February 4, 2011 In communication, design, imagination, words and language By Patricia Saxton

A Season of Pinks

It’s the month for pink, the color of love, which got me thinking about color.

Which also got me thinking ~ I wish someone would give me the job of naming the new colors that come out each year. You know, all the new lipsticks shades, crayons and interior paint chips. Really, who gets to do that?

Does the fashion-company-president’s daughter sit around a kitchen table with friends and a couple glasses of wine and decide what trendy words will be uttered when asking for the latest pink nail gloss? Or do they hire a design team to consult with psychologists to scientifically determine what will spark the consumer’s emotionally-driven buying fancy this year?

And who decides ~ excuse me, “forecasts” ~ which colors will be “in” for a coming season. Of course all those colors need new names too. Really, I’d be willing to do that. You could twist my arm, and pay me instead of an entire design team/psychologist duo. But, what if it’s the company president’s daughter and her friends… forgot about that possibility. Can’t argue that one, unless of course, they lack imagination.

Maybe I could ask around at Sherwin Williams, or ask someone like my friend Marty who worked in the cosmetics industry for umpteen years. But I’d rather wonder…

Who comes up with Mermaid’s Tail Green, or Ol’ Swimmin’ Hole Green, Old Pickup Blue, or Blizzard Blue, Kinky Pink, Ballet-Slipper Pink, Curious Yellow (although I kinda like that one… as well as Unmellow Yellow)? Then there’s Really Red Red (particularly clever), Violet Groove, or I’m Not Really a Waitress (yes, an apparently fab-u-lously shimmery nail polish).

Seriously, I could do this.

And from Paris we now have spring’s 2011 fashion color-combo trends: Archaic Garden, Underwater Variation, Tropical Dramaturgy (huh?), Enchanted Picnic, Shadowy Shores.

Be still my heart. What would I wear if not for these tips?

I shouldn’t be sarcastic I guess, it just seems so … presumptuous? pedantic? pedestrian? provincial? (just seeing if you’re still reading, and catching the P words…)  In all honesty, while “unnecessary”, some of the names are plain fun, and surely we could all use a bit more of that these days.

Plus, you see, we graphic designers get Pantone inks– Pantone 133, Pantone 345, Warm Gray 9. Glorious colors, but with useful, practical, “un-fun” names. (Which is for good reason, don’t get me wrong. Keeps things orderly.)

So, all in all, I think it’d be great if I got a chance to name a season of pinks. You probably would too. Just sayin’.

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January 17, 2011 In art, creativity, drawing, illustration, words and language By Patricia Saxton

A Plethora of P's / #4: "Purpose"

“To every thing, there is a purpose…”

Ah, but what’s it all about? On a grand scale, few of us are lucky enough to know with certainty what our life purpose is. It’s interesting to ponder, but much of the time that kind of purpose seems more fated than planned.

On the other hand, there’s practical purpose, like getting an education or giving the car an oil change. Useful things that can smooth life’s wrinkles or deliver a better shot at living well.

Then there’s the daily, more personal kind of purpose that comes from deliberate, purposeful thought. Acting with purpose. Speaking with purpose. Changing-the-course-of-a-moment kind of purpose.

Purpose is really just intention. And with some muscle behind it, it can breed greatness. With consistent, conscious positive thought, it can BE greatness.

Moment by moment, purpose lies waiting to be tapped; ready to be tipped and poured.

 

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January 11, 2011 In art, creativity, drawing, illustration, inspiration, words and language By Patricia Saxton

A Plethora of P's / #3: "Perseverance"

Have a dream? A goal? A path to follow? Go for it!  … one foot in front of the other, one task at a time (or several; which we all do, although I sometimes think multi-tasking is highly overrated!) And if you falter, know it’s not failure but a sidestep, just a lesson.

Stay positive. Stand firm. Pursue. Persist. Persevere. Saddle up and keep on keepin’ on!


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January 1, 2011 In art, communication, creativity, design, typography, words and language By Patricia Saxton

A Plethora of P's / #1: Punch

My newest pet project coincides with a most auspicious day: 1-1-11. (I like that!)

And, as happens every New Year, I feel a surge of renewed hope while the words “THIS is gonna be a great year!” ring in my ears.

This year though, with the intention to manifest more of that “something great”, to avoid disillusionment and an almost inevitable sense of “okay, maybe next year”… I’m going to work with one of my favorite subjects: the power of thought. It’ll be an ongoing journey of sorts, shared through words and pictures.

………………

The trick with “thought” is deciphering which ones are worthy. Of the millions that zip in and around our minds every day ~ consciously and unconsciously ~ how can we let the cream rise to the top? You could call it “thought training”.

Of course there are lots of ways to “quiet the mind”, and they are invaluable tools. Meditation, yoga, strenuous physical activity. Music, dance and art. Acts of kindness and giving. All highly recommended, and sometimes necessary. But that’s not my focus here…   This project is about focusing on what you think. Because what you think engages you with life’s outcomes more than many people realize.

Thoughts can create a better you or a more troubled you. Thoughts affect those around you. Thoughts precede every action. Thought is energy, and it’s potent.

Though we can’t see them, thought forms are as real, possibly more real, than the keyboard I’m typing on. What you think can have enormous power.

As a kid, I was often told to “think positive thoughts”. At some point, that advice seemed too simplistic. In youthful fashion I’d think, “It’s not that easy. They don’t know what I’m going through. You can’t just do that. You can’t just ‘think positively’ and expect everything to become sunshine, lollipops and rainbows”.

But over time I discovered…  that in a way it really IS that simple. You can choose positive thoughts over negative ones. And it does make a difference. A simple twist of thought can change the direction of the moment, the day, the month, the year…  and they are yours to direct!

This is not to say a negative thought should be hunted down and executed, or that having them is “bad”. Remember all those millions of thoughts? They’re not all going to be feel-good, Pollyanna-like thoughts. But the beauty is that you can change them. You can learn from them. You can release them. You can use them to get to a better place, even if it’s just one notch up. It‘s worth the effort ~ and I personally believe most of us have only scratched the surface of the potential power held within our thought patterns.

It’s a big concept yet a simple one, and it’s sometimes easy, sometimes hard to train our thinking. And unless one lives on a deserted island, it’s not just our own thoughts; other peoples’ thoughts can filter in and influence our psyche. When you pay attention, the impact of *thought* is undeniable.

I don’t mean a belabored, obsessive kind of thinking, but more the seed of an idea, the whisper of a deed, the affirmation of beliefs. And whether arriving through your conscious or subconscious mind, tending reaps rewards.

I feel blessed for the positive teachings I was shown in childhood. None of us get through life unscathed though, and those lessons became a springboard for learning how to maneuver some of life’s more intense struggles. They’ve helped me weather many a storm; sometimes when all else failed.

So, this idea for creating a series about positive thinking, expressed through my love of words, art and design, came knocking at my mind’s door. I answered, and here we are.

To make it fun, I decided to use my propensity for “P” words (which may turn out to be a practice run for an entire alphabet, also formed in my mind). Besides, it follows a natural pattern … Patricia, Pencil Points, Peace, P’s ….

So, without further preamble, let’s proceed towards proactively punctuating life with the plausible, powerful possibilities of positive thought presented through a plethora of “P’s”.  :  )

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December 27, 2010 In poetry, words and language By Patricia Saxton

"Snow Day"

 

“Snow Day” by Billy Collins
Today we woke up to a revolution of snow,
its white flag waving over everything,
the landscape vanished,
not a single mouse to punctuate the blankness,
and beyond these windows 

the government buildings smothered,
schools and libraries buried, the post office lost
under the noiseless drift,
the paths of trains softly blocked,
the world fallen under this falling.

In a while I will put on some boots
and step out like someone walking in water,
and the dog will porpoise through the drifts,
and I will shake a laden branch,
sending a cold shower down on us both.

But for now I am a willing prisoner in this house,
a sympathizer with the anarchic cause of snow.
I will make a pot of tea
and listen to the plastic radio on the counter,
as glad as anyone to hear the news

that the Kiddie Corner School is closed,
the Ding-Dong School, closed,
the All Aboard Children’s School, closed,
the Hi-Ho Nursery School, closed,
along with — some will be delighted to hear —

the Toadstool School, the Little School,
Little Sparrows Nursery School,
Little Stars Pre-School, Peas-and-Carrots Day School,
the Tom Thumb Child Center, all closed,
and — clap your hands — the Peanuts Play School.

So this is where the children hide all day,
These are the nests where they letter and draw,
where they put on their bright miniature jackets,
all darting and climbing and sliding,
all but the few girls whispering by the fence.

And now I am listening hard
in the grandiose silence of the snow,
trying to hear what those three girls are plotting,
what riot is afoot,
which small queen is about to be brought down.

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December 16, 2010 In art, books & stuff, children's books, creativity, illustration, imagination, inspiration, words and language By Patricia Saxton

Gifts of Peace, Magic & Creativity (under $20!)

Can it be last-minute holiday gift idea time already? Hmmm. I just might have some ideas. How about the gift of reading and imagination..? A Book of Fairies, and  The Book of Mermaids are great for school-age kids! The Magnetic Mermaid Dress-up is ideal for 3 and up. All are available at Amazon.

Then there’s a whole bunch of cool stuff over at my *boutique* at CafePress.  Totebags, mugs, coasters, mousepads, journals and magnets, grouped by my signature pieces of “peace”, “pencil points”, fairies” and “mermaids”. Lots to choose from. Fun, unique, and practical!

Happy holidays ~ and may peace, magic and creativity fill your hearts!

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August 3, 2010 In books & stuff, words and language, writing By Patricia Saxton

Tea and a Great Piece of Writing

A bit of a book review for my more literary friends…

Time has had its foot on the accelerator of late, driving us forward much too quickly, compressing what might normally be summer’s leisure into streaks and blurs of heat and humidity, flowers, bees and drying lawns.

But I’ve found a perfect book for the time-snippets I’ve been able to carve out to maintain my reading habit.

The Elegance of The Hedgehog, by Muriel Barbery is a story told in the voices of two main characters: a brilliant, cynical young girl and a brilliant, middle-aged woman trapped by societal expectation in a low-class existence. I haven’t gotten terribly far, but it’s the kind of book that doesn’t require obsessive reading (which is why it’s just right for a summer season that’s squashed with to-do’s and squeezed between the schedule-laden seasons of spring and fall).

One of the things I’m most appreciating about The Elegance of The Hedgehog is the abundance of fabulous lines that tempt me to create the book’s very own list of quotes ~ which I haven’t done and won’t do, but the thought is testament enough to the author’s  wordsmithing.

In any event, those of you who know me, know I enjoy my tea. So finding the topic of this particular entry appealing will be no surprise ~ but it’s the larger essence, the rise and fall of the thought process, the meditation, the skilled expanding and condensing of a moment speaking to life and power and subtlety that I found truly delightful .. and worthy of sharing.

So here it is:

♦

I pour the tea and we sip in silence. We have never had our tea together in the morning, and this break with our usual protocol imbues the ritual with a strange flavor.

Yes, this sudden transmutation in the order of things seems to enhance our pleasure, as if consecrating the unchanging nature of ritual established over our afternoons together, a ritual that has ripened into a solid and meaningful reality. Today, because it has been transgressed, our ritual suddenly acquires all its power; we are tasting the splendid gift of this unexpected morning as if it were some precious nectar; ordinary gestures have an extraordinary resonance, as we breathe in the fragrance of the tea, savor it, lower our cups, serve more, and sip again; every gesture has the bright aura of rebirth. At moments like this the web of life is revealed by the power of the ritual, and each time we renew our ceremony, the pleasure will be all the greater for our having violated one of its principles. Moments like this act as magical interludes, placing our hearts at the edge of our souls: fleetingly, yet intensely, a fragment of eternity has come to enrich time. Elsewhere the world may be blustering or sleeping, wars are fought, people live and die, some nations disintegrate, while others are born, soon to be swallowed up in turn – and in all this sound and fury, amidst eruptions and undertows, while the world goes it merry way, bursts into flames, tears itself apart and is reborn; human life continues to throb.

So, let us drink a cup of tea.

♦

(From  pg. 91 of The Elegance of The Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery)

……………………………………………………………………………….

ps: Other great reads this summer that I’d recommend have been “The Help” (Kathryn Stockett), and “The Art of Racing in The Rain” (Garth Stein). A comprehensive list of my favorite books can be found at patriciasaxton.wordpress.com

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July 20, 2010 In art, books & stuff, design, words and language By Patricia Saxton

Great Book Covers: Part II

It could just be me, but I think bookstores are like candy shops. Maybe it’s the difference between a sweet tooth and a sweet eye …  okay, I made that up (not a bad analogy though, if you think about it!)  … but whatever it is, I get a feeling of yummy anticipation when opening the door to a well-stocked, nicely laid out bookstore.

I really, truly, love books. I love to hold them, turn the pages, get lost in great story-telling. I love to see all the different covers, and pass judgment (c’mon ~ we all do).

And when great cover art matches up with a great story, it’s almost as good as really good chocolate. (apparently I’m still on the *sweet* reference) It’s like the marriage of ice cream and hot fudge. You could get by with one or the other, but together they make perfection.

Trouble is, sometimes they don’t match up. You might have an outstanding story housed inside a mediocre cover, in which case you could pass it by and miss out on something real special. Or, a stellar cover might disguise a less than stellar reading experience. Talk about disappointment.

One aspect of my job as a designer is to make book cover art that weaves its best magic for the author. The goal is to get folks to pick up your book. So regardless of reviews (or lack of), accolades from Oprah (most likely lack of) or best-seller lists ~ when it comes down to considering a book as a potential read or possible purchase, the cover can make or break that first opportunity to grab someone’s attention.

And it’s important that that attention is both dynamic and pleasing. It’s a tease of something good to come. It’s welcoming. And of course, it has to speak to what the book is about, which very briefly answers the reader’s question “is this something I might be interested in?”

If a book has made the first cut where people have taken notice, reached out and picked it up ~ congratulations! But remember, then they’re going to look at the back cover. Then they’ll look at the inside flaps. Personally, I also like to read the first page of a book before making a decision ~ to see if it’s gonna “grab me”.  If all these elements find favor ~ cover, back, flaps (and maybe the first page)~ you’ve got a win.

So, while we all judge books by their covers, it still holds true that the cover alone will not sell a book. What it will do is determine whether it warrants a closer look. It’s a critical first step.

So what makes a great cover? What makes it jump from the shelf onto your personal radar?  Something like this:

  1. It looks professional.
  2. It reflects the nature of the story.
  3. It respects the audience.
  4. It’s visually appealing.

Sounds easy, but there can be a fine line between what works and doesn’t work. And that fine line can create a huge gaping difference. If it looks unprofessional or lackluster, the perception is set that that’s what’s inside as well.

Making it work is, very literally, in the details.

Fonts. Not always, but generally speaking, conservative/traditional fonts work best. And whatever the fonts, it’s all about size, color and placement. Even hints of difference in those treatments can change the look dramatically. There’s no one-size fits all plan, unless you have a published series with an established look.

Art: Art speaks to the soul of the book. Is photography best? Illustration? Both? Neither? (Believe it or not, there are occasions when no art is good art. Coming from an artist, you might think that sounds crazy. But [excluding children’s books] type alone has a place if used exceptionally well and manages to convey the book’s essence.) Bottom line, the style of art (or type) used is a huge deal, because not only does it suggest the story, it suggests the feeling of the story. This is the emotional grab.

Trends: What’s out there, what looks good (or bad), what’s selling well? These will serve as style guides… but the best covers will bend “the rules”. In fact, they’ll break a few. Because there really are no rules, just guides. Visual justice should be given to the uniqueness of the each book.

Over-design: Aside from being next to impossible, attempting to put everything about the story on the cover, or trying to capture all the nuances, is not a good idea and will scream “unprofessional”. Cover art should simply portray a sense of what’s inside. It’s a tantalizing piece of candy from the jar, not the whole store.

…………

I positively adore a great book find. I get excited. I chomp at the bit to find that moment in a day when I can get comfy, make the light right, and sink my over-thinking brain into another place and time and cavort with all sorts of fascinating characters.

But just as much, I savor the look and feel of a book. It’s also one of the fondest parts of my work ~ designing covers that can make that magical first connection between book and reader.

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