I thought it would be nice to have a little holiday break (happy Labor Day folks!) from the usual at Creative Curio. Brian Gardner started this little meme and Tara tagged me, so here it goes!
What is something that would surprise people about you and design?
Perhaps it would surprise people that I originally intended to get two degrees, one in Spanish and one in Psychology, and then go on to get my Master’s in Psych. Wait… how did I end up here then?
Ah, the interesting paths life takes us down. I met my now husband, then friend while in my first year of college. He introduced me to Photoshop and I fell in love, transferred to his school and I’ve been designing ever since. My favorite thing to do is page layout. I’m also experienced in video production and editing, sound design, 3D, several interactive media programs like Flash, Director and Dreamweaver, in addition to the staple that is Adobe Creative Suite. I started my career in design with PS 7.
If you could design one blogger’s site for free, who would it be?
ME! I’ve wanted to design my own theme since before I began publishing, but I thought I should just get this blog off the ground first and design it along the way as I had time. Meanwhile, I’m loving Chris Pearson’s Cutline Theme.
What blog platform do you prefer and why?
WordPress is the only one I have experience with, but so far I love it. It’s highly customizable (with some people’s websites you can’t even tell WP is the power behind it all) and it’s the one everyone seems to talk about so it’s easy to see all the best plugins and themes to use.
Aside from your own, what is your favorite blog template/theme?
Brian Gardner is an amazing WordPress theme designer and if I hadn’t gone with Cutline, I would’ve picked Brian’s Vertigo. I also really like his Blue Zinfandel and Whitespace themes. He has an excellent command of the elements of design and his themes are very classy.
John’s theme for I Love Typography is awesome. His use of typography is unlike anything I’ve seen on the galactic network interweb. Andy Rutledge’s Design View style is really nice, too. I guess I have a thing for themes that are heavily typography focused. It’s not something you see a lot of on the web.
Do you have a blog-reading guilty pleasure?
i r luvins teh lolcats an da cheezburgerz!
Tag, You’re It!
I would like to tag John to write about these 5 things over at Redsil.com, and also Vivien of Inspiration Bit. You can join, too! Let me know in the comments if you participate, so I can visit!
Want to Read More?
- Brian at BrianGardner.com
- Char at Essential Keystrokes
- Charity at Design Adaptations
- David at DavidAirey.com
- Joe Drinker at FourBux
- Randa at Randa Clay Design
- Tara at Graphic Design Blog (thanks for the tag! It was fun)
Wow Lauren - Spanish and Psychology to Graphic design, that’s a path I wouldn’t have expected, you always sound so into art and design I guess I would have always imagined you wanted to work in that field. Are you still working on your own theme or is the new job and long commute keeping you too busy?
Thanks for taking part.
Yes, the commute is keeping me quite busy. Luckily I have a 1 hr lunch that I can write my posts during, so the writing part of blogging doesn’t suffer. But we did find a new apartment this weekend so we’ll be moving soon!!! YAY!!!! This new place is about 15 minutes away from work
I’ve always been interested in art, I get that from my dad. I liked taking art classes and I played the clarinet and tenor sax for 8 years in school, so I do have that creative gene.
15 minutes sound much better. I used to do about a 1.5 hour each way trip to work - part drive part train (and trains are always late in the UK) but at least I only did it 3 days a week, it really wears you out. Now I just have to walk down the stairs - much nicer :)
Lauren - thanks for taking part in this and giving us a little more insight! If its any consolation - my degree is in Economics and I have never used it.
Tara, yes, it does sound much nicer than your old commute! I can’t imagine doing this commute for more than another month. I would go crazy!
Hi Char! Thanks for stopping by. This was a fun meme and I enjoyed reading everyone’s answers so far. I think for most people, they don’t use their degrees; it’s just to show that they have the critical thinking and problem-solving skills that come with higher learning. I’m sure I’m one of the few who actually got a degree in a field that I’m now working in!
Fell in love with PhotoShop or your husband?
I like these personal insights.
That Brian chap is something of a WP-Theme-God. I suggest that we stop calling them WordPress Themes (what a mouthful), and simply call them “Brians”.
Thanks for mentioning the theme on iLT.
I accept your meme challenge.
OK, I’m off to download some new Brians…
Haha, you got it! I hope other people got that “falling in love” part. The answer is both!
Yes, Brian is an amazing web designer. LOL, I like your idea of calling them Brians. You can always make me laugh!!
I’m looking forward to reading your answers, John! Yes, these types of things are fun. It lets you get to know the authors of your favorite blogs a little better.
I guess it’s a much safer thing to do - introducing your future wife to Mr. Photoshop, it drastically reduces the risk of her falling in love with anyone else but the two of you
On a more serious note - a Big Thank You goes to your husband for shifting your attention from burying yourself in humans complex psychology to enlightening us with your creative side.
ok, now that i’ve been tagged twice for this meme, I better respond to it soon
And Good Luck with the move (yay, only 15 min commute, what can be better? I guess walking down the stairs to your office is… :-)
hmmm… all that psychology I hope you are not analysing all our comments ;)
Hehe, that’s quite a compliment, Vivien! Thank you! I’ll pass it along to my husband, too. Can’t wait to read your responses!
No… not your comments, Tara, but your blog posts! Those are much more insightful ;)
I would’ve commented earlier, but I’ve been so busy checking out the Brians. They’re all very good!
Spanish and psychology (I always have to double check that word) is a strange path to lead to graphic design, but I think you’ve made the right choice. ;)
Why thank you, David! I think I made the right choice, too, though I’m still immensely interested in psychology. The human mind facinates me! But I don’t think I could’ve put up with all the grad school work to become a clinical psychologist. You know, even before I went to college, I thought I wanted to be an interpreter for the UN and learn half a dozen different languages. They facinate me too… It’s amazing that we can communicate such complex thoughts, ideas and emotions by making weird little noises with our mouths. Language is very strange if you look at what it really is!
I noticed on Brian’s Facebook page that he mentioned he thinks you did the most amazing job with his Vertigo theme when you were using it
What a compliment, huh??
Languages fascinate me too, and whilst I’ve only spent around three months living in Spain, one day I’ll get around to learning to speak Spanish better.
I didn’t know that about Brian, and it certainly is a compliment! Thanks for letting me know. Do you use Facebook often?
I don’t use it that often. Intermittently at best. I remember about it when I get an email that so-and-so has added me as a friend. Then I’ll visit a couple times and forget about it again. I’m so busy with keeping up this blog, reading other blogs and offline life!
I have now seen a few of this meme around. It’s quite fun to read little tidbits that you might not otherwise know. I have to completely with your answer to who’s blog would you design, my answer would also be my own. I made a deal with myself though, I had to blog for 6 months consistently before I was allowed to start playing with the design. I have all the ideas in my head though.
My degree is in Graphic Design and my minor was in Psychology. :D
Hi Elysa! Welcome to Creative Curio! I’m glad you stopped by
I like that deal you made with yourself. Mind if I borrow it, too? It’d be nice to have permission to just write. How cool is that — a major in design and a minor in psych! Do you find it helpful to have that minor in the Graphic Design industry?
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[…] I’ve been tagged twice for this meme: first by Char from Essential Keystrokes and then by Lauren from CreativeCurio. […]