The Art Directors Club of Metropolitan Washington is proud to have six, nationally-known design professionals judging the 60th Annual Show. Meet them all on March 20.
Doug Bartow
Doug Bartow
Doug Bartow — principal and design director at Troy, NY-based id29 — began flirting with design and typography at any early age. In grade school, he was drawing fraktur letterforms on his notebooks while his classmates were doodling KISS and Van Halen logos.
His passion for typography was fully ignited while in the BFA program at the SUNY New Paltz. Professor Muneera Spence, who studied under Paul Rand, gave her students a rigorous introduction to typography using only five typefaces. This training imparted Doug with a strong confidence to take typographical risks and further explore their abilities.
While he is an enthusiast of type, that’s not to say a typeface doesn’t rub him the wrong way on occasion.
“As far as faces I’d like to see less of: Trajan. It’s beautifully drawn, but so ubiquitous. I can rarely go a day without seeing it used in one form or another.”
As a man familiar with the state of type, Doug knows what he wants to see from up-and-coming designers.
“I see too many typefaces in the work of young designers, many of which are poorly drawn or freely downloaded off the Internet. Show me you can communicate beautifully using only three weights of Univers. I’ll be much more impressed.”
Doug, like many of us, is navigating his first recession as a working professional, but he and his design firm are staying firmly grounded while remaining optimistic. He points out that in a recession, the same rules apply as in a boom: designers must intently listen to clients, perform the necessary research, and produce outstanding work. He also believes that in a down economy, clients can’t afford to forgo going out on a creative limb.
“Common sense would dictate that clients will get more conservative in tough times,” he said. “I would argue now is the time to differentiate yourselves from your competitors—using good design and smart strategy to rise above the din.”
Doug will be looking for good design and smart strategy at the Annual Show. He’s sure to bring his unwavering enthusiasm for new design to this position.
“I love looking at and discussing current design work. Meeting other designers never gets old,” he said. “If you’re someone interested in the state of design and advertising in DC, this show will feature the best of 2008.”
What kind of work is he hoping to miss?
“Anything that uses Trajan.”
Kate Bingaman-Burt
Kate Bingaman-Burt
What types of quotidian things have you spent your hard-earned dough on today? Deodorant? A trashy magazine? An overpriced salad from a fast-feeder masquerading as a white-collar eatery?
If you’re like most people, you forget about your insignificant purchases shortly after having made them. Kate Bingaman-Burt immortalizes hers in a project called “Obsessive Consumptive.” Since 2002, she has been chronicling one item she purchases each day by either photographing or hand-drawing it. Plus, she hand draws all of her credit-card statements until they are paid off. In 2010, Princeton Architectural Press will publish a book filled with these daily drawings.
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