Designers-who-Blog Archives - Page 2 of 2

Interview 7.2: Cat Wentworth Becomes a Blogger

August 2, 2006 by Liz

Crusader Cat

If you read the beginning (7.1) of this interview you know that Cat Morley has been a few places and done a few things in her career as a World Designer. If you came to this week’s open comment night, you also know that Cat had a major role in Wizard of OZ written just for her.

Tonight a little more about the many things Cat has had going on in her life.

Cat, how did you end up as a blogger?

IÃ¢â¬â¢m a crusader with a hot spirit. When LogoWorks started showcasing logos that were remarkably similar to many, many other designers’ logos, I was swept into blogging along with others. Of course there were some bits that had to be in place first. I just happened to be test driving blogger for a client when it all came about.

Cat tells the story of how she started to blog on Creative Latitude. It’s called Blogs, Podcasts and all that stuff.

Here’s how the story starts . . .

If you asked me a month ago about spending my precious time updating an industry or personal blog, IÃ¢â¬â¢d say, “Never!” Sure, I have a business blog (now sadly ignored) which IÃ¢â¬â¢ve spent time on, but IÃ¢â¬â¢ve always pooh-pooed jumping in and keeping a blog just for the love of it.

Many times on “The About,” (About.com’s graphic design forum) IÃ¢â¬â¢ve passed a verbal grin in Chris Gee’s direction when he went on and on about the wonders and power of blogging on his blog thepreparedmind.com. Not for me. I felt I had better things to do with my spare time.

I’m really glad she changed her mind.

Next: wait until you hear about Cat and the Queen of England!

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Interview 7.1: Meet Cat Wentworth, World Designer

July 31, 2006 by Liz

Meet Cat

I first saw Cat’s Blog, (click this shot to visit it) . . .

I discovered Designers who blog when I was looking for great designers to feature. Then she submitted her blog for the Link Leak Blog-to Show that Successful Blog held earlier this year. I was delighted to meet her and a new friendship was forged.

Now I get a chance to share this amazing woman and designer with you.

I sent Cat a number of questions that I figured she might answer over a number of days and they came back in a number of minutes. . . . That shows a lot about who she is.

Today we’ll explore how she got started.

Hi Cat! Where’d you grow up and how did you end up in that part of the world? What’s it like for a blogger there?

Ok, thatÃ¢â¬â¢s three questions.
a) Where’d you grow up
My parents were expats (expatriates) so I grew up overseas. Not all the time as in between we were stationed in places such as Fairbanks, Alaska where I lucked out and lived through the great Alaskan earthquake. Sadly, my aunt who was visiting did not. Our last posting was Blenheim, New Zealand. I will always remember the land of the long white cloud as godÃ¢â¬â¢s country. KiwiÃ¢â¬â¢s are a very lucky people.

b) how did you end up in that part of the world?
France was too expensive so I took off for warmer, more amenable lands.

c) What’s it like for a blogger there?
Lonely at times as the US is asleep for the majority of my day, and whooping it up when IÃ¢â¬â¢m asleep. But it also means I get a lot done.

What got you started in online design?

When I decided to relocate from Brunei, I realised working in web would be more practical than print, which was my entry into the world of design. To explain, in Brunei I had local clients and a range of off-station clients. With a possible move to another country (and perhaps another after that) working 100% via the intenet made more sense.

So that’s how Cat got to be a world online designer. Next we find out how Cat faced diversity to become a blogger.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Cat Wentworth, Designers who Blog & the Header

June 26, 2006 by Liz

Cat Wentworth

Late on Friday, I got an email from the designer-publisher-superwoman, Cat Wentworth, who owns Designers who Blog. You may know her from the Successful Blog community. She’s commented here often with her insights. She pointed us to the Great Find article on C.R.A.P. design by Mike Rundle, and she stops by for Tuesday Open Mike Night whenever she has a chance.

Designers who Blog is a showcase for creative bloggers. Cat is great at making sure the world knows about talent in her own creative and wonderful way. In this particular email, Cat said she was going to feature Successful Blog in her showcase. How cool of a turnabout is that?

What happened next was too exciting. People who know how laid back I can be would have paid money to see how I reacted. I’m not kidding, really. My IT husband was laughing through the whole thing. [Read more…]

Great Find: Is Your Design C.R.A.P.?

June 24, 2006 by Liz

This link comes from Cat Morley, of Designers who Blog. It was waiting when I got to my computer this morning. If you know Cat Morley and Mike Rundle, you’ll want to read this article as much as I did.

Great Find: How C.R.A.P. Is Your Design by MIke Rundle
Permalink: http://www.thinkvitamin.com/features/design/how-crap-is-your-site-design

Audience/Topic: Blog and Webiste Design Review
Content: I’ve had the pleasure of working with Mike Rundle. I worked with him when Succesful Blog was with 9rules. Mike designed the SOB badge. He’s considered one of the best designers in the blogworld. So when Mike writes about blog design. It’s worth checking, especially when the person who points out the article is Cat Morely, who is also highly recognized for her design skills.

Mike’s article explains a popular design approach and acronym, called C.R.A.P. coined by designer/author Robin Williams. C.R.A.P. stands for

Contrast + Repitition + Alignment + Proximity

In his article, Mike goes beyond explaining each concept. He provides screenshots and reviews the conceptual points in action — when they’re working and when they’re not. Think of this as a multi-page primer of design basics that you want beside you, when you start tweaking at your template. To read the article click on the title shot below.

Design can make reading your blog inviting, welcoming, and easy on the reader. It’s one more form of branding and blog promotion. Great design lets readers see that you have an interest in them and a stake in what you’re doing. The finest content means hardly anything, if no one can get past the design to read it.

Thanks Cat, for pointing us to this article, and thanks Mike, for taking the time to write it.

–ME “Liz” Strauss