Ever since I visited an exhibit of legendary assemblage artist Robert Rauschenberg at the MOCA when I was 12, the study of visual art has been a core passion of mine. In my three college years, I’ve taken three art history courses that have profoundly shaped my worldview in ways I’d never anticipated, deeply influencing many facets of my daily life. While I recently dropped my minor in the subject for practical purposes, I firmly believe in its merits for all undergrads, even those not directly involved in the visual arts. Here are four benefits that an introductory art history class provides.

1. Understand good design.

Next to hands-on work, an art history course is often the best method for acquainting yourself with the fundamentals of design. You’ll learn to critically analyze classics that have stood the test of time, engaging with the compositional techniques of perspective, movement, contrast, and rhythm that structure great works. Along the way, you should also gain a better comprehension of effective patterns, color theory, and other visual tools that lend works aesthetically pleasing qualities. In tandem with a historical backdrop, this practice will provide you with useful tools to discern between powerful and lackluster design for resumes, websites, and more.

2. Recognize the cutting edge.

Beyond helping to develop a sharpened eye for effective design, having even a cursory understanding of 20th century art history will give you a well-informed knowledge of the visually stale and unique. Additionally, for the purposes of personal branding and maintaining a slick web presence, maintaining an awareness of the ways that art forms and modes of visual expression have evolved will help avoid cliche immensely. In turn, you may be able to keep a more finely-tuned ear to the ground for design trends. For instance, if you keep in mind the unique postwar social climate reflected in pop art’s appropriation of corporate aesthetics, you may have a better sense of direction for recent art and graphic design that employs pastiche and irony.

3. Have a better frame of reference for media and history in general.

Before the advent of television, film, and even widespread print media, sculptures and paintings were central modes of communication that transmitted public attitudes and spoke volumes about political climates. To look at many Baroque portraits, for example, is to understand power relations and persistent ideologies around 17th century Europe with much more transparency than many text accounts are able to give. I think the same is true even after the spread of film, television, and photography. In the 20th century, the stark individualism of American abstract expressionism and brutal simplicity of minimalist sculpture spoke to public disillusionment with the status quo through highly personal narratives that mainstream media simply can’t document. For anyone even remotely interested in history, politics, or communications, the study of art in an academic setting is invaluable.

4. Learn to appreciate the lives of creators.

In the critical study of artists themselves, you’ll often learn fascinating tidbits about their obsessions, quirks, and creative process. Jackson Pollock never used an easel, and let cigarette ash and dirt fall freely onto his signature drip paintings. Pablo Picasso was a renowned perfectionist, and was rarely satisfied with a first draft. Barnett Newman created many of his color field paintings in isolation, teaching and working from a small lakeside cabin in the Saskatchewan wilderness. Not only will you attain a better grasp on the driving forces behind works and artistic movements, you’ll often develop better insight into the creative lifestyle itself. Young creatives are often portrayed in the world of advertising as spontaneous and energetic, but relatively tame and put-together. A quick survey of some of the most celebrated artists’ lifestyles will quickly dispense of this notion. Artists are often messy, unpredictable, and hugely flawed, not the easily categorizable monolith they are often represented as. This knowledge can be a breath of fresh air for creatives who feel out of place in their scene or the industry in general.

Whether you plan to create yourself, appreciate the visual arts, or are simply interested in understanding the fundamentals of artistic composition and design for practical purposes, an art history course can impart lessons on the world around you that other fields of general study are unequipped to discuss.


Evan is a 20-year-old college student, born and raised in Los Angeles, who has been shaped in innumerable ways by its creative community. He is majoring in digital media and minoring in art history with a dream of working in the music industry since his early experiences at punk shows during his teenage years.

Years ago, I was interning at a public relations firm. As you know, with interning, your experience is what you make of it. Not getting an income motivated me to take advantage of the learning experience I needed to succeed.

At one particular event, I met an executive for a popular business in the city. Knowing that it was highly unlikely that I would have the opportunity to connect with her again, I grabbed her card and promised to follow up later. Later that evening, I researched her online. I learned as much as I needed to about her before deciding to reach out to her. Once I did, I felt confident in what I wanted to say. My interaction with her via email went a little (actually a lot – word for word) like this:

Good morning ______,
I don’t know if you remember me but I was assisting the photographer with names at the ________ event a few weeks ago. I asked you for your card and I wanted touch base with you.

I am currently interning at ________. Although it ends soon, I feel comfortable enough to start my career search now. I am a huge fan and frequent visitor of the ________ and being in an art environment everyday is something I look forward to.

I’m so inspired by your previous accomplishments at ________. Branding, promotion and social media are things that I am good at as well. I would love the opportunity to hear how you made the transition so successfully at your current role.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Best,

Lucy

From there, she thanked me for my kind email and suggested we do lunch the following week.

I had no idea a simple email would lead to her actually responding and suggesting we meet for lunch. I really wanted to work for her company but I never mentioned that at all. The point of that meeting was to learn as much as I could from her and see how the relationship would naturally evolve. A month later, I would apply to a position at her company. Six months after that, I would get two interviews: one with her and another with her supervisor.

An informal meeting such as this could be called an informational interview, and will give you first-hand knowledge on your chosen industry, from an industry leader. It’s the chance to learn more about an individual working in an industry you want to learn more about without the same pressure as a formal interview.

What I learned from that experience is this: although the benefits of an informational interview are endless, there are three main reasons why you should request one if possible.

1. You expand your professional network.

I’m grateful to have had that internship that opened my network to a completely new industry. My initial email to the executive was based purely on intrigue. I recognized her at an event, I emailed her, and that email led to lunch.

2. You build confidence in your interviewing skills.

An informal meeting is very casual in nature. It is a time to get to know your contact and practice. By the time I actually interviewed with her, I wasn’t nervous at all. It was as fluid as talking with an old friend.

3. You get one step closer to potentially working with the company.

During that time, she gave me tips on what to say in the formal interview. Thankfully, I did get to meet with her manager and used all of her feedback in that interview.

An informational interview is an invaluable aspect of career building. As a job seeker or curious freelancer, reaching out to gain insight about a company in the form of an informational interview is a strategy with rewards in your favor.


Lucy is a Creative Circle candidate in Atlanta. She is a freelance writer and visual storyteller. When she’s not writing, she’s most likely exploring new restaurants around town, traveling, taking pictures or reading blogs dedicated to SELF – awareness, development/discovery and expression. If you are interested in working with Lucy, contact Creative Circle Atlanta.

Seeking out extra work on top of a strenuous course load seems counter intuitive for a variety of reasons. Additional commuting and labor paired with less free time may not seem like a worthwhile combination. But taking on the extra burden during the year can give you a more candid picture of your industry and major, add depth to your classwork, and demonstrate your drive to employers who have the ability to help you tremendously down the line. Here are five reasons to consider the move from my perspective:

1. Learn to balance deadlines and the demands of a work schedule better.

While all creative internships differ, tasks given during many undergraduate summer programs tend to air on the simple and repetitive side, particularly for unpaid opportunities. Even positions that task interns with more complex duties will often balance with a lighter weekly schedule, setting a decidedly limited number of hours. Learning to balance internship work in addition to internalizing frequent deadlines should give you better coping techniques for the pressures of a real work schedule. In addition, when faced with the extra stress of a semester, it may serve as a better test your enthusiasm for the work and office culture.

2. Ground your abstract college courses with concrete experience.

During a summer break, separated from the day-to-day grind of a full course schedule, it may be difficult to directly evaluate your internship experience alongside relevant classwork. From personal experience, I can easily recall constant feelings of skepticism, struggling to ground my learning in the classroom with concrete industry skills. When you have the opportunity to write school essays along blog posts, or research work on top of group projects, it may lend a better perspective on both the practicality of your classes and the true relevance of an internship to your focuses in school.

3. Test the waters with more transparency.

Many companies that seek out interns year-round — particularly smaller-sized ones in the creative field — operate far differently under a robust summer intern program. An internship during the semester, where you will undoubtedly work among a far smaller base of interns, may give you a far more accurate cross-section of the industry itself. This can be a rare opportunity to learn more candidly about the the company culture under further duress as well as the working habits and tendencies of employees working for the long haul.

4. Better demonstrate the depth of your passion and dedication

In a rapidly-evolving job market that renders summer internships a near-necessity, setting yourself apart through school year work displays passion and a long-term mindset that employers will deeply appreciate. A display of such commitment will be invaluable during senior year when you begin to look for meaningful connections into permanent positions

5. Experience, experience, experience.

Realistically, undergraduate students have only four or five summers to gain applicable internship experience. Adopting work during the semester will aid your resume immensely and grant you a considerable number of additional connections come graduation. Future employers will appreciate your commitment in either 1) continuing work for a single internship past the summer (which demonstrates your work quality and determination), or 2) seeking out opportunities elsewhere (which will speak to your experience in a broader sample of work environments and duties). For better or worse, the graduating class of the next decade will find one of the most overqualified peer groups in history and a creative industry more competitive than ever before. Thus, the value of having one or two internship experiences more than average after graduation can’t be overstated.  

Despite the fact that creative fields seem to be growing more and more reliant on over-qualified and under-paid , I have faith in the resilience and ingenuity of fellow undergrad creatives. The game of long-term career fulfillment is one that can be won, and the unpopular school year internship seems to be one of the most viable options for getting there. Best of luck on your journey!


Evan is a 20-year-old college student, born and raised in Los Angeles, who has been shaped in innumerable ways by its creative community. He is majoring in digital media and minoring in art history with a dream of working in the music industry since his early experiences at punk shows during his teenage years.

When I quit my full-time job, I made sure I was prepared for the risk. Here are some things you can do to brace yourself before heading out into the great unknown of the freelance life.

1. Brush Up Your Resume

This tip may seem obvious, but it’s one of the most important. One of the things I learned working at Creative Circle was that many, if not all skills I’ve learned up to this point in my career, are transferrable. I made sure I had a good resume that reflected how what I learned in my role at Creative Circle will help inform my practice as a copywriter and brand strategist for different clients. I’m a copywriter, so more often than not clients ask to see a portfolio of samples, but people do ask for my resume at times and I love having an updated one handy.

2. Update Your Portfolio

For a creative, nothing pairs better with a resume than a good website or portfolio demonstrating your work. I moved my website onto a new platform and gathered updated writing samples. Because many of the samples I have are content heavy and I’m trying to focus more on moving into branding and UX/UI copy, I do mention that I do this as well, so the user knows there’s more than meets the eye. I have a couple other ways that I’m working on building my book, in the meantime.

3. Network, Network, Network

Our world is largely digital these days but I’m a big believer of meeting someone face-to-face, and believe it or not, it makes a huge difference if you do it right. I’ve gotten great new clients and referrals from people who I’ve been able to look in the eye and shake hands with. When I quit my job, I knew I’d have to get back out there and begin meeting new people and prospective clients. I signed up for Eventbrite and made a point to attend one networking event a week if possible. When I go to these events, I’m ready to write down my website address and contact information to keep in touch, and I always request a business card for a follow-up or thank you note. In the future, I plan to have business cards of my own, but I’m rebranding myself at the moment, and my logo is still in the works!

4. Spread the Word

It’s hard to get in the habit of telling people about your work without feeling like you’re bragging. But if you don’t tell people you’re available for work, how will they know? I let all of the networks I’m plugged into know that I’m available for work and what type of projects I’m taking on. It’s great to have other people in on the news so they can help spread the word as well.

5. Know Your Target Audience

I knew that I wanted to go back into copywriting and brand strategy, but I didn’t want to be flying completely blind. I made a list of all the companies I’m interested in writing and strategizing for. Because these are mainly companies in the healthcare and tech spaces, I made sure I was plugged into specific resources, websites, and blogs, that would help increase my knowledge of these areas and thus, make me a better asset to clients.

6. Sign Up For a Staffing Agency

After working at Creative Circle, I knew that working with a staffing agency could be a great additional advocate for me in my search for opportunities. I let the Creative Circle team in New York City know that I’m interested in being a candidate for them and made sure that I was signed up for their email updates; I also regularly check the site for projects I’m interested in contributing to.

You can never be 100% prepared to quit your job, but it’s good to do as much as you can. By updating your resume and portfolio, networking, spreading the word, and knowing what audience you’re targeting, you’re sure to be headed in the right direction!


Allison is a former Creative Circle Account Executive, with a background in creative writing, content writing/strategy, publishing, and business development. Her world revolves around words and the relationships and interactions they inspire.

Almost one year ago to the day I left my job. I worked as a recruiter at Creative Circle. I absolutely loved the role, my coworkers, my routine, and the fulfillment I felt as an independent young woman working in downtown Chicago with nothing holding me back. My husband and I were advancing in our careers and we had our first child on the way. Everything was going as planned, life was good! And then my water broke at 30 weeks pregnant (10 weeks early)… My life as I knew it came to a screeching halt.

Fast forward…my husband and I have a remarkable son who is healthy, happy and ready to take on the world. So much so, he got a 7 week head start! But having a premature baby (or a baby in general!) was hard and forced me to make an incredibly difficult decision, and that was to put my career on hold to focus on our baby and our family.

This is life, right? Beautifully unpredictable. Things happen that derail our plans, good and bad, and we adapt in remarkable ways.

I know I am not alone here. As a recruiter, I met with numerous candidates who were looking to get back into the workforce after taking a career “break”. Reasons were endless: pursuing personal interests, sabbatical, elder care, raising small children, unforeseen personal or family health issues, spousal job transfers, to name only a few.

To the candidates I interviewed, mentored, listened, and learned from, I get it. I’m not going to lie, these career “breaks” weren’t always an easy hurdle to overcome to our clients but I understand that searching for a job is never easy, especially after taking an unplanned “break.” Therefore, I want to share with you some of my job hunt ammo as I start looking for my next job!

1. Do your research. Be prepared.

The more you know about your potential new employer, the better off you will be. Hands down! Read the company’s website in full, learn more about the interviewer in any way you can. Follow their social media accounts, get up to speed on the company’s latest news, etc. This information will lead to talking points during your interview and will also exemplify your passion and excitement for the job you are going for.

In addition, think through how your previous experience applies to the job at hand. What would be most relevant to highlight to the hiring manager during your interview about yourself and experience? How do your skills and past experiences support the company’s short and long term goals?

2. Network and build relationships.

Don’t be shy, put yourself out there – people want to help! Attend industry events, join an association, schedule meetings or informational interviews, treat people to coffee or lunch, find a mentor or reconnect with previous employers and connections in your industry. You can also reach out to your local Creative Circle office to schedule an interview with a recruiter. Whatever you do, let it be known that you are on the job hunt.

3. Spruce up your presentation.

Resumes and portfolios are key in getting you to the next step. If you are getting back into the workforce after a career “break” and are worried about that gap in your resume, don’t fret, there a few different things you can do. First of all, don’t forget to include any sort of freelance work, consulting gigs, internships, or volunteer programs you did during your “break.” These activities are 100% viable, so make sure to list them under your professional experience. Include date of activity, location, brands worked on, responsibilities held, and accomplishments, just as you would a full time gig.

You can also experiment with the layout of your resume. There are functional resumes and chronological resumes. Although most employers and recruiters appreciate chronological resumes, depending on your experience and professional history, a functional resume might be the right choice for you. If the gap on your resume is large, you can include a very brief explanation (1-2 sentences) in a cover letter, application, or intro email explaining why you stepped away from your career for a period of time. It is also important to consult with your recruiter so they can help position and market you to various clients. Above all, be honest and own your career history, both on paper and in an interview. And, always be sure to express your excitement and enthusiasm about re-entering the workforce!

4. Be flexible. Keep an open mind.

You simply never know where life is going to take you. As a recruiter, it was not uncommon to see a two-day freelance job turn into a full-time position. So keeping an open mind and thinking “yes” instead of “I’m not sure about that” might lead you to places you might have never imagined.

5. Be honest with yourself and others.

Do some soul searching on what you are looking for at this point in your life – it could be the specific work, or the environment you seek to work in. Once you have a good idea as to what you want, do your best to communicate that to potential employers and recruiters so they can help you find it. Honesty is the best policy. Don’t hide or talk around the break in your career – be honest and prepared to share reasons as to why you stepped away from your work and how that particular time helped improve you as a person. It is likely that you have gained solid experience in non-traditional ways such as volunteering, running a household and family, traveling, etc. Be sure to mention these attributes you have gained to reinforce your worth.

6. It’s okay to be vulnerable.

Be transparent and genuine – real people appreciate real people. This can feel scary, but the truth is, when you’re vulnerable, people are more likely to trust you and engage more openly in return. Brene Brown says it best, “Vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation, creativity and change.” Talk about your job history, resume gaps, things you loved about jobs, challenges that taught you lessons and how to adapt. With confidence, use this outlet to share how you have grown as an individual and professional.

7. Get gritty. You are your own advocate.

Interviewing is hard work. You have to endure struggle, sometimes you fail and most of us have to try repeatedly until that ideal job comes around. This is grit. It’s not always the smartest, brightest, most intelligent people who succeed but more commonly the people with passion and perseverance. Remember to showcase discipline, maintain focus, and remain optimistic during your search. You’ve got to want it!

8. Embrace the conversation.

Dalai Lama once said, “When you talk, you are repeating what you already know. But if you listen, you may learn something new.” It is important to remember that a job interview or networking event is simply a conversation. Therefore, be present and positive at all times. Listen, don’t interrupt, and most importantly, be yourself. It is critical to sell yourself and your skills, but make sure you are truly paying attention at the same time.

9. Say thank you.

Whether you are re-entering the workforce after a career “break” or not, don’t forget to say thank you. It is so easy to do! A quick email, or even better, a hand-written thank you note goes a long way. You never know who you will run into in the future, so always be kind, and never burn your bridges.

Learning from my own career “break,” I now know for certain that life is the greatest teacher and allows for a more mature perspective which I can only use to my advantage and in looking for my next job. It is precisely by the experience of the last year and a half that I am convinced my value as an employee will be all the greater. I truly believe that the right employer understands this dynamic and that some of the best candidates out there are the ones recharged and sharpened by life, ready to jump back into the work force with renewed vision, energy, and understanding.


Caitlin’s education and background is in Graphic Design. She connected with Creative Circle in 2010 as a candidate. After a couple of years freelancing through Creative Circle and with her own clients, she accepted a full-time job as a Creative Circle Recruiter. Caitlin currently works part-time for the company to help improve the overall candidate experience. Outside of work, Caitlin can be found chasing her toddler around, spending time with family, horseback riding, working on her fixer-upper home and enjoying the outdoors.

After I graduated from college in 1993, I got an internship at an annual report firm. We were designing and producing spreads, by hand, onto boards. Our process included thumbnails, sketching, drawing a grid onto the board, ordering type over the phone, trimming out type galleys, hand-kerning type, waxing it down, and so on. You could say it was a lot of work and it took a long time.

our-notebook-mechanicalThis process was great, because you became intimate with the projects because you had your hands on them. You had to know your tools and type really well. Our office was not yet using computer software for design and production, so the task ended up on me to make the transition.

My boss taught me the fundamentals of the grid and typography well, but it was really up to me to figure out how to translate those skills to the computer. (I talk about my experience in this video.)

Remember, there was no YouTube at the time. There was no Google. If you wanted to learn software, you had to take classes in-person. So I learned Quark XPress 3.1 and Illustrator 88 in the Art Center at Night program.

There was a lot to figure out because I was trying to connect the abilities of the software to solving the actual problems I was facing during the day. I was taking what I learned in class and trying to figure out how to translate those tools for application at work.

And through this process I learned two lessons, which eventually influenced my teaching style today:

  1. It’s important to understand the fundamentals and how to apply them in the software. Tool training is, and should be, integrated into the learning process. I’ve taken classes where I was presented a problem with a goal in mind, but expected to figure out how to do it with little guidance. To often, educators don’t want to teach software, only theory. But teachers need to help with application and tool training. Sure, software tutorials can be found online and students need to be resourceful; but applying and handling type is a craft, much like playing music. For example, music teachers do not just hand over a sheet of music, share a recording of the song, and then expect a student to recreate it. Once the tool is learned, constant practice is needed. It takes finesse and feeling to make type sing.
  2. The mindset of design is very important. In my perpetual learning of design (and yes, to this day I’m still learning), it’s crucial to know the WHY, as well as the HOW. If one doesn’t understand why parts of the process is essential to the whole, then one won’t understand how to prioritize when things change. The mindset helps to apply, add new and change processes while maintaining integrity when there shifts in the field.

In my 22-year design career, I’ve seen typesetting houses come and go, photographers struggle in the popularity of stock photos, and print shops shift from to digital just to stay in the game. Be assured that there will be more shifts coming in the field of design. This is why I think we need to keep adjusting and updating our skills so we can handle whatever design challenge comes along.

What won’t change is how people naturally read and the psychology of how design communicates. Humans are visual. And that’s why the fundamentals are important.

How have you shifted your process over time? Please let me know by tweeting us @TypeEd. I’d like to hear where you came from and where you’re going. And if you know anyone who might be inspired by this, feel free to share!


Michael Stinson is a co-founder and lead instructor at TypeEd, where he helps designers implement better typography, efficiently. Learn more about how to design for readers by signing up for TypeEd courses.

When you embark on a new freelance career, you don’t realize right away how much you have to learn. Mentors are a crucial resource to help you calibrate what’s normal—and this is a welcome time for any input that keeps you feeling even keeled. However, people in related fields who are otherwise generous with their advice can be cagey when it comes to money. This seems to be lessening somewhat as society increasingly embraces mutual transparency in social, political, and professional contexts.

But still.

Learning how to legitimately ask for, and receive, the compensation you are worth is tricky to navigate, especially at first. Personally, I have been appreciative of what I’ve learned from the recruiters at Creative Circle—they’ve provided me with trustworthy perspective on the value of my experience. And before gig culture was the thing it is now, most people didn’t have the benefit of that advice. It’s crucial when you’re participating in the freelance economy, and it’s arguably even more valuable to have when you’re negotiating an opportunity for something long-term and/or full-time.

There may still be a bit of stigma when it comes to speaking openly about money, but your career is not the place to be demure about it. It’s also not the place, however, to act cocky, entitled, or unreasonable. Navigating that fine line is a lot easier the more information you have. Luckily, there are a number of resources and methods to choose from when it comes time to talk numbers—and knowing when that time is, by the way, is another issue in itself.

Gaining knowledge and experience in the freelance world can involve a lot of turmoil, so I took a moment to talk to Creative Circle New York’s Lead Recruiter, Brian Young, and ask him if he could help clear some of the fog.

What are some of the resources you would recommend to freelancers who are trying to determine what industry standards are—including variables like location—for rates on the types of services they’re offering?

I’d encourage freelancers to use Freelancers Union and Glassdoor. However, nothing tops asking questions of people immersed in the industry—such as your peers or a recruiter.

What about tools to help determine where you stand within the industry’s range? Are there any recommended resources that can help gauge the worth of your experience on the market?

There are many sites that can assist in figuring this out—from glassdoor.com, payscale.com, and even professional organizations that regularly do studies (like AIGA). Those are all great resources for generalized ideas about ranges, but it really comes down to conversations with peers, mentors, and industry professionals (like recruiters). We coach people that it’s about paying attention to the market, what we’ve seen book and at what price point.

When and how is it appropriate to bring up rates during an interview? Should you wait until they decide to offer you the job first?

If you are going through Creative Circle, you can leave that to us! If you are going in on your own, I would read the room and bring it up within the first two meetings. It can always be brought up organically, or when reviewing your understanding of the project or position. It can be in the form of a question, or by simply discussing your “usual” rates.

Once a rate has been set with a client, are there guidelines as to how far into the relationship you should get before it’s appropriate to raise your rate?

I say wait at least six months UNLESS your role or responsibilities shift.

What are some common mistakes people make that can result in their lowballing themselves?

If they are really interested in the project and really want to work with the client, they will take a lower rate than usual. Additionally, candidates could be experiencing a slower time and “just want to work.” Either situation sets a lower precedence, and candidates will have to work to dig out of that hole.

What kind of guidance can you offer when it comes to negotiating?

Always shoot a little higher than you actually want, and another suggestion would be to always bring up rates as “open for discussion.”

Have advice that’s worked for you? Share it in the comments!

Marjorie is a former Creative Circle candidate based in Portland who recently accepted a full-time offer for her dream job. She is a writer/editor and stylist/producer with an emphasis in the design world. If you are interested in working with someone like Marjorie, please contact your nearest Creative Circle office.

Hand lettering is huge these days, and is inspiring many designers to add hand-lettering to their skill sets. With the explosion of the sharing economy, designers are learning from each other.

Hand-letterers craft letters using mark-making tools for a specific application or use. What’s the best way to get started or level up in lettering? These six up and coming hand-lettering artists use their skill to create artwork that evokes meaning and expression. Get their best advice on how to improve your own skills.

The Details Matter

Lettering Artist - Joseph - 1Joseph Alessio is a typographic illustrator based in San Francisco who blends type, letters and animates a host of mixed media in typographic compositions. Joseph’s approach with spatial relationships in type and motion is unique. He loves that part of the process in the middle, when you feel like you can experiment and play and discover – “that’s to me the most exciting and fulfilling part.”

Joseph recommends any of Doyald Young’s books as resources for new letterers. “He has an impeccable sense of composition and spatial relationships, how to handle flourishes, etc, and you can learn so much by studying his sketches.” He also recommends for understanding the nuance of letterforms is Designing Type by Karen Cheng. “It’s ironically not about actually designing type, but rather examines in great detail the minutiae of stroke weights, optical adjustments and balancing, character dimensions etc., and was really eye-opening for me as to how quality letterforms, especially within the context of working with other letterforms, are crafted.”

Find Joseph on Instagram, Twitter or his website.

The Fundamentals

Lettering Artist - Colin - 1
Colin Tierney runs Tierney Studio, a Baltimore-based design studio that specializes in hand lettering, calligraphy and branding. To Colin, details that no one might ever notice are integral to the final design. His favorite part of the process is the initial pen to paper phase when he’s hashing out all of his ideas—the good and the bad.

Colin loves throwing on some headphones and listening to music. Music is a passion of his that isn’t directly related to design, so it’s easy to get away from the work and find another source of inspiration through a different kind of love. He recommends to aspiring calligraphers and hand lettering artists his Crayligraphy series. “I go deep into teaching the fundamentals of calligraphy with a Crayola marker. These lessons are perfect for beginners because Crayolas are cheap, accessible and easier to write with.”

Find Colin on Instagram, Twitter and Dribble.

Push Your Craft

Lettering Artist - Erick - 1
Erick Ortega is a freelance illustrator and lettering artist from Cali, Colombia. The tactile quality of his handmade artwork is one of his trade marks and he enjoys most inking the artwork and finalizing the piece as a digital file. He’s inspired by books, movies, pop culture, but by far, music is his biggest inspiration in many ways. “Being an independent artist is about doing it all yourself and making things happen. Making yourself from scratch and keep pushing your craft to where you want to be next.”

Erick recommends picking up a copy of In Progress by Jessica Hische for both rookies and seasoned designers for information on lettering as a craft, and as a business.

Check out Erick on Behance, Instagram and Twitter.

Get the Lettering Bible

Lettering Artist - Jason - 1Jason Carne, a freelance graphic designer who letters and designs type in Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania, specializes in decorative, ornamental lettering. He is heavily inspired by the past, and constantly looking at old packaging, decades-old photos of signage from decades or centuries ago, and vintage record covers. He admits, “I feel like there was a stronger connection to ones craft in 1916 than there is in 2016, there was a desire to make sure something stood the test of time.”

Jason recommends a couple of books for lettering students, the first being Leslie Cabarga’s Logo, Font and Lettering Bible. “Beyond the gorgeous specimens included within its pages, it has tons of insight and secrets from some of the best lettering artists of the past few generations. A close second I’d recommend would be any Speedball book you can find, the most easily attainable being the recently published 100th anniversary edition including original works from Ross F. George (the artists behind the original Speedball books) as well as many modern masters.”

See more of Jason’s work on Dribble, Behance and Instagram.

Let the World Inspire You

Lettering Artist - Danielle - 1Danielle Evans is an object lettering artist, art director, and animator from Columbus, Ohio. She uses objects and food to create her lettering, and rather than chose mediums for color or trendiness, she crafts the materials and forms around a concept. She loves finding the correct energy in her strokes or stumbling across a new technique as well as the styling process. To get inspired, Danielle’s recommendation would be to go outside.

She also attests to one of the most useful books she’s read, which isn’t about lettering at all. “The $100 Startup by Chris Gillebeau was a fantastic reminder that gorgeous letterforms don’t spring from the best reference books, supplies, a fancy studio space, or the most renown peer group,” Danielle remarks. “The book profiles several creatives struggling to actualize their dreams who modestly and resourcefully generate profitable businesses out of small investments. After finishing, I remember realizing my lettering deserved proper investment of my skills, time, and financial backing if it was to flourish.”

Follow Danielle on Twitter, Instagram and her website.

Start on a Letraset Quest

Lettering Artist - Alex - 1Alex Savakis, a designer and illustrator from Concord, California, deconstructs letters to create new expressions of their forms. He finds the work of fellow lettering artists and calligraphers inspirational, including the American Greetings lettering team with whom he trained with. He says, “Their enthusiasm, spirit and grit inspire me to make something everyday.”

Lettering Artist - Alex - 2

Lettering Artist - Alex - 3For those learning to letter, Alex recommends finding a Letraset catalog from the 80s. “The catalog was a couple of inches thick, spiral-bound and loaded with typefaces. If a copy is available at a used bookstore, grab it! Also, look online at the lettering work that excites you, deconstruct it to see how it was created, then recreate it in your hand or style. Developing your style will take time, more than you might expect. Keep at it.”

Follow Alex on Instagram, his blog and his website.

Want to find out more about inspiring artists and designer who are leading the way in type and typography? Follow us on Crowdcast. If you’d like to learn more about what we do, visit us at type-ed.com.


Rachel Elnar is a co-founder and producer at TypeEd, where she helps designers implement better typography, efficiently.

Perhaps you’re working full-time and the idea of a more flexible work schedule sounds like the perfect antidote to your corporate routine. Or maybe, as a freelancer, you’ve struggled to find paying gigs and a steady paycheck would be a welcome relief. Whatever your situation, reviewing both options can help. I’ve been through this analysis in my own career and here’s a few things I learned along the way.1

Tax impact

When I left my full-time job to go independent, the idea of making a much higher hourly rate as a consultant sounded pretty sweet. Then tax season came around and I found out that independent contractors (those getting paid on a 1099 basis2) actually pay higher taxes than employees who get a W-2 at the end of the year. If you are a 1099 worker, not only will you have to pay personal income tax, but you will pay double the Social Security and Medicare taxes over what your fully employed friends pay (a portion of this extra tax is deductible on your annual return). As an independent 1099 contractor, you are both the employee and the employer and have the privilege of paying both portions. For a side by side estimate of the tax impact, see the table below.

A related tax issue is whether you prefer to pay your taxes quarterly (1099 workers need to do this) or have your taxes deducted from your pay regularly. The advantage of quarterly taxes is you have the use of the cash you would have otherwise paid in taxes for 3 months. But writing that big quarterly check can be painful, especially if you’re not good at saving.

Freelancer-vs-employee-income-table

Benefits

At most companies, the cost of employee benefits can be 25-40% of employees’ base salary. Of course not every company-paid benefit is one you’d want to pay for yourself, so consider which are essential and those that are only nice to have. The table above includes an estimate for three common benefits. As you can see, with taxes, benefits and business expenses, you do need a higher hourly rate as a freelancer than as a full-time employee to have the same financial buying power.

Medical coverage: If you are currently on a company-sponsored insurance plan and you resign, you have the option of maintaining it through COBRA3 (your company’s HR team can give you the cost for this) or you can sign up for an individual plan. State or federal insurance exchanges (via the Affordable Care Act) are a good way to estimate the cost of an individual plan.

Other insurance: Do you want dental, vision, life, or disability insurance? Each is available at a price. Disability insurance can be difficult to get unless you can show a stable stream of income.

Retirement accounts: One advantage of being a freelancer is that you may be able to save significantly more per year in a tax advantaged retirement account. There are many flavors of IRAs, Roth IRAs, and individual 401ks. It’s best to talk to a tax advisor to understand the options and the advantages they may have over an employer sponsored 401k. Of course, employer based 401ks often come with a company match which will likely be missing from your individual plan.

Time off: Paid vacation, holidays and sick time are typically not something freelancers can expect. In a few cities even clients of independent contractors need to provide paid sick time (dependent on hours worked), but in most cases freelancers have to fund their own time off.

Business expenses

As a freelancer, you’ll have to pay for a lot of things that employers typically provide like equipment, office supplies and Wi-Fi. But if you’re independent, you have the freedom to choose the business expenses you want and they’re typically tax deductible.

Finding work

Oh yeah… there’s that. When you’re independent, you have to actually build a business. This was probably the biggest sticking point for me when I went out on my own. I loved doing the work and I was good at it. But potential clients couldn’t always find me and often didn’t realize what I could do for them. It’s hard work to figure out a marketing strategy and to sell yourself and your capabilities… something that would cause me to break out in a cold sweat if I thought too much about it. Independent contractors I’ve spoken with said that they spend 30-50% of their time networking and marketing. This challenge of finding work is why staffing firms like Creative Circle have so many talented freelancers on our roster.

And word to the wise, if you’re getting paid by the project and not by the hour, it’s easy to underestimate how long a project will take to complete. I was always tweaking and improving upon my work. Great for the client. Not so great for my bottom line. If you’re getting paid by the project, the fee you negotiate is typically the fee you get regardless of how much time it takes.

Being part of a team

The other aspect of being independent that I sometimes found difficult is that I would often go for several days without seeing anyone I worked with. For some, this might be a blessing, but I enjoy being part of a team. Yes, I’d often go into client offices and sometimes even work out of them for several weeks at a time. But even then you’re usually viewed as being an outsider. And often I’d be at home, working by myself and communicating remotely. If working with others is important to you, then being an internal employee may be more attractive. And if you’re a freelancer with a social mindset, look for longer term projects that include working in client offices or on client teams.

Flexibility

I saved the best benefit of being freelance for last. Yes, it is great to roll out of bed and begin work in your jammies while waking up to your first cup of morning coffee. It’s also awesome to take as many days off as you want (unpaid though they may be) and it’s incredibly satisfying to take an afternoon off to go on a hike only to come home and pick up where you left off because you feel so inspired. When you’re independent, you can work when you want, often where you want, and in the way you want. There can be more time for hobbies, family, fitness, travel or starting the next great American novel. Understandably, this is the main draw of going freelance.

The bottom line

Freedom vs. stability, independence vs. team affiliation, paid benefits vs. personal control… these are all options that will weigh differently for everyone. And no choice is forever. Your needs, interests and goals will change over time. Fortunately, with today’s technology, economy and workplace realities, opportunities to move between full-time and freelance can be fairly seamless, provided the work and jobs are available. Employers, especially those within the creative, digital, and marketing worlds, are generally understanding about candidates who make these transitions (unless they happen too frequently). And working on multiple independent assignments can strengthen your portfolio or resume by giving you a greater variety of projects to work on then you would typically get working for only one employer. This can help you land even better full-time jobs in the future.

[1]The information in this article focuses on a clear 1099 vs W-2 choice. Individuals who work through staffing firms (including Creative Circle) often have a blend of both worlds, being a W-2 employee of the staffing agency for the work they do through them and a 1099 employee for any independent work they do for their own clients.
[2] 1099 and W-2 are the terms used by the IRS to describe the forms you receive at the end of each tax year that companies use to report what they paid you. If you’re an employee, they send you a W-2 form and if you’re an independent contractor, they send you a 1099 form.
[3] COBRA is a law that allows you to keep your company’s medical insurance active after leaving their employment. You will need to pay for both the employer and employee portion of the insurance and it can be quite expensive. You can only keep this COBRA plan for a period of time however (typically 18 months), after which you’ll need to buy an individual plan.
[4] The footnotes below correspond to the letters notated in the ‘Tax impact’ table.
(a) Estimates based on 30-year-old single person (0 dependents).
(b) Estimated taxes are based on a Single and 1 filing status. State taxes are based on CA rates and will vary state to state.
(c) SS tax for W-2 = 6.2% of wages ($118.5k income cap). Medicare tax for W-2 = 1.45% (no cap).
1099 workers pay double (12.4% and 2.9% respectively). A portion for 1099 workers is tax deductible.
(d) 1099: silver plan (CA exchange) w/ $2,250 deductible; W-2: avg employee contribution for gold/platinum plan (per broker).
(e) 1099: lowest level of coverage (eHealth.com); W-2: avg employee contribution for common employer plan (per broker).
(f) Cost of receiving no pay for 2 weeks of vacation and 10 holidays.
(g) Estimate of business expenses (i.e. office supplies, dues, entertainment, travel) – these expenses are tax deductible.


Robin Elledge is Creative Circle’s Chief Administrative Officer. She directs the teams in Human Resources, Training/OD, Real Estate/Facilities and Internal Recruiting.