What happened to sherms3k.com?

Well, Folks! sherms3k.com is a ”name” of the past now. I no longer use this domain name for my website. Honestly ! I really rushed into getting my website up and running and sherms3k.com was the first name that came to my mind. This is not something you would want to do. Always think when you are choosing a domain name for your website.  A good domain name plays an important role in SEOespecially  if you want google and the other search engines to notice you. I admit I was foolish in choosing sherms3k.com…..What in the world was I thinking, sherms is my petname and God only knows where the “3k” came from….

I have learned over the past couple of days while reading a couple of SEO books that a GOOD “APPROPRIATE” DOMAIN NAME is always the best way to go. Let me give you an example:

Sherman Jackson is a Freelance Web Designer and Graphic Designer, and earlier he had chosen sherms3k.com as his domain name. Why don’t you take a moment to try and encrypt or figure out what sherms3k.com has to do with web designing or graphic designing?. True ! Absolutely Nothing. 

Don’t get me wrong, having a domain name with just your name or “pet” name is fine eg: shermanjackson.com/org/net bla bla blah. However, I recommend you sneak in a keyword or two in there, eg: http://www.thefreelanceguy.net. Trust me, after doing that you will not be banging your head against a wall wondering why google or any engine has not noticed you. 

After such a lengthy explination, that’s how I switched from sherms3k to thefreelanceguy.

I trust you learned something.

Six questions to a graphic designer

Article Provided by Rob Cubbon
http://robcubbon.com

When and how did you get your start in the industry?

I was working as a picture researcher for magazines and a night picture editor for newspapers in London when in 1992 I saw Photoshop for the first time and it was love at first sight. I then lied a lot to get my first jobs freelancing in London.

How do you define graphic design?

Like a lot of things it’s indefinable. It evaluates the left brain logic and transforms it to right brain creativity by using imagery, typography, iconography and/or … “ideas” to communicate a message. There is no dividing line between art and design in my opinion. Graphic design has the capacity to involve larger areas of interactivity such as marketing, branding, entertainment and communication.

What is the hardest thing about the industry?

Being told by a client that they don’t like what you’ve done. And then even if the client likes the ideas the best idea often doesn’t make it. (I changed this question from “what was the hardest thing to learn…” I got out of that one!)

What is the best part about your job?

Obviously the feeling of having done a good job. Whether you’ve been told so or shown by sales figures.

I love the variety; packaging, websites, newsletters, marketing, print ads, banners, presentations, branding a new product, corporate literature, viral videos. You name it.

I also enjoy the interactivity with the client. I love getting a call from a new client. I love being able to help people fulfill their aspirations by successfully communicating their company, project, product or message.

A graphic designer or graphic design business can be broadened to encompass the wider spheres of advertising and marketing. A communicator can do what he wants to do.

What is the number one thing you would like to tell new designers?

If you haven’t got one, get a website. If you do print, do web. If you do web, do print. If you do print and web, do animation and movies. Do things you aren’t already doing.

Don’t ever think you’ve made anything perfect and it can’t be improved upon. But at the same time you’ve got to know when to stop doing something when what seemed like a good idea proves not to be.

Look around to see what your competitors are doing; identify people or companies that are a little bit better or bigger than you are and try to get where they are. Don’t be envious, be even.

What is something you wish other designers would understand?

Don’t see the client as the enemy. Somebody once said that design would be a great job if it wasn’t for clients. I disagree; it wouldn’t be much of a job if it wasn’t for clients.

There’s no such thing as good design. In the words of Bob Gill:

There’s no such thing as “good design” or “bad design”. The design is good if it does what you want it to do. It’s bad if it doesn’t.

Or as Shakespeare said: “there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so”.

These questions were asked by Lauren the Creative Curio, a fantastic design website who asked six different questions for a graphic designer. She encouraged others to give their answers to the six questions.