Panelist of the stars

Logo for Sharing Success "Women in Business" learning event.

Sharing Success Panel Expert on Branding. Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce – (some of my favorite clients!) – invited me to be a panelist in their semi annual business development forum called “Sharing Success”. The subject was digital marketing and they invited me to share my expertise in branding. Imposter syndrome Conventional wisdom says that […]

Panel Discussion on Branding and Marketing your Small Business

Postcard promoting Sharing Success chamber learning event.

I am very flattered to have been chosen to be one of the panel members at Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce (LPCC) event, Sharing Success: Marketing Tools & Strategies. We will be discussing how to effectively market a small business, including digital ads, video content and effective branding. As it happens, I also did the […]

In support of the #resist movement – a Pussyhat logo

Pussyhat resist logo and tee shirts.

Last year this time, I attended the 2017 Women’s March in Madison Wisconsin.  I was filled with awe and patriotic spirit as I witnessed the enormous crowds of people who turned out to peacefully protest. A sea of people – many of whom were wearing these adorable pink hats – which I later found out […]

Give me the tools of the master

Close up of stone sculpture, detail of an elegant hand.

Yes, tools matter. The biggest complaint I get from clients who switch to my services after working with another designer is “can you get the file sizes smaller”? The problem usually lies in someone using the wrong tools. In this case, the tools refer to software choices and how they are used. It seems a […]

Branding bands, a case study

branding bands

One of my clients is the new Milwaukee-based band, The Hungry Williams. (Ok, full disclosure, this is John’s band – John is my sweetie.) Being that I’m a branding and digital designer, and John has played with dozens of bands over the years, we bring unique perspectives to the endeavor of effective brand marketing for […]

JPGS and PNGS and TIFS, oh my!

JPGS and PNGS and TIFS, oh my!

Along my journey in the visual design industry, I’ve accumulated a list of best practices on handling graphic files. I find that people who do not walk this road every day tend to get confused. JPGS and PNGS and TIFS and EPS files, what to choose? How do you know you’re headed down the right […]

Illustrate your idea, stand out in a crowd

Portrait of Dwayne Sperber, president of Wudeward

How do you make your marketing stand out? Catchy headlines? Yes.Striking design? Of course.Arresting imagery? For sure! Stock photography and illustration is a great way to go if you’re on a budget – but getting something that’s custom designed for your brand and message is even better, right? Custom illustration doesn’t necessarily mean you need lots-o-dollars […]

In a world of infographics

Best types of content for infographics include charts and graphs, complex data, storytelling or flow charts.

Infographics is a relatively new word. It’s used to describe visuals that combine data and images to illustrate a complicated idea. The intent is to make complex data easy to understand by turning it into a visual presentation. You’ll have noticed them in use everywhere, but most prevalently in data-heavy news shows and articles, research documents, […]

Focus on focal point

Movie still from the movie Broadcast News featuring Al Brooks.

After many years of working as a professional designer and illustrator, I tend to focus on design all around me. When I notice a great design it’s usually because it has a strong focal point, and you can tell right away this designer knows what they’re doing.  Whether it’s a minimalistic layout or a busy […]

The casual typographer

Vintage mannequin head sporting a beige beret cap.

The vernacular long ago dictated “email” over e-mail and “internet” over Internet, and today the rules have finally caught up. High time, y’all.