HOW I WORK Simplicity Keep it simple. That ’s how I try to work and live. Pare everything down to its essential elements, and get rid of everything else. I like to keep things as simple and to the point as possible, void of useless decoration and information. My work is never "trendy". I want it to look as good and communicate as clearly twenty years from now as it does today. That’s what good design is all about. Most of what we see and hear is redundant anyway. Benjamin Franklin recounted this story, when as a young printer (and designer), a friend starting out in the hat-making business wanted a sign (logo) for his shop. It's worth taking a moment to read: As Franklin recounted: “He composed these words, ‘John Thompson, hatter, makes and sells hats for ready money’, with a figure of a hat subjoined. He then thought he would submit it to his friends for comment. The first he showed it to thought the word ‘hatter’ redundant, because followed by the words, ‘makes hats’, which showed he was a hatter. It was struck out. The next observed that the word ‘makes’ might as well be omitted, because his customers would not care who made the hats. He struck it out. A third thought the words ‘for ready money’ were useless, as it was not the custom of the place to sell on credit. Everyone who purchased was expected to pay. They were parted with, and the inscription now stood, ‘John Thompson sells hats’. Sells hats!; why no one would expect you to give them away! What then is the use of that word? It was stricken out and ‘hats’ followed as there was one painted on the board. So, his inscription was reduced to ‘John Thompson’, with a figure of a hat subjoined .” This simplicity to design drives my work. Responsibility My business philosophy is simple. I am a one-man-shop and I do everything myself. Period. From concept, to copy, to art direction and design, photography and illustration, to final production. I do everything. I delegate nothing. It ’s the only way I’ve ever done it. Why? Quite simply, I care too much about the quality of the product that I put my name on to delegate it to someone else. I must take the ultimate responsibility for everything I do. So, when you hire me, you get me. Consequently, I have enjoyed very successful relationships with a handful of very good clients for many years. I believe that chemistry is very important in the client/designer relationship. All my professional relationships are based on a mutual respect for each other's work. I must personally believe in their product or service that I am helping to promote (it has to be a product or a service that I would personally buy or use), as well as like the person I am working for. Conversely, they must believe that I will always keep their success foremost in the work that I do for them, as well as be assured that I am always giving them my very best efforts. Honesty, Integrity, Humility This is my motto on my logo that I try to live by both personally and professionally. Ken Wilson |
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