fun stuff to play with. iPad gives us movies, music, books, pictures, games, and much more. Too much to go through, but we all know Apple handled these things well.

As with the iPhone, we’ve learned it’s really limitless. We can create whatever kind of apps we want.

Other Highs and Lows

1. Glossy Glass Screen – Bothers many, still doesn’t bother me. I actually like it.
2. No Flash – Yes, this is pretty frustrating for us all, but at least now we are seeing other technologies being utilized.
3. Size – screen size feels enormous, but the device is quite small and thin. It’s so light and easy to tuck away. I don’t now why people keep saying it’s heavy! It isn’t!
4. Keyboard - Amazing in landscape mode, practically feels like a “real” keyboard. I’m using it right now (and this is a long post!)
5. Capacity – Brilliant. You can really dump a lot on the iPad and still have space leftover, no matter what size you choose… Although bigger is always better, right?
6. Battery – Thus far it’s performance has been pretty impressive (especially considering that huge screen). Whole day, going strong.
7. Charging – My main computer is a 2007 MacPro. Apparently the USB ports don’t supply the iPad with much power. Charging is so minimal, “Not Charging” appears in the title bar. Even a powered USB hub didn’t do the trick. Fortunately everything syncs just fine.
8. Slippery – Not a deal breaker but as much as I love the aluminum casing, it tends to want to slip out of my hands.
9. No Camera – Yea, this is kind of sad. It’s not going to make me hate the iPad, but it really seemed like a no brainer. The funny thing is, Apple had created space for it in the frame. Not really sure what happened there.

. . .

The iPad is not just a “Big iPod Touch…” It’s got everything I need and more – Now if I could only find a nice case…

We’ve all been there. You have to make changes to someone else’s comps, or perhaps you need to do a little production work and make a few sub-pages. Maybe you’re doing a little “clean up,” enhancing a design.  Whichever the case, someone hands you a Photoshop file and the thing is a mess. And I’m not talking about a little lack of layer labeling – we all neglect to ensure “Layer 4 copy” gets a proper name. I’m talking about stacks of improperly rendered pixels, absence of shape layers and smart objects, and poor layer organization. It’s more than just doing a few things “differently.” I’m talking about files so bad you have to rebuild and reorganize before you get to even work on them. That is just rude.

I mean it’s understandable that not everyone builds files the same way. There’s more than one way to skin a cat. But especially if you are working with others, you need to consider their workflow and give them documents they can easily navigate and make changes to. You’ll find out things become easier for you as well, so it’s really a win-win situation.

Of course there are always exceptions to the following, so by no means are they written in stone, but just a few things to keep in mind:

DON’T

• Rasterize text
  • You will be unable to edit it, or resize it properly.
• Rasterize layers that could change. i.e. buttons and navigational items.
  • You will just have to recreate these layers in the event they need to be altered. Not very time efficient.
• Nest layers within too many groups
  • Make the file easy to navigate. Logically organize layer groups. Don’t just group things for the heck of it.
• Leave too many unnamed layers
  • Though it may not be crucial to name every single layer, do the best you can. It can be time consuming, but it will definitely be easier if you label all layers.
• Group/link unnecessary layers
  • When making selections this can get hairy. It makes sense to link/group certain items (i.e. a button) but perhaps not the Navigation and the Footer text – just be discerning.
• Use smart objects just for the heck of it
  • Smart objects can make your life worlds easier, but not when you use them improperly. Use them for items you know you’ll need to (potentially) make non-destructive edits too (i.e. layer styles, scaling, smart filters, etc). You can create smart objects from a single layer, or any combination of layers. Don’t just do it just to “keep items together.” You may needlessly be increasing file size and creating a hassle if/when edits need to be made.
• Render shape layers in between pixels
  • If you want clean and sharp graphics, keep shape layers on whole pixels.
• Forget to include fonts or additional artwork
  • There’s nothing more annoying than not having the fonts needed to make changes on a file. Be sure to collect fonts for other users, or for yourself, for the future.

DO

• Use layer styles where you can
  • Layer styles can make it easier if, for example, you need to resize a button.
• Use shape layers/masks where you can
  • Understandably not for every instance, but they can be amazing. Fully editable. Can’t beat that.
• Use smart objects where you can
  • As mentioned above, Smart Objects are very powerful and can be quite useful. Just use them properly.
• Group/link appropriate layers
  • This can make organization and selection much smoother.
• Use proper naming conventions
  • Sometimes you need to name layers. When you have a complex illustration of hundreds of layers, there needs to be some sort of order.

• Keep source layers
  • If you need to rasterize a layer or apply a destructive effect to it, save a copy before you do so. This way you always have something to revert to.

. . .