Method to the Mayhem

Paddy Donnelly, owner of Iampaddy, Belgium based website, chats with Calvin Lee, principal and creative director of Mayhem Studios. Self-Proclaimed Media Ho, Designer Guy and Twitter Addict. In his spare time, Stunt Doubles for the Hulk and a really Nice Guy!

Calvin Lee is one of the most retweeted users on Twitter and gives us his thoughts on his Twitter addiction and how it should be used.

Head on over to Iampaddy and read the interview, How Do You Twitter: Mayhem Studios?.

You may also follow @mayhemstudios and @paddydonnelly on Twitter.

About Paddy Donnelly
Paddy Donnelly is a web designer, illustrator, blogger and eternal student from Ballycastle, Ireland who journeys through the Internet every day looking for interesting, funny and weird stuff, like everyone else. He has been known to drop everything to partake in Internet projects, which distract him from the monotony of regular life.

His online adventures have been in a constant effort to study social media’s effects on education and the daily lives of creative individuals, while discovering the path to constructing a valuable online presence for himself in the creative web community.

Labels: Addiction, Calvin Lee, Design, Mayhem Studios, Media, Paddy Donnelly, Retweet, Self-Promotion, Twitter

Posted by Calvin Lee at Monday, February 02, 2009 | Permalink | Comments | links to this post

Niki Brown of Design O'Blog asked Calvin Lee of Mayhem Studios along with seven other top designers in the design field, what their favorite fonts are and why?

Among these top design professionals that contributed to the article included: Jeff Fisher, Jeff Fisher Logomotives, David Airey, Logodesignlove.com, Steph Adamo, StephAdamo.com, Liz Andrade, Cmd+Shift Design , Renee Rist, Ribbons of Red, Chris Coyier, CSS Tricks, and Adelle Charles, Fuel Your Creativity.

You can read the full article and discussion at Design O'Blog.

Calvin Lee, of Mayhem Studios, gives us a little preview of his thoughts on what his favorite font is and why?

"One of my favorite headline/sub headline fonts is Rosewood, which I used on a five-page article design for Create Magazine. I also used the font Imago, a san serif to balance and compliment Rosewood, a wilder font."

About Niki Brown
Niki Brown is the owner of the wildly popular Design O'Blog. Niki has be designing since she was a little kid - drawing cartoons, making fake newspapers, and planning a plot to take over the world. OK, maybe not. Niki's early interests in design were heightened when she got her first computer, it was love at first sight!

She made her first website in 1996, with the help of geocities and word-art. Now the rest is history. Fast forward to today - Niki is all grown up with a nifty degree that says "I know what I'm doing."

When Niki is not designing, eating, or sleeping you can usually find her blogging or running. She's been known to dress up in red flannel and run when its really cold outside. Niki's most recent accomplishment was completing the Dam to Dam 20k (half marathon).

Labels: Adelle Charles, Branding, Design, Design O'Blog, Fonts, Fuel Your Creativity, Jeff Fisher, Mayhem Studios, Niki Brown, Promotion

Posted by Calvin Lee at Tuesday, September 30, 2008 | Permalink | Comments | links to this post

Calvin Lee, of Mayhem Studios, accompanied by some of the top notch blogosphere experts on the web today; David Airey, Davidairey.com + Logodesignlove.com, Brian Lovin, Elite By Design, Jeff Finley, Go Media and Ryan Downie, Ryandownie.com answers the question of "How do I find and keep a great designer?" for Fuelyourcreativity.com

It seems like a simple question, but to other small companies the task can be daunting. Even ridiculous, unless you have 100’s of thousands of dollars to throw around - you're on your own!

Calvin Lee, of Mayhem Studios, gives his thoughts on the topic, what the client should know up front.

"As a designer, I want to be honest and upfront. Let the client know what they will be expecting in deliverables and how much the project will cost. This can be accomplished with a signed contract and a 50% deposit before starting any project, with the exact details of what the client will be receiving."

You can read the full article and discussion at Fuel Your Creativity.

About Fuel Your Creativity
Fuel Your Creativity is an open site and forum where everyone is welcome (and encouraged!) to exchange ideas and tips. It’s not just for designers either. Writers, photographers, graffitists…come one, come all. There are new posts a couple times a week and sometimes more than that. Check back often. It is our hope that you will… Find your spark.

About Adelle Charles
Adelle Charles is a Designer & Blogger who runs Fuel Your Creativity & AdelleCharles.com. She is an obsessive email checker and highly addicted to Starbucks. Loves to add "fuel to the fire" any chance she gets. Her dogs Chino and Jameson jot down ideas for her while she's at work. They are obviously the secret to her success.

Labels: Adelle Charles, Brian Lovin, Business, Calvin Lee, Clients, David Airey, Design, Elite By Design, Fuel Your Creativity, Go Media, Jeff Finley, Logo Design Love, Mayhem Studios, Ryan Downie

Posted by Calvin Lee at Wednesday, September 10, 2008 | Permalink | Comments | links to this post

Mayhem Studios contributes to an article, Marketing Your Pro bono Work: It’s All About You, for BoDo, written by wordsmith Thomas Stephan.

Stephan shows how to promote and make your pro bono projects work for you, using press releases, blogs, e-newsletters, forums, social networking and social bookmarking web sites. When writing press releases it should consist of the "Five W's," Who, What, When, Where and Why.

Calvin Lee, of Mayhem Studios, gives his thoughts about self-promotion.

"If you’re a freelancer, self-promotion is a must. How else do you expect a potential client to know about you? Most new designers—even some pros—don’t view self-promotion as an option. Many frown upon self-promoting, as it’s bragging and name-dropping. In a way, it’s bragging but to me it’s more about letting people know who I am and what I can do to help them.”

You can read the full article at Bodo: Marketing Your Pro bono Work: It’s All About You

About Bodo
BoDo: Business of Design Online, blogs about the business of design including: starting your own design business (online or off); marketing; dealing with clients; working with printers, photographers, copywriters and other surrounding industries; pretty much anything to help a design business grow.

About Thomas Stephan
Thomas Stephan carries more than a decade of experience in non-profits of various sizes and venues, and has freelanced for the past 5 years in various creative areas including copywriting, web design, custom graphics for print and web and marketing. He has designed for TT Electronics, The Texas State Aquarium, The University of Texas Law School and Texas A&M University Corpus Christi, and has written for the Art Museum of South Texas, The University of Montana, Korby Imagery and the United States Navy.

Stephan current position is Director of Communications with the largest non-profit social service agency in the state of Texas, where he manages content on four websites, print design, marketing and public relations for seven satellite offices, three residential treatment centers and three retirement facilities, not including the identity and promotion of five annual fundraisers.

Thomas Stephan can be contacted at dyer9380_at_gmail.com for any wordsmithing.

Labels: BoDo, Calvin Lee, Design, Mayhem Studios, Networking, Press Release, Pro Bono, Social Bookmarking, Thomas Stephan

Posted by Calvin Lee at Monday, June 09, 2008 | Permalink | Comments | links to this post

Calvin Lee, Principal and Creative Director of Mayhem Studios, a small award-winning design studio located in Los Angeles, was interviewed by the FreelanceSwitch website written by Kristen Fischer, Self-Promotion Made Easy: An Interview With Calvin Lee. The interview discusses self-promotion and spec work with the designer.

The Studio would like to also thank Jeff Fisher, Jeff Fisher LogoMotives for writing about the Studios FreelanceSwitch interview on his blog, Identity Crisis. It's very much appreciated!

About FreelanceSwitch
FreelanceSwitch is a site for freelancers. Whether you’ve been freelancing for years, have just started or are considering making the switch, this is the place to get all the information and support you need.

About Kristen Fischer
Kristen Fischer is a freelance writer living at the Jersey Shore. She began writing Creatively Self-Employed: How Writers and Artists Deal with Career Ups and Downs during 2004, after experiencing many trials and triumphs while forming her copywriting business. She released her second book, Ramen Noodles, Rent and Resumes: An After-College Guide to Life in Spring 2007.

Labels: Calvin Lee, Design, Design Competition, Design-Awards, Freelance, FreelanceSwitch, Interview, Jeff Fisher, Kristen Fischer, Marketing, Mayhem Studios, Self-Promotion, Spec Work

Posted by Calvin Lee at Monday, May 12, 2008 | Permalink | Comments | links to this post

Mayhem Studios, award-winning design firm featured in Jamie Freeman's book, 500 Simple Website Hints, Tips, and Techniques. Make Up Media and the Studios' own website design will be included in the book. 500 Simple Website Hints, Tips, and Techniques is currently in book stores.

You may view the table of contents HERE.

500 Simple Website Hints, Tips, and Techniques is a jargon-free handbook on the basics of website design. The book offers advice on planning your site, with an introduction to information architecture, tools, scripting basics, file and image formats, choosing and buying a domain name, and methods of testing websites. Key design aspects, such as colors, typefaces, and rollovers are also explored.

The book includes essential advice on following web standards, ensuring a site loads quickly, achieving a high ranking on search engines, and offers tips on marketing strategies. Once you’ve got a website that works and can be easily found, the book explains the best way to add creative and fun extras, such as Flash animation, movies, audio, blogs, and podcasts.

Jamie Freeman is a website designer and has also written several articles about designing for the web. He currently works for Message, a company that designs and builds websites. He lives in Hove, UK.

Labels: Business, Calvin Lee Design, Jamie Freeman, Make Up Media, Marketing, Mayhem Studios, Promotion, Website Design

Posted by Calvin Lee at Saturday, May 10, 2008 | Permalink | Comments | links to this post

The Studio unveiled its new Radio Control (RC) Car in their new promotion. We thought it would be fun and cool way to use a custom built Radio Control (RC) Car in our new promotions.

It all started when I gave a buddy of mine, Chris (No.e Studios), 2 iwata airbrushes I never use anymore. As a thank you, he custom painted, decal and built the Radio Control Car for me. I thought that was very cool. Thanks Chris!

Labels: Marketing, Mayhem Studios, No.e Studios, Promotion, Radio Control RC Cars

Posted by Calvin Lee at Saturday, December 01, 2007 | Permalink | Comments | links to this post

Mayhem Studios is among one of the creatively self-employed contributors interviewed in Home Business Magazine, "How Young Artists, Writers and Other Creative Types Embrace Self-Employment," written by Kristen Fischer, author of "Creatively Self-Employed: How Writers and Artists Deal with Career Ups and Downs."

It’s inspiring when you hear about people making their dreams a reality. Even more so when they’re doing it before they even turn 40.

You can also download the article HERE (3.91 mb).

When Fischer was promoting her book, "Creatively Self-Employed: How Writers and Artists Deal with Career Ups and Downs," she found that most interviewers were more amazed by her than the 65+ creatives she interviewed. They seemed stunned when Fischer told them that she was 28 when the book was released, and started working on it at 25. She didn’t think it was a big deal at first, but  then realized what a profound thing she had done by writing that book—and how astonishing it was because she hadn’t even hit 30 yet.
 
This led her to become intrigued by others around her age who are doing extraordinary things. It’s hard enough to do it as a mid-lifer, but to do it just out of college or with only a few years of experience in the traditional working world? That is really awe-inspiring! So, how do they do it? And are more people considering this career platform?

For more information, please visit Kristen Fischer's website at www.creativelyselfemployed.com.

About Kristen Fischer
Kristen Fischer is a freelance writer who specializes in creating marketing collateral for a wide array of businesses. After more than three years of working 9-to-5 jobs, she started her copywriting business in 2003. She has contributed to Men's Health magazine, Philadelphia magazine, Skope magazine and College Bound magazine. She lives in Manasquan, New Jersey.

Labels: Creatively Self-Employed, Design, Home Business Magazine, Kristen Fischer, Marketing, Mayhem Studios, Writing

Posted by Calvin Lee at Friday, September 14, 2007 | Permalink | Comments | links to this post

There is great article on BoDo, written by author Neil Tortorella, "Building Your Media List." The article is about building your prospects and contacts list. Simple things you can do yourself by checking local newspapers, business magazines and local book stores. Using your contact list to distribute your news and PR.

Mayhem Studios August e-newsletter, which list a few online syndication services is featured in the article as well.

About BoDo: Business of Design Online
BoDo blogs about the business of design including: starting your own design business (online or off); marketing; dealing with clients; working with printers, photographers, copywriters and other surrounding industries; pretty much anything to help a design business grow.

Labels: BoDo, Business, Marketing, Mayhem Studios, Media Press Kit, Neil Tortorella, Newsletters, Press Release, Promotion, Self Employed

Posted by Calvin Lee at Monday, September 03, 2007 | Permalink | Comments | links to this post

Los Angeles, Calif. July 10, 2007 - Mayhem Studios, award-winning design firm will be featured in Jamie Freeman's book, 500 Simple Website Hints, Tips, and Techniques. Make Up Media, Calvin Lee Design and the Studios' own website design will be included in the book. 500 Simple Website Hints, Tips, and Techniques will be released by RotoVision in 2007.

500 Simple Website Hints, Tips, and Techniques is a jargon-free handbook on the basics of website design. The book offers advice on planning your site, with an introduction to information architecture, tools, scripting basics, file and image formats, choosing and buying a domain name, and methods of testing websites. Key design aspects, such as colors, typefaces, and rollovers are also explored.

The book includes essential advice on following web standards, ensuring a site loads quickly, achieving a high ranking on search engines, and offers tips on marketing strategies. Once you’ve got a website that works and can be easily found, the book explains the best way to add creative and fun extras, such as Flash animation, movies, audio, blogs, and podcasts.

Jamie Freeman is a website designer and has also written several articles about designing for the web. He currently works for Message, a company that designs and builds websites. He lives in Hove, UK.

Labels: Business, Calvin Lee Design, Jamie Freeman, Make Up Media, Marketing, Mayhem Studios, Promotion, Website Design

Posted by Calvin Lee at Tuesday, July 10, 2007 | Permalink | Comments | links to this post

Mayhem Studios is pleased to announce that our self promotional brochure design was chosen to appear on iStockphoto's Designer Spotlight.

So drop on by and check it out!

Labels: Award-Winning, iStockphoto, Mayhem Studios, Promotion

Posted by Calvin Lee at Tuesday, January 24, 2006 | Permalink | Comments | links to this post