chrissiashby

I’ve deleted everything stupid, idiotic, and otherwise cheap ploys for attention from my blog, in a hope of one day being taken seriously.  The stupid stuff I’ve done is in the past… I hope, and I’m starting fresh, and looking forward.

Things that I’m wondering about:

1. What Blogs, Websites and Printed publications should I be reading to improve my skills as a designer?
2. Are there any good books on typography and layout that anyone could recommend?
3. Who are the best Agencies in the business, and what makes them different from the mediocre ones?

I’ve started a concept book.  It’s just simple sketches, a few tag-lines, thoughts and short blurbs.   I’ve taken a short break from Photoshop in an effort to come up with concepts that are decent.  One of my mentors told me that if I have a solid concept, the ads will come.  I hope that is true, and I have been searching for ideas. 

• What type of products should I create ads for?
• Should I start with a product, then find a way to market it, or start with a fundamental human truth and find a way that the product that can somehow relate?
• The only way I know to advertise coffee is with a big red coffee cup, how do I come up with solutions that are not obvious?
• How do I visually represent the fulfillment of a basic human need, or core value for a specific demographic.

Not only can I not find good answers, but i don’t even know what questions to ask.