FAQ
2. What do you have a passion for in design?
3. I don’t like the quote you gave me.
Yep. A “straw dog” is something that is made to be knocked down or destroyed. In design this is usually a “dummy” idea that can be struck down to make another look good. Sometimes it can even be a useful tool to break the ice as you tongue-in-cheek try to pass off a horrible idea as a serious venture.
Everytime I have used a “straw dog” in design, it has backfired horribly. The worst case quickly ballooned to the point where a table-full of engineers putting their heads together to figure out how to run a gas line under a public road. Why would they want to do such a thing? So that a sea dragon sculpture in the middle of the road could have real flames come out of its nostrils. No joke. It’s a long story.
As a Christian I believe Jesus was purposed to die for my sins: something created to be destroyed. I really have a passion for designing for the Christian community. However, I’m also a fan of cool concepts and have found that I’m mentally-allergic to cheesy Christian names. In that respect, Straw Dog had a neat meaning, and was far more interesting than a name like “Heavenly Design” “CROSSroads” or some other such pun.
2. What do you have a passion for in design?
I have a passion for design itself. I get a kick out of branding, reading about designing grids, critiquing movie company logos in the theaters (much to the disdain of my friends) and reading about the newest design techniques.
I also have a passion for using design within the Christian community. This passion eventually led to to the foundation for my senior thesis and what I believe will be a life-long interest. I am of the opinion that a large portion of Christian design is merely quick, shoddy, recyled, unoriginal imagery. I also believe that a large portion of that can negatively affect our understanding of Christ, the Bible, etc. I hope to post my thesis online for everyone to read shortly. If you’d like do discuss this more, feel free to drop me a line > josiah [at] strawdogdesign.com
I’m also extremely interested in theme park design and I am often quick to note the difference between amusement parks and theme parks. I find the way that Disney (amongst others) designs their environment and rides. Everything from the way they subconsciously feed you the story as you progress towards the ride, to the way lands transition and blend into one another, to the way they trick your mind and warp space. It’s amazing that they can immerse people into narrative environments using by embellishing upon what would normally be a simple roller coaster or boat ride.
Lastly, as you can probably tell from my portfolio, I really enjoy apparel design. Designing shirts (and other such wearables) usually poses a unique set of limitations. It’s also interesting that the final design is organically moving around out in the world instead of stuck on a page in a magazine or tacked to a wall somewhere. The clothing one wears is a great way for them to express their ideals and thoughts, but I also feel it can be a useful tool to actively remind the wearer of information (an aspect of wearables that I feel hasn’t been investigated to its full extent).
3. I don’t like the quote you gave me.
I’m sorry. I realize that sometimes prices for design can look a little daunting at first. But, it really is worth it (says the designer…). Trust me when I say any good designer is probably way underestimating the amount of time they will spend on a given project.
I realize it’s tough when there are sites out there who will sell you a logo for $75 (WAIT, don’t leave just yet). However, many of these quick-fixes will really hurt you in the end. You’ll often be left with design that is either a) extremely unoriginal or b) copied, making your brand (and the money you spent on it) completely worthless or c) stolen (sub-par designers will often copy other brands, cash the check, and leave you sitting on a legal landmine). Quick, cheap is just that — quick and cheap.
If you are intent on branding yourself (or doing any other such design) it’s worth finding a designer who will work together with you to craft the exact design you need to adequately communicate your idea or product to your audience.
If you’d like to discuss branding (or any other facet of design) and why you need it, feel free to drop me a line at > josiah [at] strawdogdesign.com
