If you're trying to break through the clutter, you might as well make a splash. For the announcement of my Medium article, Logo Design is Dead, I wanted to accomplish two things. First, the graphic needed to visually relate to the content of the article. The article is about the role of AI in the future of logo design. The visual of the hand drawing logo sketches hints at my stance that professionals should be hired for logo design over AI. Next, the headline is so intriguing, I felt it needed to play a large role in the graphic. In …

I’ve never liked the sound of my voice. Something about the tone bothers me, but it’s not that I’m annoyed while talking — I’m just never satisfied after hearing it recorded. That’s probably why I became a graphic designer. With type, I can communicate in whatever visual tone of voice I choose.  In, On Writing Well, author William Zinsser suggests that writers shouldn’t alter the tone of their voice to fit the intended audience. (Zinsser, 2006, pg. 231) We should write in our own style, he argues, no matter where the final piece will be published or who will read it. …

On the Road, by Jack Kerouac, is the first book I read twice. I loved the story, of course, but was enamored that Kerouac wrote the original draft on one continuous reel of paper in three weeks. What a work of genius, I thought, before plucking it off the shelf again. What people often disregard is that “the scroll,” as Kerouac referred to it, was typed in 1951 — three years after his initial attempt. And, On the Road wasn’t published until 1957. A work of genius, it turns out, takes nine years of rewriting. The ability to publish content today is …

Why is it that fishermen seem surprised when they get a bite? If they’re anything like me, they’ve spent hours planning. Careful consideration has been put into rod, reel, and line selection. Lures have been strategically arranged in a complex system of tackle boxes. They’ve checked the local forecast, twice. Every decision made has been in the service of getting a bite.  Similarly, writers painstakingly ideate to craft that perfect story. Whether it’s breaking news or an introspective essay, they’ll wrack their brains to compose an intriguing introduction. Inspiration strikes at the most inconvenient time, so a pen and note …

John Rudolph is an entrepreneur, creative director, and fisherman. He’s interested in simplifying the digital landscape to help organizations reach their audience in more authentic ways, and explores interactive media from a graphic designer's perspective. His ideal solutions contain empathy and wit. After almost 20 years in the creative industry, John still believes design has the power to make the world a better place. John jump-started his career at Catapult Marketing in Westport, CT, where he was quickly promoted to creative director. There, he leveraged consumer insights to inform retail marketing programs. Among his favorite projects, John worked with Family …

I learned how to write nonfiction from a staunch Republican — At least, that’s how my American History teach, Mr. Olson, referred to himself. I was in my junior year of high school. He’d stand proudly at his lectern, spitting out historical events in chronological order. “This is how they’ll teach in college,” he explained. It was the same educational environment where he laid out how to format our thesis papers. A Lengthy Introduction First, we were taught to write all our supporting arguments, along with a well-defined thesis statement, in the opening paragraph. In Mr. Olson’s class, it was …