My fascination with artist profile videos continues. See more of Mark’s incredible portraiture here. Via Vineet Kaur.
 
 

+ I just launched redesigned a logo & header for Anni Cee Photographie!

+ Fresh new work, fresh new site from Jesse Brown.

+ Swiss Miss posed a really interesting question that I’m constantly hearing from my clients: what are some tools for people who want to build a strong personal brand but can’t afford to hire a designer? In the ensuing comments I found Improving your Design Appeal in 7 Steps and A Logo is Not a Brand both of which nail some key fundamentals that all of us can incorporate.

+ Today’s festive illustration by Mary-Kate McDevitt is the perfect sign-off. Whether you prefer a low-key holiday or the go for the full nine yards, hope it’s a great one! Sending my best tidings & cheer your way. Talk to you next year!

I’m not much for making holiday gift guides (there’s a billion great ones already, I’m fine with leaving them to the pros) but I thought I’d share my reading wishlist anyway. After the holiday glitter bomb dust has settled, there’s few things I like more than practicing my introverted skills with a book and the Christmas tree at my side. And perhaps there’s an uninspired Santa reading this looking for last minute gifts ideas too, who knows. For wry wit and cunning insight on several of these novels, I direct you to the brilliant Life in Reviews. Ellen’s been making our high school English teachers very proud with her reviews since 2009.

1. The Elegance of the Hedgehog. Musings on art, culture, and life as told by a very quirky sounding main character. It’s also short which is helpful.

2. Content Strategy for the Web. I’ve seen this referenced in many-a-spot online and it’s got winning reviews. Useful for anyone who publishes any kind of anything on the web.

3. The Zuni Cafe Cookbook. I’ve never even been to San Francisco (yet!) but the café’s reputation, and recipes, precede it everywhere. Just google “Zuni Cafe Roast Chicken” without mouthwatering results, it’s not possible.

4. Indie Brands: 30 Independent Brands that Inspire & Tell a Story. I imagine this book paired with Debbie Millman’s newest book, Brand Thinking & Other Noble Pursuits (not pictured) would paint an excellent picture of the state of branding today. Heaps of inspiration for my small business clients.

5. It Chooses You by Miranda July features interviews and the process behind her projects. I love her style and her way of storytelling so I have no doubt this book will be all that and more.

6. Endurance, Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage. Gripping Antarctic action & adventure on the high seas, ’nuff said.

7. Blood, Bones, & Butter. Another foodie memoir by Gabrielle Hamilton who owns Prune in NYC. Spicy, scrappy, and delicious.

8. Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? At first glance this may look like fluffy chick lit, but Mindy Kaling manages to turn pink into smart with her usual funny self. This is probably an excellent book for an airplane trip.

What else? Am I missing anything?
 

Let me help you spend your money on two projects I’ve discovered recently that are near and dear:

Chis Piascik has done a drawing every weekday for the last four years which equals 1,000 drawings and Chris is self-publishing them into a book! I’m especially looking forward to the section of the book dedicated to complaining. Somehow this makes the gripes endearing and a way to vent that’s actually interesting in addition to being cathartic. Pledge here.

Do you like TV? Of course you do. Do you watch American TV? Most likely. Which means you should back this project. My friends David Elliot & Martine are filming a documentary on the cultural role American televisions has on our society today. These kids are not afraid to ask some big questions, no sir, and I’m itchy with curiosity to see how they tackle this one. If it’s anything like their previous projects then color me excited.

&nbps;

By Midnight Umbrella. Via Brad Wooddard Design.

BACK! Did you miss me? I missed you terribly, but I have to say I am glad for the break. Never before have I had such little interest in committing content to the web. I just couldn’t seem to find a way through all my crap and stress to contribute something useful to the fray, something that didn’t seem like thought shrapnel. And apparently an absence for the better part of two weeks makes it feel like I have to start all over again too. That’s okay though. Starting comes easily to me.

In the meantime, between working 12-14 hours a day at an agency, managing my own clients, dealing with a dead (if only temporarily) computer, I also had a show at Post 27! I barely talked about this event, my biggest regret of this whole holidaze-craze season. I was so wrapped up in making the work that I just didn’t have it in me. I needn’t have worried though, to my shock and awe, because it was a success! We sold over half the work, which has never happened to me before!

Heaps of gratitude to Veronica Corzo-Duchardt & Post 27, the other two-thirds of this show. Without Veronica’s Neche Collection test prints, screenprinted notepads & tags, or Angela’s usual furniture & display skills this would not have come together. Together we all got to craft office of our dreams, even if it just existed for one night.