I told myself for a long, LONG time that exercising in a group sounds like my nightmare! First of all, I don’t know what I’m doing so I’m not going to be perfect at it. Second, struggling in a room full of people is very embarrassing! Plus there are just so many mirrors that they can watch watch me squirm from every angle. Next up? Morning classes. Like early. Like class starts at 5:30. In the morning. So here we have a small potpourri of Things I Dread: trying something new, not being perfect, people watching me not be perfect, and getting up early.
I have a touch of social anxiety. What does this look like for me? Welp, lots of fun symptoms include but are not limited to crying meltdowns before group outings, getting sick at large events (cute), hiding in bathrooms at large venues, and overcompensating with too much excitement (interrupting others and grilling people like they’re at a job interview). It took me a while to identify these as patterns but once I read about and looked for them…It’s been a lot better! Needless to say, I knew just putting myself in this situation was going to make me nervous. I have really been trying to challenge myself so I set my alarm for 5:00am. Want to know how my first class went? K!
Where my introverts and socially anxious people at?! If you’re an introvert, you are going to be both mortified and delighted by my experience. If you’re an extrovert then enjoy the pictures ’cause this is going to sound absolutely ridiculous to you. Either way, you’re here and I’m happy to have you!
What to Do at Your First Workout Class
Arrive 10 minutes early.
I arrived only 4-5 minutes early and it was not nearly enough for reasons you’ll soon discover. Arriving mere seconds before the start time of anything is traditionally considered “early” in Katie Time. So let us take a quick moment to acknowledge that.
Triple-check aka Procrastinate.
I parked, the gal at the front desk scanned my keychain, and I asked questions I already knew the answer to. BUT WHAT IF I DIDN’T, YOU KNOW?
Me: “Hi, I’ve never taken a class before, what do I do?”
Her: “Ok, great! Go on in and find a spot. Class starts in about 5 minutes. Lift as much or as little as you want, go at your own pace.”
Me: “Cool, thanks.”
Also Me: *go-in-find-spot-panic-5-minutes-lift-more-than-you-should-freak-out-go-fast-be-perfect-panic*
Go On In and Find a Spot.
I am ruler-follower so I did as I was told. I was also feeling terrified so I zeroed in on an open spot the second I opened the door. Class started in 4 minutes so I piled my pink fluffy sweatshirt and Ugg boots by the back wall and slid on my tennies. I walked to The Spot and psyched myself up.
Lift Those Weights.
The instructor started class. The tunes were playing. I lifted the various weights lying before me. They were really freaking heavy. We were nearly 10 minutes in and everything was mostly fine. A woman arrived about 10 minutes late, looked around, and walked across the room kinda towards me. She said, “Excuse me, are you…? Did you…?” and walked away. I was oblivious, I smiled and focused on how heavy these darn weights were. She emerged from a closet with equipment. Weights, bar, a mat, the whole shebang.
Which I never did…
…I waltzed in the door, found a spot, and started lifting.
Get Your Own Sh*t
There was a slight break where people shifted their equipment and sipped water. The woman walked by me to grab her water bottle and gently mentioned, “Make sure you come a little early next time. You need to set up your own equipment before each class.”
And it finally dawned on me.
I was in her spot. Using her weights. I was MORTIFIED.
Stick With It
At this point, I was in Fight or Flight mode. I was telling myself, “Don’t you dare. Don’t you DARE cry. Suck in those little tears” while simultaneously glancing at the door thinking, “Humiliation is FUEL, you could be gone in seconds.” Instead I did not cry and I did not run out. I stayed. I survived the whole class and was only a little humiliated when two gals from my church were in there the whole time! I was blinded by sheer embarrassment and hadn’t noticed them earlier. SUPER.
The kind soul whose spot I borrowed, introduced herself as Melinda after class. Come to find out, she has been coming to this class for more than 12 years and sets up her equipment extra early so she can run on the treadmill before each session. I apologized profusely, and then apologized a little more for good measure.
For those of you keeping track at home, my worst introvert nightmare became reality. Not only did I steal the spot of a beloved attendee, I did so in a mirrored room where everyone watched the whole scene unfold. To top it off I didn’t know what any of the moves were called and I lifted weights that were way too heavy for me. That pretty much checked all the Things I Dread boxes.
Be Decent.
I went back the next Monday morning. Got there 15 minutes early (yes, ME!). Found a spot in the back. Set up all my equipment. Put on my shoes and stretched. Melinda greeted me on her way in, “Oh my gosh! I’m so glad you came back! This is my favorite class and I was worried we’d never see you again after last week. By the way, how are you feeling? I couldn’t believe you used my weight the whole time!”
Girl, SAME. I also cannot believe I used your weights the whole time. She lifts heavy. I explained that I hadn’t come back on Friday because I couldn’t move or lift my arms for a solid 4 days after class. My hair was an absolute mess because I could not raise my arms to put a ponytail holder in. I’m also very glad headbands are back in.
I am not kidding when I tell you the only reason I even thought about going back and trying that class again is because Melissa was so kind, and decent, and gentle. She didn’t yell, shout, or demand that I move. She didn’t offer a snarky or sarcastic remark. She didn’t shoot dirty looks my way during class. It would have been so easy and probably a more natural reaction to totally shame and embarrass someone who steals your equipment and spot! But she didn’t. I’m still kind of surprised and totally impressed by how she handled it. There are so many easy, short words and phrases to offer encouragement and kindness between reps.
This post started as a funny, self-deprecating story about being an introvert and surviving my worst first-world fears. But it kind of morphed into a life lesson. January is a big goal-setting, resolution-making time of year. Health and fitness is a big one for a lot of people! This is good! So whether it’s January or May or December, don’t make anyone feel like dirt for trying to improve themselves. Show them where the equipment is. And be decent while you do so. You don’t have to be cheery even. Just decent. Someone might come back to class because of your not-cheery-but-not-terrible interaction. Realize that an activity that’s super easy for you to do, like showing up for a one-hour workout class, might be a real fear for someone else (hi!). There are some real risks in the world and I would never encourage someone to put themselves in the harm’s way. But if you can survive your brain’s version of the worst case scenario then I think you’ll be stronger for having tried whatever it is.
It’s taken me nearly 30 years of sitting at desks to realize that I’ve been sitting at desks for THAT LONG. You’ve heard the sad, morbid warnings of sitting for hours on end. Most are based on research, and I am big fan of science and facts. Scary statistics to do little to motivate me. I need motivation that’s a little more…friendly? Happy, even! I am really truly honestly trying to let my brain work while my body moves by going for regular walks. Outdoors, when possible. Admittedly, this is much easier to accomplish during spring, summer, and fall months with a Midwest address.
Step Away From the Desk
Cup of coffee, bathroom break, refill the water bottle, have a snack, empty the dishwasher, pull out the ole laptop in another room. When I start talking or whisper-shouting to myself, it is absolutely time to STEP AWAY. Slowly. Release the mouse. Set a timer and get outta there.
Get Some Sun in Your Eyes
I feel better mentally and sleep better after even a small amount of time spent outdoors. I would advise some fabulous shades and/or a hat for this step, but you get the idea. I feel more alert just being outside for a few.
Time to Go For a Walk
Very few tasks cannot wait 15 minutes. I am terrible guilty of thinking and doing the whole “I’m in the middle of this so I’ll just slog through until I’m done.” Some situations call for this. But usually a walk breaks loose whatever obstacle I was mentally running into.
What are some things you do during the workday to refresh your mind and body?
It’s late April in the Midwest which could mean ANYTHING weather-wise. But on this particular day, it’s sunny and 60 degrees and I’m happy. Been in a mental rut all week and decided to do a short series to design for fun. This particular series was inspired by my trusty plastic yellow sunglasses from last summer. And they just feel more appropriate and festive on a sunny Friday. I gave myself the following “rule”: each graphic had be sunglasses with green shades. A guideline or two keeps the challenge realistic (the real-world is rarely a free-for-all) and it helps the series feel consistent even with a variety of styles, colors, and shapes. I tried to capture the right style and emotion for each day. Do you agree with each day’s vibe?
A Shade for Every Day
Shade of the Day: Monday
Monday needs a little pep. If you don’t feel like tackling whatever Monday holds for you, this pair of sunglasses will help you power through. This is the eyewear your attitude and your eyes need for Monday.
Shade of the Day: Tuesday
Tuesday’s sunglasses are a no-fuss, classic aviator style with a star at the hinge because they needed a little something. Look, the honest truth is that Tuesdays are often crazier and weirder than Mondays. Don’t add another thing to your plate or look. These shades are streamlined for a smooth Tuesday.
Shade of the Day: Wednesday
On Wednesdays we wear pink, obviously. And what better staple to pair with your pink than a bold, black pair of sunglasses. The tiniest pearl was needed to enhance your pink palette. Sleek and guaranteed to help you glide through Hump Day.
Shade of the Day: Thursday
Thursday, you beautiful symbol of optimism. Also fondly referred to as Pre-Friday, Thursday’s oversized square tortoise-shell style tells the world that maybe you’re a little tired but you’ve handled your week and poised for solid finish to the week. A little trendy, a little classic, a lot perfect for Thursdays.
Shade of the Day: Friday
The entire inspiration for this series; a happy and SUNNY Friday. The world is your oyster for 48 hours. The Monday version of you can handle whatever you don’t get to today. You will feel as festive as these sunglasses look. I would suggest wearing these through the weekend for maximum happiness.
I committed myself to one class each semester at a local university for the last year (and continuing this year). The experience has been positive in so many ways including but not limited to getting out of the house, meeting people, being uncomfortable, learning new things, being okay with learning new things, and being reminded how young I look ;).
Last fall I completed a Video Art class to re-familiarize myself with video software and techniques. A few jobs ago, I was doing quite a bit of basic video editing in Premiere. Nothing crazy or complex, but tediously trimming all of the mumbles, ums, and mess-ups out of talking head interview videos. I share this because not every designer knows their way around video tools and software, myself included. I do not intend to offer video services, but I would love to be able to creating training videos for my clients and/or marketing videos for myself. If nothing else, I figured this would at least get me closer and hold me accountable for learning.
Video takes so SO much time and skill! I know this because I have had the pleasure of watching and working alongside some talented video folks at every job I’ve held. It takes creativity, technical know-how, flexibility, resourcefulness, and so much more. I’m want to preface my sharing of amateur classwork by saying that capturing quality footage and weaving together beautiful stories is not easy. But trying new things is so valuable, so here are a few video projects I created!
All work represented below was created or curated by me for educational purposes. I have included credit where possible and will disclose where and how I used my own footage.
Exploring the symmetry and contrast between the pace of nature and the man-made world was my goal in this video. How did I get there? When browsing footage, I downloaded anything I found visually pleasing. After saving several video assets, I had to comb through my collection. I started to notice patterns emerging from the footage I collected that contained similar colors, and the subjects’ movements mimicked each other. The process began by pairing up videos and arranging them in an order of nature, man-made, nature, man-made, and so on. One thing that I was careful to mention when I presented my video in class was the timing, the pace of this video. When you watch it, it feels like everything lasts just a beat longer than you expect. This was intentional as part of the overarching concept of my video. As humans we’re like “yep, got it, okay, next,” and nature’s like “whoa, hey, what’s the rush buddy? got some more raindrops.”
Requirements
This project allowed all of our footage and audio to be “found.” This meant using free and appropriately licensed footage and songs. This also left us the option of using footage that we personally captured too. All of the footage featured in this video is free and licensed, and not my own. All of the sounds were also found and pared with their corresponding clips. The ice in the glasses, the fingers typing, the bee buzzing, the wind, rain pouring down; all of those are separate clips that I matched up with the video assets. The music was also found, but the poem was written and recorded by yours truly. And let me tell you, there is only one thing worse than hearing your own voice…Hearing your own voice in a room full of people. Which I survived and lived to tell the tale. I felt like I needed one more element that would tie all of the videos and music together so I chose to write exactly what I needed. This allowed me to incorporate the words and timing that fit the video perfectly.
This project was half luck, half skill and only came to be because I just got started with what I had. We had just vacationed in Hilton Head, SC where I had captured a wide variety of footage. I didn’t know what I would end up with so I just filmed wherever we were, whatever we were doing, whenever I could. When I started putting the frames next to each other, I thought I would show “water” images in every left frame and “air” images in every right frame. But it felt too simple. I’m all for minimal BUT I felt like the video as a whole lacked depth visually and metaphorically. So I did what I do best…Make It More Complicated (Trademark Pending). I started layering air and water videos together and the result was much better. I loved the tension of not knowing if you were seeing air or water in motion. This is also reflected in the color scheme and somewhat eery, ambiguous music. That’s how Floating came to be the title.
Requirements
All of our footage had to be our own, captured by our own cameras. Our audio could be created or found. The goal of this assignment was to present footage in a unique way using two or more frames. Frames could be layered, side by side, different sizes, etc. I do wish I would’ve pushed the boundaries of spacing and effects more with this assignment, but I also feel the end result aligns with my personal design style.
While I wanted to use my learning experience to try a new things, I also wanted to be practical about how I was spending my time working on projects. I decided that if I was going to spent 15-20 hours on a project, it should serve me and my small business well. Time is money, baby. So I decided to create a tool that might help me share who I am and what I do as a one-woman graphic design studio. I love how prominent technology is in what I do as a graphic designer, but sometimes it can be hard for people to truly get an idea of my personality (and face) if we only ever exchange emails and phone calls. You’ll notice a dumb blue line in the middle of the video that’s not supposed to be there. You’ll also enjoy a few sub-par audio moments (hello, hi, student project) and rambling explanations. If or when I revisit this, I would cut the length WAY down and ruthlessly edit what I choose to say.
Requirements
All of our footage had to be captured using our own brains and equipment. Audio could be found, but most documentaries include some spoken word for narrative purposes. This video had to be at least 4 minutes (!) long. Folks, it takes SO MUCH footage to edit down to 4 minutes. SO MUCH. And since I was using all of my own footage and myself as the subject, I made this extra hard on myself. I literally cringe watching this because it is hard to watch yourself do anything, but you better believe I met those requirements.
Final Thoughts
I totally enjoyed this class. I will say, the hardest part of anything for me is getting started so just signing up and showing up for this class required five minutes of bravery. What keeps me hooked and continually amazes me about the creative world are the endless possible outcomes. We all start with generally the same requirements and the finished projects are wildly different. We all heard or read the same words but they meant something different to each person.
Perhaps the kindest and highest compliment I received from my professor and classmates was my sensitivity to typography. Insignificant to you but touched my heart! I’ve loved letters all my life and discovering that I can care for them in my profession is super cool! All that to say, I love typography and believe well-chosen fonts and colors help communicate the story or information you aim to share.
Every once in awhile the universe rewards me for my devotion to both pop culture and graphic design which allows me to bring you such hits as Thank U, SpecsTM. Have you ever worked with a graphic designer or printer? Maybe you’ve run an ad in a high school basketball program or wanted to get your company’s logo on a polo? Tackled home improvement or a technical project? If you’ve encountered any or all of those scenarios then you’ve probably heard the term “specs” thrown around a couple times. Ariana sang about ’em (well, close) printers have ’em, and designers need ’em to get your project complete and out into the world.
What are Specs?
Specs is short for specifications, and is defined by Merriam Webster as “a single quantity (such as a dimension or a measure of performance) describing a product” or “a detailed precise presentation of something or of a plan or proposal for something.”
Specs are the technical details required to actually produce your project.
Letting your graphic designer know where and how you plan to display your new look is important! For example, let’s say you have a new logo (exciting!) and you want to start using it everywhere. It’s crucial that a graphic designer knows the dimensions, colors, and file types to deliver a file that your printer can actually work with. A standard tri-fold brochure is pretty straightforward. But if you’re renting billboard space, that’s going to require a high-quality, hi-res image and a file sized to the correct dimensions of the billboard. If you’re adding your new logo to your social media profiles, you’ll be fine with a smaller, lo-res JPEG.
Types of Design Project Specs
Technical Specs
A graphic designer, a web designer, a marketing team, and printer should all be able to provide and communicate the following technical specs:
Dimensions – pixels, inches, picas, dpi, ppi
Resolution – 300 dpi (high res), 72 dpi (lo-res)
Bleeds – do your colors, text, or images extend to or beyond the edge of the page? Pages need to be trimmed accordingly.
File size – 100KB, 2 MB
Colorspace – CMYK, Pantone, Spot, for printing, RGB for web; these are set within the document
Color swatches – Hex #efefef, RGB 34-78-35
Material and weight – 100# text-weight paper, vellum
Filetypes – .doc for text only, PDF or EPS for hi-res printing, JPEG (no transparent background) or PNG (allows for transparent background) for web
Marketing Specs
Consider these marketing specs as demographics and goals for your target audience. These specs are important for understanding who a designer is communicating your information to.
Demographics – Who are your customers? Age, gender, income, region, motivations.
Goals – What goals does your customer have? What are they trying to accomplish with your organization or services? Are they trying to lose weight, learn something, spend time with friends?
Tasks – What series of steps can someone who sees or uses your product or service take to move forward? This could be make a phone call, email, take a photo, buy a meal, etc. This part of understanding your customer’s journey towards you.
Calls to Action – What functionality must be included in technical items? Maybe you need a contact form on your website or your mailed letter must have a return envelope for donations.
Examples of specs
Why are design specs important?
Design specs are important because they directly affect the production and outcome of your project. Knowing the colorspace, material, and medium for your printed piece ensures your colors are not only accurate but look great! Having thorough and accurate technical specs means that your ad is going to fit in the space you purchased or can be mailed within your budget. Understanding why these details are important and how to ask for them means saving time and money. There’s no having to redo designs or spend money reprinting materials.
If you don’t know what the specs are for your project (or don’t want to deal with it) ask your printer/vendor of choice to supply theirs, which are typically in document or PDF form, to you and/or your designer. A lot of times these can be found on vendor websites as well. Connecting your designer with your vendor is a perfectly reasonable solution and part of hiring a creative professional!
Good luck singing Thank U, Next in it’s original version… From here on out, it’s Thank U, Specs. And you’re welcome.
There are numerous articles about the importance of logos and branding; why they’re both necessary and an investment. There are also SO many options available to a business, organization, or individual when choosing a logo. How is a person to choose? Most things come down to time and money. Get a $5 logo in 5 minutes or get a complete branding system and spend $2,500. The hard truth? You get what you pay for. And what you pay for comes down to experience and relationships. In an effort to more clearly communicate what goes into creating a new logo and why it takes a minute, I’m sharing my process for designing and delivering logos.
My Logo and Branding Process
1. Kick-off Call
This part is crucial in determining if a client and I will make a killer team. Phone calls help to establish a little bit of trust and verify that I am, in fact, a human who does what I say I can do. Not only can you get a pretty good feel for personality in a quick call, but you can cover a lot of ground and answer a lot of questions in 15-20 minutes. Ready to roll? I like your style! You can schedule a call at any time that works for you.
This takes about 30 minutes.
1a. Complete the Questionnaire
Another form? Ugh! I know, I know, you’re really busy and you don’t have time for another online form. I created my Branding Questionnaire as a quick-and-dirty way to share your business details. You know your business better than anyone else so it’s really helpful to hear the history and details from the source. And honestly, this is a great way to gage where an organization and its leaders are at in the process. In my experience, when I have to write things out, I am forced to wade through my thoughts and communicate them as best I can. I find that folks who are willing to put in the 10 minutes to share their vision for their organization, are serious about investing in a logo and branding suite. I encourage folks to take this before or directly following our kick-off call so we can work through any missing pieces or dive into more detail.
This takes about 10 minutes. You don’t have to fill out every field – just fill in what you can and move on!
2. Design Research
Performing research includes surveying the branding of both competitors and businesses outside your industry. This does not mean slapping together an exactly-the-same-but-different logo for your own business. But there are important insights to be gained. Does everyone in your industry look the same? Is every single logo blue? That could mean you have an opportunity to pick a look that sets you apart! This is the step where I explore the relationship between every word, shape, letter, and color that corresponds to your organization’s name, service(s), and mission. Completing this phase includes a lot of thought and tedious sketching. My research phase means getting everything out of my head and onto paper. I fondly refer to this as “getting all the bad out” which inevitably leads to many pages of pencil sketches and later…the good stuff.
This takes about 2 weeks. Why so long? It’s the most tedious step requiring equal parts thinking and designing. Plus, I’m lucky enough to work alongside lots of clients so I need time to keep everyone’s projects moving forward!
3. Three Logo Concepts
After researching and sketching and sketching some more, I move to the computer screen. What does “moving to the screen” even mean? So glad you asked! This means I use my digital design tools and software to trace, recreate, and build upon the sketches from the Research phase. Designing on my computer (aka my life) allows me to quickly design, refine, and iterate. I typically present 3 logo concepts for my clients to consider. I like to have to discussion over the phone or in person to help explain my decisions. (This can’t always happen and that’s fine).
The variety of the options (how similar or different they look) really depends on the client and project. If we have a crystal clear vision to begin with the options maybe be more similar than an organization who is still grasping how they want to visually represent themselves. I encourage clients to choose the concept that will most clearly represent and communicate their business to their customers. Once a concept is chosen, I allow one round of revisions and a final stamp of approval.
The honest truth:
99% of the time, one concept is the obvious winner in the client’s eyes. And I pretty much always agree. So why offer three options? When I’m personally investing in something. I do a lot of research. I want to know I’ve chosen the best option for me. Picking a logo for an organization is a big investment and I believe clients want to know and see that I/we have considered and explored the best options for their goals.
This takes about 1 week, but can take longer depending on how long it takes to present concepts, review options, and receive feedback.
4. Introduce Some Color
This step is born of my personal belief that a logo, at minimum, should “work” in black and white. But there are practical reasons, too. Wouldn’t it be great if a logo is readable on documents printed or scanned in black-in-white? I think so! Trying to keep costs down? Black-and-white helps. This is the step where I carefully consider color theories and create palettes that further reinforce the client’s visual presence. I have had many folks share strong color preferences and I’m happy to accommodate those. (“I hate orange!” or “We are all about water, so please no red!”) You’ll get to see your chosen logo in each color palette.
I also include some real-world examples – like a polo shirt, a billboard, or sign – because seeing the logo in different sizes and applications can help clients visualize their new logo and get excited about using it!
This takes about 3 days.
5. Brand Guide & Delivery
Put your brand to work! Once your logo and palette have been approved, I will deliver a Brand Guide to you. What do you get? A Brande Guide includes all the details about your logo, your color swatches, and how to use all of them. Plus, you’ll get various filetypes of your logo. Um, what? You’ll probably want JPEGs or PNGs for your website or social media. EPS and PDF files are great for printing. I’ll make sure you have what you need. If you’re going to invest time and money in a logo, it makes sense to know how to use it! Consistency is key. If you’re not personally responsible for implementing your new logo, Brand Guides make it so easy for your marketing folks, printers, or other partners to know how to best serve your new brand.
This usually takes about 1 week
Working Together
Now you’ve seen the step-by-step process of how I create a logo. Even though I might be the one creating the shapes, you can see the project takes teamwork! My goal is to create an environment where we can have honest conversations with a little bit of humor. Finding a graphic designer you trust is crucial because logo projects are an investment and honest feedback is the only way to move forward. Thanks so much for reading, I hope it was helpful or insightful to learn more about what goes into a logo project!
If you’re interested in working together, get in touch! If you might maybe possibly be thinking about a new logo, you can see some of my past work before taking the first step. Think we’d make a great team and ready to move things along? Take the Brand Questionnaire and I’ll be in touch!
