Speckyboy Author

Addison Duvall (72 Articles)

Addison Duvall is the author of Food Identities, a blog that explores the crossroads of food, design, art, and culture. She’s written some things, designed other things, and eaten a whole lot of food.
The Cupcake Method for Improving Your Design Workflow

The Cupcake Method for Improving Your Design Workflow

Design / Freelance

Ah, cupcakes. Who doesn’t love those little, round bites of deliciousness? With a history spanning many, many years, cupcakes have a rich legacy that includes chemistry, enterprise, and problem solving….

Good Font, Bad Font: How to Pick the Best Font

Good Font, Bad Font: How to Pick the Best Font

Design / Fonts / Freelance

We share five key rules for selecting the ideal typeface, and show you how to determine if that font you like may not be so great after all

How to Do Away With Bad Design Ideas & Move on to the Good Ones

How to Do Away With Bad Design Ideas & Move on to the Good Ones

Design / Freelance

There’s a common saying in the fiction-writing world: kill your darlings. No, this isn’t some morbid encouragement to do bodily harm to your loved ones. Killing your darlings means that…

How to Find & Use Your Own Design Voice

How to Find & Use Your Own Design Voice

Design / Freelance

Your design voice – or design style, if you will – is how you choose to relay information to your audience. That sounds simple, but for the uninitiated, it can…

The 10 Golden Rules of Simple, Clean Design

The 10 Golden Rules of Simple, Clean Design

Design / Freelance

These rules of clean design are based on the ten principles by Dieter Rams but modified to fit with a more general goal of simplicity.

Leveraging the Power of Sushi to Improve Your Designs

Leveraging the Power of Sushi to Improve Your Designs

Design / Freelance

Sushi has been popular in the Western world since the 1970s, when it was introduced to diners in the U.S. You probably have a strong opinion about it – either…

What New & Inexperienced Designers Be Learning

What New & Inexperienced Designers Be Learning

Design / Freelance

Today I’m speaking to those just getting started in design. Maybe you just graduated from design school, or you’ve read through all the fundamental lessons offered here and on other…

The Idea Generation Process of Scribbling on a Napkin

The Idea Generation Process of Scribbling on a Napkin

Design / Freelance

We explore the idea generation process familiar to many designers: the scribbled idea on a restaurant napkin process. It’s high-level stuff!

How to Avoid Design by Committee

How to Avoid Design by Committee

Design / Freelance

Most people have an idea of the perfect solution to their design problem. The downside is that so does everyone else with the same problem.

The Role Design Plays in Your Client’s Sales Funnel

The Role Design Plays in Your Client’s Sales Funnel

Design / Freelance

We talk about what you’re really supposed to be doing as a designer, and about the role your designs play in your client’s sales funnel.

Separating Your Personal & Commercial Design Work

Separating Your Personal & Commercial Design Work

Freelance / Web Design

Is there a difference between so-called “commercial” work and work that’s done purely for the joy of creating? Should they be separated?

Do We Really Need to Follow Design Trends?

Do We Really Need to Follow Design Trends?

Design / Freelance

Designers love to complain about superficial design trends that they don’t feel have any staying power or contribute anything meaningful. Are they right?

The Importance of Storytelling in Design

The Importance of Storytelling in Design

Design / Freelance

Several years ago, I worked as an in-house copywriter and designer for a prominent marketing firm. When I first applied for the job I didn’t have any of the credentials…

Networking For Designers 101

Networking For Designers 101

Freelance / Web Design

We share some much easier and more effective methods for making networking connections as freelance creative designers.

How a Culinary Technique Could Make You a Better Freelancer

How a Culinary Technique Could Make You a Better Freelancer

Freelance

Incorporating the mise en place idea into your creative process allows you to prepare yourself to power through your work with less stress and fewer headaches.

How to Calm Down a Panicky Design Client

How to Calm Down a Panicky Design Client

Freelance / Web Design

We discuss panicky clients and cover methods that will not only de-escalate their panic but also bring them around to your point of view.

Design Ideas is All About Presentation

Design Ideas is All About Presentation

Design / Freelance

A good design presentation will encourage clients and colleagues to take your ideas more seriously and assign more value to them.

How to Promote Your Freelance Services the Right Way

How to Promote Your Freelance Services the Right Way

Freelance
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