new design posted!

Hey all! just finished my latest project; A fictional XBOX 360 game: UFC Underground. For those of you criticizing already, I am aware of the unlikelihood of Kimbo Slice ever making the cover of a video game, let alone fighting GSP, but for this treatment, he had a fantastic picture that was easy to work with, so i went with it. Also, it is FICTIONAL, so there.

Hope you dig it!

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The pulse of the market

I would just like to mention that if you haven't seen the latest coors light billboard ads, you should totally check them out, they are very clever. They show precisely why they are the number 1 selling beer in canada, and the main reason is that they have their finger firmly on the pulse of today's market. They know what's in, they know what's out, and they know exactly what their target market will respond to. They're genius, and although in the beer category i feel they're a step above flavoured water, you have to give it to them; they know how to market.

typewaste

Happy new year all! Thank you for being a fan and a friend in 2009 and here's hoping 2010 is prosperous as well!

So i can't help it, but every time i see certain typefaces used, i cringe. There are certain typefaces that are either used way too much, or in the wrong context, and i can't help just being sick of them. It's almost as if people just don't realize how cliche and horrible these 'fonts' are. (PS, i prefer the word typeface over font...i guess it's just a personal preference).

So which typefaces are just way too over used and shitty? First and foremost, it's Comic Sans.
Oh my god, this typeface is ridiculous. It's awful, and it's so cliche. I understand why it was designed, and what the roots of it are, but it should not be used nearly as often as it is. People use it for everything. Signs, flyers, ads, it's sickening. It's a typeface that people think says "fun and playful" but really it says "immature and awful". the only thing it's good for is MAYBE ads for children or children's products. And even then it's a stretch.

Another typeface that is purely awful is Papyrus. Why is this even used? It's just cheesy looking and really serves no purpose. The worst part about it is that even big corporations use it, and it makes me hate it all the more. McDonald's used it for their mediterrainian menu, and Edible arrangements uses it as their main logo, which is ridiculous. It's highly overused, and almost as annoying as comic sans. It's unprofessional and not even all that good looking for a display font. It serves zero purpose, and should be removed.

Here's a link you should all check out ;)

http://bancomicsans.com/

The world of bus bench ads

I know in today's world we are heavily bombarded with advertisements everywhere we go. We see them everywhere, and don't even realize how many we actually take in. But next time you think of it, while you're walking, driving or whatever, take a look at those ads that are on bus benches. You know the ones, usually advertising a real estate agent, or a lawyer. Have you noticed how awful these things are? They are truly some of the worst designed things i have ever seen. It looks as if the designer for these things basically took whatever picture they could find of the person they are advertising, and cut and pasted it onto the bench. They're extremely awful. I thought it was just the one that i saw, but i began paying more attention to them, and 9 out of 10 benches i saw were the same. The name of the agent, the logo, some shitty colours, and the crown piece of the ad; the driver's license-esque picture. Purely awful.

13

Welcome!

Hey all!

Well there have been quite a few requests for this, so i figured what the hell, i'll give it a shot!
This is the official blog for Thirteen Designs, which is my personal design 'business'. Although it's not much of a business at the moment, it's a work in progress, and just like every other freelance designer, it takes time, effort and persistence to make it work. This blog is designed as a tool to connect clients, peers, and other designers with me as I jot down whatever ideas or thought processes occur to me at any given time.

Also, it's a place for me to voice my concerns, opinions, etc as kind of a discussion forum. And hey, if you're not a client, peer or designer, you're still more than welcome to join in and check back!! 2009 is almost done, and 2010 is going to be a solid year for Thirteen Designs, so i hope to have you all on board!!

Cheers,
Justin