Ideally, when a graphic designer begins working on a project (in any medium) all of the content will be ready. In reality, this is rarely the case.

Typical scenario [on a Monday afternoon]:
I need this PDF info sheet finished by Friday morning. The text? No, it’s not ready yet. The Marketing Department is writing it now. They’ll have it for you on Wednesday afternoon.

If the designer is lucky, he/she will at least get some of the images or a quick synopsis about what the content will be. In order to start designing a piece that is largely comprised of copy, the designer will need to use some filler text in order to get the design completed and approved by the deadline.

Lorem ipsum to the rescue.

What is Lorem Ipsum?

Lorem ipsum is standard dummy text that has been used as filler in the printing and typesetting industry ever since the 1960s, as possibly as early as the sixteenth century.

The first sentence of Lorem Ipsum commonly reads as follows:

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.

The text is a slightly scrambled derivation from sections 1.10.32-33 of Cicero’s De finibus bonorum et malorum ([About] The Purposes of Good and Evil). The original passage began: Neque porro quisquam est qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit (Translation: “Neither is there anyone who loves grief itself since it is grief and thus wants to obtain it“) You can read more of the translation here.

Richard McClintock, a Latin scholar, discovered the origin of the passage after searching for for citings of the rarely used Latin word “consecteur” in classical literature.

How it is used today

Lorem ipsum text is preferred over something like “Content here. Content here.” because it has a relatively “normal” distribution of letters, which makes it look like readable English. There are many random generators of Lorem Ipsum, including a Dashboard widget for Mac and lipsum.com.

Why Lorem Ipsum contributes to bad design

In the earlier example, working with lorem ipsum text was used as a time-saving device – if the designer waited until the content was ready, they may have missed the deadline.

There is an argument that using real content when presenting design comps is distracting to the client. This group believes that the client will be nit-picky about the text, and not look at the overall picture of design. In my experience, this can happen – but I’ve also had plenty of clients utterly confused at why their brochure is in “gibberish.”

“Lorem ipsum dolor has long been known as the designer’s best friend. We think it should be your enemy. Using lorem ipsum dolor reduces text-based content to a visual design element (a “shape” of text) instead of valuable information someone is going to have to enter and/or read.”

— Jason Fried, 37 Signals
“Getting Real” design tip: Just say no to Lorem Ipsum on Signals vs. Noise

“By adding Lorem Ipsum to the design you are essentially dressing your king before you know his size.”

— Design Informer, Lorem Ipsum is Killing Your Designs

When the design is completed before the content, the writers are forced to write to the space alloted by lorem ipsum. An idea that should have been two sentences is stretched on for paragraphs. Or, a complex subject requiring detailed explanation must be reduced to a sentence. As a writer, I can tell you that this is a terrible way to write. As a designer, I can also say that designing something in lorem ipsum almost ALWAYS requires a vast re-design once the real content is available.

In my experience, working with only lorem ipsum text to produce comps is a huge waste of time. It is an exercise in aesthetics, not in the communication of content.

A client might label their designer as either a professional or an amateur. But, did you know that designers classify their clients the same way?

Even if you have limited (or no) experience working with a professional graphic designer, you can still act like a pro.

The key characteristics of a professional client are:

• They are well-prepared.
• They communicate effectively and clearly.
• They trust that the designer is an expert in their field.

The Bailiwick Company wrote a terrific post: Working with Graphic Designers: Get the Most for Your Money.

Here’s an overview of their tips:

1. Finalize copy before handing it over to the design team.
2. Do not make changes piecemeal.
3. Be specific about what you’re seeking in a design.
4. If you’re uncertain about what you want, trust the designers.
5. Identify your audience and your objective.
6. Collaboration is great, confusion isn’t.
7. Let the professionals do their job.
8. The design process should not cause angst.

Read the full article here.

Piecemeal changes, confusing emails, etc. are essentially distractions from the task at hand – to create beautiful, effective work. A process full of distractions is headed for disaster. Expect the budget to take a hit as well.

Share your thoughts in the comments:

What else can clients (or designers) do to keep the project on track and the budget down?

Making beautiful work matters to design legend, Saul Bass*, and it matters to me.

“You can get much more quickly to an answer if you don’t worry about those things [making it beautiful]. It costs every designer money to make it beautiful. It means you have to spend more time, you have to futz with it, you have to noodle, you have to push, you have to pull, you have to try, you have to do. And that’s all money. You’re eating up your budget. But, that’s a commitment you either make, or you don’t make.”

– Saul Bass

Watch the full 2-minute  clip here:

I found this video clip via Jacob Cass’s blog over at Just Creative Design. View his post here.

Family and friends always ask why I don’t just leave a design project alone once it hits that “good enough” level. It looks fine. The client would be satisfied. But, it’s not beautiful. Yet.

Those extra steps are for me. Sure, the client benefits from it … but wanting and needing to take the extra steps between “good enough” and beautiful is why I’m in business for myself. It’s why I come to work each day.

Clients hire designers to take care of the aesthetics. We’re the experts. It’s up to us to make it beautiful.

Please visit www.daniellebaird.net and leave me some feedback!

Special thanks to everyone that has given me feedback and support along the way:

Ilise Benun, Marketing Mentor
Cindy Lange, the Buzz Division
Jeremy Turkin
Cindy Baird
Kate Webb
Dan Lopez
Emily Serruto
Susannah Hainley
Majid Nolley

Firebelly Design Pop-Up Shop, Friday Dec. 4, 5-10 pm

“Firebelly is a super-talented team of patient listeners, genius problem solvers and forward thinking designers.” www.firebellydesign.com

Twice a year, the geniuses at Firebelly Design open their doors to the rest of the design community for a sneak peak at what it’s like to work for one of Chicago’s hottest design studios. I was fortunate enough to land a last-minute spot for Firebelly Design’s studio tour on Nov. 20.

Your next chance to meet the team on their turf is this Friday at the Holiday Pop-Up Shop on December 4, 2009, 5-10 PM at the Firebelly Design Studio. The studio is located at 2701 W Thomas St, 2nd Fl, Chicago, Il 60622.

Find some fabulous, unique holiday gifts and support a great cause – 50% of all proceeds benefit Reason to Give, Firebelly’s not-for-profit program that directly serves the residents of the Humboldt Park neighborhood in Chicago.

Reason to Give makes it simple and fast to donate directly to the immediate needs of the neighborhood’s residents. On the Reason to Give website, you can watch a video to learn about the family you are donating to and target your donation to a specific item, like a bed. All donors receive a certificate of thanks, but extra-generous donors receive cool swag. Donating $20+ earns you a t-shirt and donating $100+ earns you a t-shirt and a tote bag.

At the Pop-Up Shop, 50% of the sales benefit Reason to Give — so, purchase some unique, affordable holiday gifts, support the arts AND donate to a great charity. It doesn’t get much better. See you there! (and, don’t forget to check out the 50 under $50 art wall)

(Note: Video originally posted here)

Bierut’s stack of 86 notebooks is both impressive and inspiring (and another great defense as to why I refuse to throw design-related items away). The pile of basic composition notebooks contains invaluable notes and ideas that lead to some pretty monumental design work – like the environmental graphics for the New York Times Building.

He likens his craft to medicine — just as a doctor cannot practice medicine without patients, as a designer, he cannot practice without clients. “The ‘sicker,’ the better,” Bierut says, with a laugh.

In this 19 minute video, Bierut outlines five lessons he has learned over the years and illustrates them through five completed projects. The one I identified with most is “Listen first, then design” — a principle I try to live by with each new project. Although clients come to designers with problems to solve, as Bierut says in lesson #3 — “The problem contains the solution.” Clients hold the answers to their own problems, we just need to help them find it.

“Remember who you’re doing it for and why you’re doing it and you can’t go wrong.”

– Michael Bierut

What do you think of Bierut’s “secrets”?

I was introduced to Accidental Creative’s Manifesto at the 2009 Creative Freelancer Conference in San Diego this past August. Months later,  I still find myself returning to it in moments of frustration and creative anguish.

1. We create. Everyday. Not because we have to, but because we can’t help it. We empty ourselves because that’s what artists do.

2. We are brilliant at what we do, but what we do does not define us.

3. We understand that our vocation is bigger than our occupation. We’re on this earth to do more than earn a paycheck.

4. We are committed to growth. We do not tolerate stagnancy, because it’s the first sign of death.

5. We are committed to healthy creating. We recognize that to be prolific for a long time involves intentionality, choice and discipline.

6. We know the value of what we make, and we refuse to prostitute ourselves to organizations. We make career decisions based upon who we are not what everyone else would do in our situation.

7. We are always looking for ideas. We are focused, curious and passionate about life, because life is art.

8. We refuse to play the victim. We are proactive and responsible for our own creative health.

9. We are generous because we are free. We know that the goal is to act on the best idea, whether or not it’s our own. We build other people up, even when they don’t reciprocate.

10. We are committed to relationships. We recognize that healthy creating will come out of vibrant relationships.

I absolutely love these principles. I am currently focused on (#4) growth and (#10) creating healthy relationships. As I started slipping into creative stagnancy, it seemed like all areas of my life felt like they were off-kilter. Since then, I’ve taken on a few new projects that are pushing me out of my comfortable skill set and I’m taking classes on lynda.com. It feels like my brain is finally flexing its muscles after spending a long time loafing on the couch.

In conclusion, the AC Manifesto says:

We are committed to bringing ourselves fully to our life, work and art. And as we do this, the world will change around us.

I don’t know about you, but I’d love to impact positive world change. Design is definitely about more than a paycheck (see #3).

What are your thoughts? Is the AC Manifesto a little too extremist, or right on? Which point is the most inspiring/thought provoking to you?