Oh, to letterpress 8:18 AM

There's something about a handmade gift, like the ones we made for our parents for Christmas when we were 4. I remember wrapping a big box for my dad to open on Christmas. It's contents...a drawing of our stereo. Merry Christmas, Dad.

In all seriousness though, the thought behind the handmade gifts make them so much more lovely. The toiling over what ribbon to use, or the perfection you desire but never quite achieve...It really is the thought that counts.

But, when it comes to letterpress (sweet letterpress!), the handmade and the precision come together in a marvelous symphony of ink and paper. 

I wish I had more opportunity to work in this medium. For those who aren't familiar, letterpress is the process of inking a raised surface and pressing it onto the paper, leaving the ink (and when desired, a depression in the paper) behind. Any kid who grew up in South Michigan has played with one of these at the Ford Museum.

Generally, this is done in small shops on small single presses lovingly monitored by blackened-handed pressman coordinating ink flow and press pressure. Oh, the novelty!

When one thinks of printing, it's usually a 2-dimensional process: Ink applied on flat paper. But, with letterpress, that depression of the paper adds another level of texture and dimension. The finished product is gorgeous.

One of my favorite press shops is Studio on Fire. I just came across them last week and don't know much about them, but their work speaks for itself:

So, if you're looking for a gift for me for my birthday or Christmas, which I now you all are, nothing says love like movable type.

Time Machine 5:00 PM

This blog originally started in June 2006 to document my training for a triathlon. I had taken the concept from someone else as a tool to keep me accountable and to just express whatever emotion or opinion I was feeling about triathlon and anything else.

None of these original posts are still up, but I came across a couple that were really interesting to read in hindsight. It's always neat to look back and see where we've come from and where we are now...

6/18/2006 - Life is a Circus

It's amazing to me every time I see a juggler. Their ability to keep track of more balls than they have hands is quite impressive. I think the coolest part is to watch their eyes. There are more things up in the air than one should be able to handle, but their eyes keep focus, keeping track of everything they have going. Just as one ball is sent back up into the air, another one is right there, falling in to his hand.

True, I am young, but old enough to have more balls in the air than hands to catch. I feel like I am one of those jugglers that is trying to keep track of the flaming bowling pin, the chainsaw, the apple, and the tennis ball. All of them equally important to the performance, but not all equally important in cutting off my hand.

The key that I am slowly trying to learn...Don't sweat the tennis ball....Keep your eye on the chainsaw...and make sure to take a bite of the apple as it passes through.

6/21/2006 - See the Light

You know the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel everyone always talks about? You know, when things are feeling rough and you feel like it can't get much worse, people always say, "Keep looking for the light at the end of the tunnel." Soooo....what happens if there isn't one? I suppose you have to turn on your flashlight, throw it up ahead and make your own.

Things have felt pretty rough the past couple days, completely generated from an unfulfilling job. But today, I decided that it was up to me to buck up and start smiling.

The job is not gonna change, so "take a bite of the apple"...

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Since then, the job did change. A few times, in fact. Now I have a job that I hope I never have to leave. 

And since then, it did get worse, and worse. But, the apple is still sweet most days. The apple is a blonde head that runs through my house and out the back door into the sand box. The apple is a beautiful woman that cooks wonderfully, loves me unconditionally and makes our house a home. The apple is a community of friends that carry me along and forgive me when I fail.

The Apple is a God that knew me and said, 'Mercy'. And I believe that he has more fruit in store down the road.

Dub FX 4:01 PM

I've tweeted this video a few times in the past, but I thought I'd bring it over here that way I have easy access to it all the time. I absolutely LOVE this video. The artist, Dub FX, records and loops different sounds and notes live on the spot to create a beautiful piece of art. This gets me geared up to create every time I watch it. It's a little long, but well worth your 9:03. It takes him a little while to get it rolling, but it turns in to something amazing.

My dad admitted to me the other day that he watched it at work:

'gotta confess....I thought it was pretty cool. Would like to have cranked it up a bit to take full advantage of my speakers/sub-woofer here at the office, but thought it would not be a good idea....people would think I have totally lost my mind!'

A pocket-sized experience 12:15 PM

I've heard it said that the master bedroom is always the last one to get a facelift. Ironic how the owner of the house is the last to reap the benefits of new sheets, new paint, and new furniture. Such is the life of a designer.

For UD+M, it was time. New site, New blog, check. check. New business cards. check...soon. I spent the end of last week playing with some designs for my little wallet-size 'sales executives'. I wanted something that conveyed my clean, 'info up-front' style in an interesting, beautiful way. 

So here's what I ended up with:

I haven't figured out which side is technically the front, which turns out to be a good thing. It provokes the reader to interact with the card, flipping it over, reading both sides. We're in the business of creating EXPERIENCES, folks!

There's a lot of great collections of great business card designs out there for inspiration. Came across one the other day that I really love. The yellow cards are all printed with the same information. But each sleeve has a different pattern of diecuts to display specific information for each employee. Genius!

Sunday Driver 10:16 PM

Following the trend of t.v. and movies, Mercedes is unveiling a remake. The Mercedes-Benz 300SL, first unveiled in 1954, is going under the knife for an updated version of the classic Benz. I'll take two, please.

Did I mention it has gullwing doors???

Breath of fresh air 10:27 PM

Ahhhhh.....Boy does that feel better!

Considering I haven't updated the layout since I started this blog, it was well overdue for a facelift.

As you can see, some things have changed a bit. No longer is the company called 'UBER DESIGN+MARKETING'. In January, the website went through a digital rebrand and with that came the name change. I found myself constantly struggling to give my business name over the phone. Instead of it being a simple 'Hi, this is Ryan Myers from...', it was more often, 'OOO-BERR! U-B as in boy, E, R.' You'd think that someone in branding would've thought of that earlier on!

Anyway, now it's UD+M. It's a branding and design studio. Everybody understands that. And if they don't, well, let me tell you a little about branding (get the hook?)

So, some obvious changes and some not so obvious. While my intentions were ambitious to post insightful, daily musings (that was for my wife. She HATES that word!) when I started this blog, I've noticed, as you may have, gaps in posts. It's not that I don't have anything going on. More, my expectations to write something mindblowingly groundbreaking hinders me from just saying what I want in more than 140 characters (I tweet like a bird on a sugar high). I'd like to use this blog more for quick updates of what's going on with UD+M, creative inspirations, and the occasional thought-out post. I think we all may benefit...if anyone's still reading...since I never post....a comment would be nice...hm.

Oh, and I might just start using labels, too! Mostly because they would look sweet in this layout.

Fluid Sculpture 8:49 PM

This is one of those things you come across and, at first, you're like, 'Oh, cool', expecting to quickly move on to the next bit of mindless internet minutae. But then 3:28 later, you find yourself at the end...posting it to your blog.

Fluid Sculpture from Charlie Bucket on Vimeo.

If there's something worth doing... 8:17 AM

'Don’t make something unless it is both necessary and useful but if it is both necessary and useful, don’t hesitate to make it beautiful.' -Shaker design philosphy

Generally, things like this are reserved for Twitter. But, because it's more than 140 characters, I'm posting it here. I've read this quote in a few different locations. But I came across it this morning at Jeremy Mitchell's blog and it hit me square in the face today. 

There's two things that I love about this quote as it pertains to design. First, the obvious ones: The encouragement, even, the charge, to make the transfer of information (print, web, or otherwise) a beautiful experience. This may sound strange, but I need beautiful things around me. Not to be confused with expensive things, and not in a materialistic sort of way. Simply, in the way that the color of a wall will make or break a workspace. Or, in the way that a well-tailored shirt will cause me design a better website. Granted, this does force me to pay a little more at times for the quality aesthetic. But the ROI on that investment greatly exceeds the cost.

For some people, the need for aesthetic never crosses their mind. Sure, they can recognize when something looks pretty or ugly, but that's as deep as it goes. There's no appreciation or need for the beauty. It's not about the form. It's all about the function. Does this teapot boil water? Yep. Then I'll buy it. Then there's me: Does this teapot boil water? Yep. So does this other one. And it's got a gorgeous shape and comes in this amazing blue color. (Yes, this is my teapot.)

The second obvious one is what this quote tells us NOT to do: Waste our time. Generally, we're encouraged to be good stewards of our money. Be frugal. Don't buy in excess. Save, save, save. But, in this case, we're told to be stewards of our time and skills. If it's not going to be useful, don't waste your time. If you're going to have to deal with a difficult client, decline the project. 

The same can be said for our leisure time. If the time spent doing whatever it is we're doing, poking around the internet or watching t.v., is not going to be edifying, it's not worth your time. 

On to the third facet of this quote that I love so much...

The Shakers have been around for over 250 years. The fact that this quote reaches across 2 1/2 centuries and is still applicable reminds me that design and aesthetic is not a new concept. Generations of people have all appreciated beauty from it's simplest untouched form to the most ornate and elaborate designs.

We are driven by what we see. We've been created this way in God's image. All we have to do is look at the color palettes of every season to see that our Creator puts an emphasis on visual beauty.

If there is something worth doing, do it beautifully.

UD+M Miscellany 9:42 PM

Yesterday, I (and by 'I', I mean 'we'. More on that in a sec) had the opportunity to art direct a photo shoot for a client's website. After getting started with ReadyHang's new online presence, it became clear that we were going to need some quality, custom photography.

With a vision for what I wanted for the site and what I needed from a photographer, I set out to find the perfect fit. Cue, Kris D'Amico. 

Because this was a web-based project, it was crucial that these images translate great on-screen, first. I was incredibly impressed with Kris' understanding of on-screen photography and what that meant for lighting and color. 

Kris brought a level of fun and professionalism to the shoot that made the experience wonderful. He brought his own vision, but also took direction very well. If you are in need of a photographer for an upcoming shoot, I recommend Kris wholeheartedly.

You can see the homepage concept for ReadyHang's new site on our portfolio page.

Now, on to new UD+M news...Raechel and I have decided to take on an apprentice through the summer. Katie Markus, a student at O'More College of Design, will be working for UD+M through mid-August. Katie is a very talented designer with a passion for motocross, Fox Racing, and Betsey Johnson. She can also design a killer t-shirt... She's taken the lead on a current project for Parish Presbyterian's Bucer group, a high school age missions-centered group). Check out these initial concepts:

Katie also played a big part in the shoot yesterday. From cutting lemons to moving furniture to styling sets, Katie was in the mix and greatly appreciated. Stay tuned for more of Katie's showcased work.

UD+M just finished up a site for a friend and client, Solutions Consulting. They're an intriguing little company with an intriguing set of services to offer. Take a look at the newly launched site to find out what they're all about.

There's lots more on deck for UD+M, but that doesn't mean that we don't want to talk with you about your design and marketing needs. We're always looking for new opportunities to collaborate with new businesses. Check out the site, or send us an e-mail. And don't forget to hang out with us on twitter. You never know what useless info you may come across.

The long-lost blog post 8:59 AM

There seems to be a bit of a catch 22 when it comes to blogging. The whole point of business-based blogging is to grow your business, your industry, and your network. When it grows, you become busy. Which means less time for posting...hmmm.

So here I am, finally getting around to posting something new. As you may have guessed, things have been buzzing at UD+M. We've been pitching for new projects, building websites, updating our own website, and more.

Most of UD+Ms free time (not that there's much) has been spent on the development of our new online shopping experience, uberclothing.com . You can read more about it on the site. We're currently looking for our first 50 fashion designers to fill the store. 

    

There's lots more news to come and work to share. It's just not quite time. Be patient and we'll be sharing more soon.