A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to review design portfolios at our local community college. I’ve participated in this program for the past several years, where local agency staff and freelance creatives fill out forms offering feedback on the quality and creativity of the students’ work. The portfolios vary greatly in design quality and thoughtfulness, but there are usually a few standouts. This year I also had the opportunity to meet some of the students, and our firm even enlisted a recent graduate to help us with some production design. When I talk to the students, it is good for my ego since they manifest a reverence that borders on awe. It’s true that these neophytes have a lot to learn, but they also have a lot to give. They can even serve as role models for the creatives with decades of experience under their belts. Read the rest of this entry »

In my four years at art school we had the usual assignments: book covers, magazine spreads, posters and so on. None of these projects ever came close to preparing me for the work I’ve done recently here at Hile. This latest project took patience, a careful attention to detail and incredible daring.

The other day I Photoshopped Julie’s head onto Lady Liberty. And this was not my first head transplant. I’ve gotten eerily good at taking someone’s head and putting it on someone else’s body. If you look at our staff biographies on the new hiledesign.com you’ll see my  work in the area of digital transplantation surgery:

• Art has been transformed into Fred Astaire
• Eric could easily be mistaken for a trail boss
• Monica is Miss Remington
• Mary pops out of a box to the tune of “Here We Go ‘Round the Mulberry Bush”
• Beth is holding her own against canine opponents
• Katie is a face in the crowd (OK, that was an easy one)
• I’m the Hile Gothic
• Dave is moderating a Nixon-Kennedy debate

No, art school did not prepare me for having this much fun on the job.