Nate Burgos's Blog, page 12

Pride, Work and Necessity of Side Projects: CEO Claire Lew Complements the Art of Leading a Business with the Art of Painting

What are you working on—on the side?

I spend my days as the CEO of Know Your Company, a software company that helps business owners overcome growing pains. We help 15,000+ employees at companies, like Airbnb and Kickstarter, build more open, honest workplace environments.

On the side, I love to paint. I typically paint with acrylics, but lately have been focused using oil on canvas. You can view my paintings on my personal site.

I grew up painting and drawing—thanks to my mother who is an artist...

Keeping it weird and fun: Handmade goods created by Ava Puckett of Aviate Press

It was during the Chicago Design Market, a pop-up store assembly managed by the Chicago Design Museum, that I discovered the paper-based goods of illustrator Ava Puckett, who founded Aviate Press. Appreciated quickly her drawing style, lettering and printed greetings infused with wit and a wholehearted sprinkle of swears. Here, she tells more about her work lifestyle as an independent maker.

Regarding your debut pop-up store experience at the first Chicago Design Market managed by the Chicago...

To achieve high-quality photography of products that’s both affordable and without the drama, Photographers Erika Dufour and Renee Gooch co-founded Snip Snap Go

Photographers Erika Dufour and Renee Gooch are making professional-grade product photography more accessible and affordable for the small-to-mid-size business owner by offering their recently launched DIY system Snip Snap Go. Here, they share their story on how this invention was realized, where they want to take it and how it applies to the desire of driving traction to an idea.

What is Snip Snap Go?

Erika: Snip Snap Go makes it easy for you to take professional and affordable photos. We provi...

Blogger’s Quest(ionnaire): Lisa Charlotte Rost Creates and Talks the Value and Beauty of Data Visualization

Lisa Charlotte Rost is a Data Visualization Designer. The elegant quality of her infographics, amplified by her writing about current affairs through the lens of visualizing data, piqued my interest. Here, she elaborates on the making of her blog Views about the world and data visualization.  She can be found on Twitter: @lisacrost

Why did you create a web site of regular entries?

A. Curiosity. I want to think about things. Questions like: Why is that? Should it be like this? What happ...

Cusp Conference Celebrates 10 Years

Whatever the scale, holding an annual gathering, from a class to a summit, is an intense effort. The people behind its planning, organization, marketing and everything else are to be commended. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the annual Cusp Conference, hosted in Chicago by strategic design firm Multiple. I described my first attending Cusp as “an annual gathering of creative types with a penchant for the eclectic.” Each subsequent conference has wonderfully reinforced this strong fir...

Pride, Work and Necessity of Side Projects: For Illustrator and Designer Anna Raff, “Things Are Looking Grimm”

What are you working on—on the side?

My most recent side project is a series of illustrations based on the fairy tales by the Brothers Grimm, called “Things Are Looking Grimm.”

I work in children’s publishing, and have a number of books in different genres under my belt. Earlier this summer, I found myself with time to spare in between projects: one book was in a state of first sketches; another was in the final art stage, awaiting approval; and I was writing/sketching a picture book dummy that...

Typography and Technology in Play throughout Designer Carolyn Porter’s debut book “Marcel’s Letters: A Font and The Search for One Man’s Fate”

Graphic designer Carolyn Porter’s debut book Marcel’s Letters: A Font and The Search for One Man’s Fate epitomizes a “page-turner.” Her search for inspiration to design a distinctive typeface led to discovering a batch of endearing correspondence in a Minnesotan antique store. They were written by a man, Marcel Heuzé, during the Second World War. Using his lettering for inspiration, Porter’s curiosity was agitated to learn more about Marcel, his life upended by chaotic events—ultimately leadi...

Pride, Work and Necessity of Side Projects: Illustrator Lori Richmond Runs and Draws

What are you working on—on the side?

My side project combines my love of running and art-making. It is called #viewfrommyrun, and it’s a timed drawing series on Instagram. I draw something I see on my run, in the same amount of time as my run.

I’m a freelance designer, and I also write and illustrate children’s picture books. After a very intense half-year of delivering art on three separate books, my brain needed a creative reset. One night, during a training run for the Brooklyn Half Marathon...

Fascinated with Letterforms: Freelance Designer and Calligrapher Bella Schilling

Her hand-lettering, dabbling in typeface design, with a fandom of Ru Paul, piqued my interest in Bella Schilling and her letterform-driven work. Here, she shares her attitude and practice of every day being national writing day.

How did you arrive at what you do as a calligrapher and designer? Was there an initial encounter of lettering/design/typography that played a role in your path toward becoming a typeface designer? 

I studied Visual Communication at AUB [Arts University Bournemouth]...

Pride, Work and Necessity of Side Projects: Plant Nerd Kaitlyn Rich’s Botany & Herbalism

What are you working on—on the side?

I document and write about my personal herbalism practice, making my own clothes, and everything in between on my blog Nettles + Chickweed.

I’ve always been interested in plants. One of my earliest memories is picking rhubarb with my preschool class. There was a family who lived next door to my school and had a beautiful garden and kept chickens. I remember the neighbor explaining the leaves were poisonous and the vibrant pink stem was edible. While I’ve wor...