Method to the Mayhem

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

Mayhem Studios is recognized for its logo design work. The Studio' are among the contributing artists, agencies and designers for inclusion in David E. Carter's, The Big Book of Logos 5. The Big Book of Logos 5, a collection of logo designs from around world. 12 logos from the Studio' are among the winning logo designs that will be featured in the book, now available in book stores.

Mayhem Studios clients include Downtown Entertainment, ET Products, Baca Sigala & Associates, Applied Dialing, All Sport, Sports Bar, Dermatologic Laser Institute, Calvin Lee Design and Southeast Student Film Festival are among the logos featured in the book.

Labels: Business, David E. Carter, Design, Logo Design, Marketing, Promotion, The Big Book of Logos 5

Posted by Calvin Lee at Sunday, April 06, 2008 | Permalink | Comments

The Studios latest blog post, On-Line Copyright Infringement is featured on Create Magazine's February 18th Create Cast, Podcast, Blog Spotlight. The article explains 4 simple things you can do to have work stolen from your site removed.

Be sure to check out Create Magazine's website. It's a great free resource to help promote yourself. Create Magazine gives you many free tools: posting your portfolio, your latest news, blog posts and the opportunity to network with other creatives.

Listen to the Create Cast Podcast now!




The Create Cast
Create Magazine's free weekly podcast, provides interesting interviews with leaders in their particular creative field. The Create Cast is another way for Create to fulfill on our mission to inform, connect, inspire and educate the creative community.

Create Magazine
Provides creative professionals with an insider's perspective on the people, news, trends and events that influence the local advertising and creative production industries. Articles and features, written by local creative leaders and influencers, keep Create readers well-informed about the changing climate of business and competition. The magazine prides itself on not only its content, but also by the way that it is displayed. Create is published bi-monthly and gives creative professionals a great medium for sharing information that facilitates strategic partnerships and career growth within their respective communities.

Labels: Blog, Copyright, Create Cast, Create Magazine, Design, Infringement, Marketing, Podcast, Promotion

Posted by Calvin Lee at Sunday, February 17, 2008 | Permalink | Comments

The Studios' works, Dermatologic Laser Institute Logo, Fagerholm & Jefferson Law Corporation Stationery Design and ET Products Stationery Design are among the winning entries featured in David E. Carter's, American Corporate Identity 2008, Now available in bookstores.

Several hundred creative design firms have work included in American Corporate Identity 2008, ranging from the well known to the up-and-coming. Many trend setting styles have first appeared in this series since its inception, making this book a must-have reference for every corporate identity designer’s bookshelf.

David E. Carter, best-selling editor/author in the history of graphic design books. Since 1972, he has produced more than 100 books; all David E. Carter graphics books are published by HarperCollins of New York City, with distribution in more than 120 countries around the world.

Labels: American Corporate Identity 2008, David E. Carter, Dermatologic Laser Institute, Fagerholm and Jefferson Law Corporation, Graphic Design, Marketing, Promotion

Posted by Calvin Lee at Sunday, January 13, 2008 | Permalink | Comments

Every Christmas over at the HOW Design Forum, we have a Secret Santa gift exchange. It was fun waiting to see what I would receive and from whom.

The Wait Is Over! Thanks Tess, Jasmine and Karma for all the gifts.

• The Creative Business Guide To Running a Graphic Design Business
• Walking Robot Pencil Sharpener
• 9th Wonder Heroes TV Show Tee

Labels: Christmas, Design, Graphic Design, Heroes, Holiday, HOW Design Forum, Promotion, Robot

Posted by Calvin Lee at Sunday, January 06, 2008 | Permalink | Comments

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

These days I do a lot of my networking and marketing on-line. The web reaches more people than any brochure or media kit, with less time and money. The two that really helped me are, on-line networking/directory web sites and posting in forums.

Having a profile/account/portfolio on any free networking sites like Facebook, Linkedin, or Creative Hotlist will get your name out there. Posting on forums will also help to build relations and trust that may bring you potential clients.

That's how Create Magazine contacted me to design their 5 page featured article. I have a portfolio on thier site. After looking at my work. They thought I might be a good fit for the magazine.

Another example, I post on design forums pretty often and have built many relations. As a result, Jeff Fisher, Jeff Fisher LogoMotives, asked me to submit some of my work for his new book, Identity Crisis! 50 Redesigns That Transformed Stale Identities Into Successful Brands.

Business Networking Web Sites

Biznik
Facebook
Myspace
Linkedin
Jump Up
Zoodango
Start Up Nation
Ziki
Meet Up

Design Networking/Porfolio Web Sites

Design: Related
Creative Hotlist
Create Magazine
Designer ID
Coroflot
Flickr

Design Forums

HOW Design Magazine
Freelance Switch
About.com
Graphic Design Forum

Labels: Graphic Design, Marketing, Networking, Promotion

Posted by Calvin Lee at Monday, November 05, 2007 | Permalink | Comments

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

Los Angeles, Calif. – The work of Mayhem Studios, an award-winning Los Angeles-based design firm, will be featured in Create Magazine's Sept+Oct 2007 West Coast issue. The Studio designed the 5-page West Coast regional feature article written by author Jaimy Lee, “Agency Roll Call: West Coast Agencies Purvey The Changing Landscape of The Advertising Industry.”

The article and design showcases local agencies, getting the scoop on what they are up to and their philosophy on the future of the ad biz.

Create Magazine prides itself on choosing talented contributing designers through out the country to represent their region,” says Kristen Schaeffer-Santoni, art director for Create Magazine. “Calvin embodies that sentiment and it was truly a pleasure collaborating with him for the feature. His passion shows through in his work, and his vision adds to the story for an easy and interesting read.

The Sept+Oct issue hits newsstands in September 2007. To find out more, visit Create Magazine at www.createmagazine.com.

About Create Magazine
First published in 2001, Create Magazine is an award-winning, bi-monthly publication that provides creative professionals with an insider's perspective on the people, news, trends and events that influence the local advertising and creative production industries. With five regional editions nationwide, each issue features articles by local community leaders who are the trusted source for information and commentary on the Advertising, Design, Printing, Photography, Film and Video, Animation and New Media industries.

About Jaimy Lee
Jaimy Lee spent nearly two years as a reporter for a local newspaper in San Diego County until she quit her job for five weeks of Eiffel Tower photos, Oktoberfest steins and Roman rainstorms. After returning, she has worked for a freelance writer out of San Diego, contributing to the “San Diego Business Journal,” “San Diego Home/Garden & Lifestyles,” the “San Diego Union-Tribune,” Today’s Local News, Carlsbad Magazine and 944 Magazine. The Point Loma Nazarene University graduate has covered sports, arts, business and hard news and still isn’t sure what her favorite topic is to write about.

About Mayhem Studios
Mayhem Studios is a small, award-winning design firm located in Los Angeles, California, developing identity and brand recognition for the business sector across the nation. The Studio uses strategic and creative design with effective messages targeted to the client's specific audiences to produce identity and branded collateral pieces, annual reports, brochures, logo design, advertising and interactive web sites.

Calvin Lee, principal & creative director of Mayhem Studios is a graduate of Platt College and serves as a member of the Platt College Advisory Board for the Visual Communications Department, NO!SPEC Committee and on the Creative Latitude Management Team.

Labels: Agency Roll Call, Article, Create Magazine, Design, Jaimy Lee, Marketing, October, Promotion, September

Posted by Calvin Lee at Wednesday, August 29, 2007 | Permalink | Comments

I would like to give Jeff Fisher a big Thank You for dedicating a blog post to me and my press release, Identity Crisis! Contributor 'Toots' His Horn. On his blog, Identity Crisis Book. Regarding using press releases to promote yourself.

Jeff's Fisher's blog, Identity Crisis Book is promotion for his next book, Identity Crisis! 50 Redesigns That Transformed Stale Identities Into Successful Brands, will be released in September 2007, by HOW Design Books.

Identity Crisis!' takes a fresh look at 50 before and after case studies by exploring the process of redesigning existing identities to help businesses refine their image, communicate with customers, and find success.

Readers will get an inside look at the challenges of redesigning identities. They'll see the creative and strategic thinking behind fresh design work as well as have a powerful tool to show clients what a difference a professional can make to their image.

For more information, please visit Identity Crisis Book.

Jeff Fisher, author of the "Savvy Designer's Guide to Success" is the Engineer of Creative Identity for Jeff Fisher LogoMotives. He has received over 550 regional, national and international design awards for his logo design efforts. His work is featured in over 85 books about logos, the business of design, and small business marketing. Fisher serves on the HOW Magazine Editorial Advisory Board, the UCDA Designer Magazine Editorial Advisory Board, and the HOW Design Conference Advisory Council. In addition, Fisher also writes for CreativeLatitude.com and HOW Magazine.

Labels: Design, Identity Crisis, Jeff Fisher, Marketing, Promotion, Redesign

Posted by Calvin Lee at Monday, August 06, 2007 | Permalink | Comments

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

Los Angeles, Calif. July 2, 2007 - Mayhem Studios, Award-Winning Los Angeles based design firm client, Fagerholm & Jefferson Law Corporation and the Studios' own identity will be featured in Jeff Fisher's next book Identity Crisis! 50 Redesigns That Transformed Stale Identities Into Successful Brands. Identity Crisis will be released by HOW Design Books in 2007.

Identity Crisis takes a fresh look at 50 before and after case studies by exploring the process of redesigning existing identities to help businesses refine their image, communicate with customers, and find success.

Readers will get an inside look at the challenges of redesigning identities. They'll see the creative and strategic thinking behind fresh design work as well as have a powerful tool to show clients what a difference a professional can make to their image.

For more information, please visit Identity Crisis Book

"It's a pleasure to include the crisp, contemporary design work of Mayhem Studios in 'Identity Crisis!' Calvin Lee's efforts are a great example of a one-person design firm being able to compete successfully with much larger design entities on the international creative playing field."

Jeff Fisher, LogoMotives, author of Identity Crisis! 50 Redesigns That Transformed Stale Identities Into Successful Brands.

Jeff Fisher, author of the "Savvy Designer's Guide to Success" is the Engineer of Creative Identity for Jeff Fisher LogoMotives. He has received over 550 regional, national and international design awards for his logo design efforts. His work is featured in over 85 books about logos, the business of design, and small business marketing. Fisher serves on the HOW Magazine Editorial Advisory Board, the UCDA Designer Magazine Editorial Advisory Board, and the HOW Design Conference Advisory Council. In addition, Fisher also writes for CreativeLatitude.com and HOW Magazine.

Labels: Award-Winning, Book, Branding, Corporate Identity, Graphic Design, HOW Design Books, Identity Crisis, Jeff Fisher, Marketing, Mayhems Studios, Promotion, Redesign

Posted by Calvin Lee at Monday, July 02, 2007 | Permalink | Comments

I have a good friend James Tadeo, Web Developer who's been drawing little doodles of his experiences with clients during his lunch time breaks. They are quite funny since it rings true for most designers dealing with clients. I thought, it would be great to share it with you guys.

James has a whole collection of doodles and growing daily. So check out his doodles at Lunch Time Comics.

James Tadeo, Web Designer and Programmer works with design companies, ad agencies, and in-house marketing departments promote products and services by helping them to produce and plan integrated campaigns consisting of print, multimedia, and the Web. Specializing in integrating ASP or PHP server side code to add intelligent and useful functions to Web sites.

Labels: ASP, Business, Clients, Comics, Design, Fun, James Tadeo, Lunch Time, Marketing, PHP, Promotion, Web Design, Web Development

Posted by Calvin Lee at Friday, June 22, 2007 | Permalink | Comments

Mayhem Studios is recognized for its logo design work. The Studio' will be among the 130 plus contributing artists, agencies and designers for inclusion in the publication Branded and in David E. Carter's, The Big Book of Logos 5. Branded and the Big Book of Logos 5, a collection of logo designs from around world.

12 logos from the Studio' are among the winning logo designs that will be featured in the book, which will be on sale, Summer of 2007.

Mayhem Studios clients include Downtown Entertainment, ET Products, Baca Sigala & Associates, Applied Dialing, All Sport, Sports Bar, Dermatologic Laser Institute, Calvin Lee Design and Southeast Student Film Festival are among the logos featured in the book.

Lori Hobbs, M.D., Dermatologic Laser Institute, gives high praises for the Studio’s production.

"Calvin Lee, Mayhem Studios, thank you so much for helping me in the design of my logo. I love it! It is exactly what I wanted. Your patience and expertise made my new endeavor comforting and exciting. Calvin evoked professionalism and care to my project which I wholeheartedly appreciate. Calvin is fantastic!"

Mayhem Studios Published In The Big Book of Letterheads

Two of the Studios' works, Mayhem Studios stationery design and Calvin Lee Design stationery design are among the winning entries featured in David E. Carter's next book, The Big Book of Letterheads, now available by Harper Collins Publishing.

The Big Book of Letterheads includes nearly 400 letterhead sets, all selected for their ability to inspire the reader and provide countless brainstorming ideas.

Mayhem Studios Works Featured In American Corporate Identity 2008

The Studios' works ET Products Stationery Design, Fagerholm & Jefferson Law Corporation Stationery Design, and Dermatologic Laser Institute Logo among the winning entries featured in David E. Carter's, American Corporate Identity 2008, available November 2007.

Several hundred creative design firms have work included in American Corporate Identity 2008, ranging from the well known to the up-and-coming. Many trendsetting styles have first appeared in this series since its inception, making this book a must-have reference for every corporate identity designer’s bookshelf.

Labels: American Corporate Identity 2008, Branded, Business, Design, Logo Design, Marketing, Promotion, The Big Book of Letterheads, The Big Book of Logos 5

Posted by Calvin Lee at Sunday, June 17, 2007 | Permalink | Comments

Mayhem Studios received a little mention in the May/June, west coast issue of Create Magazine, Scoops section. Regarding the Studios' works published in David E. Carter's, Creativity Annual Awards 36 and being featured in Kristen Fischer's new book, Creatively Self-Employed.

Labels: Buisness, Business of Design, Create Magazine, Creatively Self-Employed, Creativity Annual Awards, David E. Carter, Kristen Fischer, Maketing, Promotion

Posted by Calvin Lee at Sunday, May 20, 2007 | Permalink | Comments

Disclaimer: It has come to our attention, people are using our newsletter as their own work. You are creative people. Design your own newsletter, do not steal. Please DO NOT USE our newsletter design, any of the graphics or verbiage without our permission for educational or commercial use. All design, graphics and code is the property of Mayhem Studios.

Since I started sending out my html newsletters as part of my promotional efforts. I've been getting many requests from other designers and creatives on how I do it. Here is the link to my html newsletter tutorial I just posted on my website. You can also download a pdf version of the newsletter tutorial HERE. It's on mac only.

You may not be able track it or have any of the options like the paid email services but It's simple for people that don't have a real huge mailing list or can't afford it.

Labels: Business of Design, Email, HTML, Newsletter, Promotion

Posted by Calvin Lee at Wednesday, May 16, 2007 | Permalink | Comments

I was at Barnes & Noble book store this past weekend, browsing through the new design books and magazines. While flipping through the Jan/Feb west coast edition of Create Magazine. To my surprise, I received a little mention in the Scoop section.

It also mentions an article I contributed to for "Creative Latitude, Logo Notions" written by designer Jeff Fisher, Logomotives.

Labels: Big Book of Layouts, Create Magazine, Creative Latitude, Jeff Fisher, Marketing, Promotion

Posted by Calvin Lee at Sunday, January 28, 2007 | Permalink | Comments

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

This time around, I thought I would take you behind my design process on a poster make over project I worked on for the Family Medical Group. The original article maybe seen on Creative Latitude, GRAPHIC-make overs web site.

A brief background: The Family Medical Group is a hospital in a community that is majority Latino and low income families. They are a fairly large hospital, they have 3 locations plus a joint partnership with 3-4 other independent hospitals. Which brings it to anywhere in the neighborhood of 20-30 hospitals.





As you can see from the original, it needed a redesign badly. It's a very plain with little to no color or graphics to draw any attention to it. They were not getting much responses to the posters or to their services. They wanted me to punch up the poster and convey a clear message.





The poster needed some color or graphics to grab your attention. Using Images of prescription drugs, as a focal point, then leading your eyes outward and down to the copy. The challenge was not going too crazy with the design and colors. Being a hospital, I had to keep it a little more conservative. Chosing colors that would draw attention but also colors that would balance out the design. Using varying shapes and sizes give the design some movement.

In the end, I think, I came up with something that works. A three-column grid allows the type to flow more smoothly and to give more flexibility as well as more interest to the page layout.

Labels: Design, Marketing, Poster Make Over, Promotion

Posted by Calvin Lee at Friday, January 13, 2006 | Permalink | Comments

I am always trying to find new ways to promote myself and getting my name out to potential clients. Submitting design projects for competitions, winning and being published in books is a great marketing tool. Many potential clients look through design books for prospective designers to work with that fits their style and look.

That's why my marketing budget has shifted to design competitions but it also can be very costly. I only enter competitions which give me more bang for my buck. Ones that give you the most exposure and reaches the largest audiences. Competitions that are published/distributed nationally and worldwide.

Information on submissions for design competitions may be found on Graphics Books, books by David E. Carter and Rockport Publishers.


Other Design Competitions of interest

• American Design Awards
• Communication Arts Magazine
• CMYK Magazine
• Creativity Annual
• Design Graphics
• Graphic Competitions
• Graphis
• HOW Magazine
• PRINT Magazine
• Step Inside Design
• The Summit Awards
• Workbook Competition

I was successful that three of my business card designs were chosen to appear in "David E. Carter's, The Big Book of Business Cards," which is in bookstores now.

Labels: Business of Design, Design Competition, Marketing, Promotion

Posted by Calvin Lee at Wednesday, January 04, 2006 | Permalink | Comments

Mayhem Studios was honored to be asked to contribute to an article written by Jeff Fisher for Creative Latitude. Since we are so close to the Christmas season. The article would be focused on, "These are a few of my favorite things – from the world of identity design."

Some of the queston we were asked to think about.

• Catching the attention of future logo designers
• Favorite logos of large corporations
• Favorites with a local perspective
• Picking favorites in one’s own work
• A designer wish list

Jeff Fisher, the Engineer of Creative Identity for Jeff Fisher LogoMotives, has received over 475 regional, national and international graphic design awards for his logo and corporate identity efforts. His work is featured in more than 75 publications on the design of logos, the business of graphic design, and small business marketing. He shares his observations about the design industry on his blog, bLog-oMotives.

Fisher is a member of the HOW Magazine Editorial Advisory Board and is also on the 2006 HOW Design Conference Advisory Council. His own book, “The Savvy Designer's Guide to Success,” was released by HOW Design Books in late 2004. An excerpt from the book may be found at CreativeLatitude.com. More information about Jeff Fisher LogoMotives is available at www.jfisherlogomotives.com.

Labels: Business of Design, Creative Latitude, Jeff Fisher, Logo Design, Logo Nations, Promotion

Posted by Calvin Lee at Tuesday, December 27, 2005 | Permalink | Comments