I recently had a chance to submit my web design portfolio to a very well known and well designed magazine called Web Designer Magazine. A couple a months ago I recieved an email from them saying I got accepted. I was thrilled and super excited. My article is in May magazine, Issue 170. Here is a screenshot from my iPad.

I was recently working on my logo for Brisk Studios and I was having trouble and was tired of my current “brand”.

I wanted something fresh and bold. Something that would be to spread across all the branding types of media like business cards, website, letterheads, etc..

With today’s designers and the charity of their works and projects, I came across a site: tenbytwenty

He had posted a free font that I really like called “Nevis”

I definitely like sans-serif fonts and bold typefaces. I wanted the logo to have the letters B and S, but I wanted to add a little flare to it. Which gave me an idea to incorporate in my design. Lightning!

Lightning has some great qualities like: powerful, quick, energy, and light. The Definition of my last name Brisk is active, fast, energetic. So I thought to myself what a great connection.

Here are the sketches from the starting process:

I finally came up with something I felt fit me.

I was really happy with the final outcome, I was able to use that logo to make new business cards, new website design, and a new outlook on my business.

My new business cards:

My new website:

Conclusion: Thank you design community for the inspiration, free fonts, and encouragement. I hope this post will inspire someone else to use the high quality resources that are around and feel good about creating a brand for themselves.

Custom Photography Blogs is going live on Aug. 31st and I can’t wait  to proudly announce it on Monday. CPB is started by Jane Johnson who is a creative and passionate photographer who knows that every photographer wants their own person blog that they can express their photos and creativity. Just like she does.

I’m the other half of the project, I build what she designs, see my other post on the process we go through to build these custom blogs. We use WordPress for all of the photography blogs. We want people to be able to afford a custom blog so that’s where we come in, we design custom photographer blogs each with their own personality at a price that they don’t have to break the bank.

Preview of the home page:

Jane is a great person, has a passion for perfection and knows what she wants. She has made me a better designer and coder because of that. If you’re interested in a custom blog please check out Custom Photography Blogs.

You can also follow Jane on twitter.

Picture this: Your driving along the coast on a warm summer’s evening, windows down, and fresh air blowing on your face. You turn a corner and the most beautiful golden sunset hits your eyes. What do you do? You stop to fill your mind and breath in the visually magnificent once in lifetime sunset. Next, you browse to your favorite site or artist on a warm summer’s evening, favorite song playing, and fresh brewed coffee smell hitting your face. You click on the front page and there’s a new post with a drawing of an amazing golden summer sunset that they did that captured the same beauty.

The reason I had you picture those two different but alike scenarios is to ask, What is the better inspiration?

My answer is both, we can’t really have one without the other. Sure we can look at other people’s work, but they had to get their work from somewhere too.

I live and breath the ever growing web design world, any design really. I find inspiration in all areas: internet, TV, nature, clothes, people, and typography. The list could keep going forever. I really find inspiration in other people’s work. It amazes me the creative, unique, mind blowing, and inspiring artists we have in the web and design world. Some of my favorite artists and designers include:

James White, Chris Wallace, Aaron Irizarry, Kyle Steed, Josh Cagwin, Adelle Charles, David Leggett and the list goes on. They each have their own personal and different ways of creativness, whether it’s simplicity, creativity, aesthetics, or shear talent. They all have one thing in common and that is community. They’re both willing and want to share their work or passions with other people. I usually find they go above and beyond to encourage and motivate other people. Their passion is to see other people share their passion.

So, share some of your favorite places, sites, designs, or artist that inspires you.

I’ll leave you with some of my own inspiration:

and my favorite design quote by the Fuel Brand Team -

“GET INSPIRED“