I've recently completed the design for a personal stationery packet. I've always loved the tactile quality of letterpress and with Crane's new Lettra papers decided to have the talented folk of Widgets and Stone handle this portion of the production and they did an incredible job. I'll attach some shots of the stationery soon.

Many thanks to Pentagram's Katie Repine who was kind enough to send me their latest publication - the coveted Black Book, showcasing 400 of their recent projects. Not only are the projects contained within it incredible, the book itself is delicious.

I have to say a quick thanks to Ellen Lupton, who recently sent me her new book Graphic Design: The New Basics. It's a gorgeous book and, of course, very well written. Do yourself a favor a pick this one up.

I keep seeing this misuse pop-up in portfolio books and sites, and it's tragic. So, let's clear the usage up now, shall we? If you are showing off a set of materials, traditionally consisting of a letterhead, business card and envelope, using a logotype or identity - you should refer to this suite as stationery not stationary, which means static, not moving. Got it?

Debbie Millman is an author, designer, pet-lover and critic living, working and playing in New York City. She just released her newest title “How To Think Like A Great Graphic Designer”. Rather than a how-to manual, as the title suggests, Debbie takes us on a journey that let’s us walk through some of the profession’s most important practitioners. In celebration of her book, I wanted to give a few thoughts of my own on this new endeavor of hers.

As a designer, I've always been fascinated in the journey other designers take from the initial concept to the final execution. What inspirations in our daily lives influence the design process? How do these inspirations help form what actually comes out of that process as a final piece of design? For me, this process in its most primal, is inexplicable. It starts with a singular thought, and through a series of almost automatic references (probably insignificant synaptic explosions) the thought turns into a what can be labelled the beginning of a process. It is an organic journey that can, at any moment, drastically change directions. I think what makes a great graphic designer is his/her ability to allow for these changes in direction, showing no resistance, knowing that ultimately that what results is the perfect solution. And we should all strive to be more adept designers shouldn’t we?

So, when given the chance to browse the minds of the profession's most influential practitioners, I jump. Few would be hard pressed to turn down such an exciting opportunity.

Debbie does just that. She gives us the chance to sit back and absorb invaluable and insightful perspectives from the likes of Chipp Kidd (a personal favorite), Michael Bierut, Carin Goldberg, Paula Scher, Milton Glaser and many others. If you’re looking for perspective and inspiration, do yourself a favor and pick up Debbie’s book.

Debbie was kind enough to answer some of my questions as well:

What is it about graphic design that keeps you excited, motivated and coming back to it everyday?

I am madly in love with this business and feel that my purpose at Sterling is to make the supermarket more beautiful.

Do you think there is a discrepancy between the previous generation of design practitioners and the current generation? If so, why has this occurred? What caused the shift?

I believe that the discipline of design today has more impact on our culture than any other creative medium, given our dependence on sensory stimulation. However, I see a sad decrease every year among my students of fundamental design skills that I think are necessary: drawing, drafting, typographic nuance and a deep knowledge of design history. I believe this is because of the advent of technology in our lives, but I also think it is because these skills take time to master, and as a culture we are now incredibly impatient.

Is there a distinct difference between graphic designers (like Paul Sahre) and style-makers (like Chuck Anderson)?

There is a difference in all designers, or there should be. But asking me about Paul is tough, because I think he is a genius and unparalleled in his level of passion, talent and humility.

There seems to be so many designers coming into the industry these days. Why do you think this growth is happening? Is the perception of what design is changing? How is this growth affecting our profession and the quality of work being done?

Easy answer: Yes.

We went from three television channels to 500 hundred, from no web pages to billions. There are more than 100 brands of nationally advertised water. There are dozens of car companies, selling thousands of cars. Starbucks offers 19,000,000 different ways to order a beverage and Oreo cookies come in more than nineteen flavors.

There are a lot of choices, and there is a lot of work. But there is still a lot of work to be done, if you know what I mean…

Has the role of graphic design shifted over the past 20 years? Is “good design is good business” still relevant?

We are now living in sensory overload: we determine our beauty factor by comparing ourselves to airbrushed super-models and surgically enhanced celebrities, our intelligence by answering questions correctly on Jeopardy, our sports acumen by watching and applauding steroid addicts, our bravery by war-obsessed leaders, and our leadership by philandering presidents. It is a really perplexing! This lack of personal privacy and mass consumption of information has changed the way we relate, perceive and live. So yes, “good design is good business,” but sadly, “bad design” and “bad behavior” is good business, too.

For those of us designers with an entrepreneurial spirit wanting to start up their own studio, what advice would you give? What is the most important thing to remember when starting?

Expect to work really, really hard. If you are not working hard enough, you will never get ahead. If you aren’t making mistakes, you are not taking enough risks. If you rest on your laurels, you will fall flat on your face. And whatever you do, try not to compromise your values, your beliefs and your desire for greatness for the first five years you are in business.

The generally dispensable status of art and design, assigned by our consumer-minded culture, has allowed even the most naive bastard to recognize and revel in the quality of their personal creative vision. Uneducated designers and photographers permeate society and, like their Sunday Painter counterparts, cannot muster a fraction of the effort necessary to create anything of merit. The inordinate number of design agencies opened in recent years is a testament to our desire to communicate visually as well as our ignorance in believing everyone can do so. In the race for status and recognition, money and reputation, process has taken a backseat to pretense.

A fledgling minority still recognizes the importance of the process inherent to design‚ it is process, not product, that creates. Unfortunately, however, patience has been forfeited for immediate gratification and craft and thought have been superseded by contemporary trends.

In short: asinine expropriation is in vogue.

I seek to subvert tradition‚ to unapologetically dismantle the regurgitation that so viciously pervades our industry. I abhor style, high-design‚ and the other atrocities being sold today within the confines of the style-houses that plague our industry.