Guest Blogger: Angela Hardison

I am ecstatic to have Angela Hardison as a guest blogger this week. I haven't met Angela in person, but after looking at her blog, her design studio, and great work, I am very charmed, and have frequently found myself smiling in admiration. We have very similar aesthetics and inspirational interests, and she just seems to be a very hip and sweet person. Isn't she adorable too, with her fun photos?! Welcome Angela, happy you are here, I am looking forward to your posts this week.

Hello! I’m Angela Hardison, and I’m honored to be guest blogging at Black*Eiffel this week. I absolutely love and totally relate to Rachel’s style, so I look forward to sharing this space with her over the next few days. Writing my own bio is a little too much like throwing my own birthday party... so I asked my husband to do it for me.



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From the desk of Clint Hardison, Angela’s husband:

Angela is a graphic designer. That tells you a lot about her—the discerning eye, the attention to detail, the hours of entertainment she can find in spinning a color wheel, the exhilaration she experiences when either creating or encountering “good design,” the frustration at its absence. A year and a half ago, just after graduating from Arizona State University’s Visual Communication Design program, she opted to defy the advice of the less visionary. With friend and colleague Raquel Raney, she started her own company - SeeSaw Designs. Since then, the business has grown into a full-service design and letterpress studio with four designers - her, Raquel, Lindsay and Trent. SeeSaw is the means by which Angela is able to spend every single day doing what she loves.

Angela is twenty-four. She lives in Mesa, Arizona, with her husband (me).
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During the week I’ll share more about my design studio and some of our work, as well as a few of my favorite things. Thanks again for having me!

Thanks, A giveaway, Goodbye. by guest : Angela Hardison

It has been constant eye candy this week with guest blogger Angela Hardison, don't you agree? I fancy her creativity and it was marvelous to see a showcasing of her goregous work and my ... what a lovely studio she works in. Seesaw Designs = Inspiring. I am amazed at the young talent and am looking forward to seeing more. Thanks Angela for taking the time to share and inspire us with your insights and whoo hoo... thanks for also offering a surprise giveaway! (Read details below).



Thanks again to Rachel for asking me to guest blog - I've loved being here. And thank you readers - I've enjoyed your thoughts & comments. To show my appreciation, I'm giving away something that I haven't even made yet. Here's some hints:

- a letterpress print
- 8x10"
- probably two-color
- design & letterpress by me
- shipped to you around March 15th

It will be good; you want it. (I know it's kind of weird that you don't know what you might win, but surprises are always more fun, right?). Just leave a comment by Wednesday, January 28th at midnight and the winner will be selected randomly!

{No anonymous entries will be counted, please enter only once. }

For more info, visit me at the following:
- my personal blog
- SeeSaw blog

SeeSaw Designs Letterpress Print

Remember guest blogger Angela Hardison from SeeSaw Designs (see all of her guest posts here ) and the giveaway she offered? The surprise...? Well hello surprise, happy to meet you. I love the message of this print, perfect to inspire optimism in this challenging time. In addition more has been added to their etsy and I also like this print. Thanks again Angela!

--FROM ANGELA:

Congratulations to Dorthea on winning this 8x10" letterpress print! It will be in the mail for you soon. If you're sad that you're not Dorthea, you can purchase one for $10 right here.

Also, Rachel asked that I share some brief advice on starting your own business. For some reason, people tend to think starting a business is way harder than it actually is. I'm here to give you some great news... it's not! I personally think all you really need is:

1. a strong desire
2. patience & persistence
3. to believe in what you're offering (services and/or products)

The rest is mostly just logical, and there are so many sources online to assist you - including a bunch of really great advice and info from fellow blogger Design for Mankind. See her business roadmap series here for about everything you need to know.

Joy to the World

I love the fantastic map print that Angela did that you can download complimentary on her site. (Wow, thanks Angela!) She was inspired by Emily of Secrets from a Stylist and this beautiful simple idea makes such a nice statement. I'm still a huge fan of most anything dealing with maps, globes etc.

(top photo : Angela Hardison // bottom photo: Emily Henderson)

Raw Foods

The way that Angela captured her recent healthy raw meal options is top notch and very inspiring. See her post here. What healthy choices are you making in 2011? I am working on eating less sugar, although last night I had some yummy European chocolate -- yikes.

(photos by Angela Hardison)

Inspired by Interiors: by guest Angela Hardison

(all photos by Mark Lund)

Before I went to college, I wanted to be an architect. After a little research, I changed my mind and went with graphic design, which was one of the best decisions I've ever made. But if I could do/be everything... I think I'd add both interior designer and photo stylist to the list. (Unfortunately I'm not educated about or great at either, so I just admire all of the talent out there.)

I could spend hours each day looking at photos of gorgeous interiors. Lately, I've been obsessed with all of the home decor from photographer Mark Lund's portfolio. I love all of the color splashes and bold prints in these rooms.

Be courageous & vulnerable by Guest: Angela Hardison

When I was younger, I used to do what I call "air-writing"... kind of like air guitar, except writing letters and spelling words with my pointer finger. I did it all the time -- in cursive, print, and everything between. I guess I've always loved the art of lettering, and the way shapes form to create a language. So naturally, typography (and other lettering found in design) is high on the list of my favorite things.





This invitation set is from the portfolio of Keetra Dean Dixon (a recent recipient of the ADC Young Guns Award. Besides the awesome typography in these pieces, I especially love the messages found in this "small series of cordial invitations." And they seem fitting for my final thoughts to you all:

Make the work you wish you were making.
Share it.
Make with wonder.
Be courageous and vulnerable.

Pioneer of Modern Design by guest: Angela Hardison

(all images scanned from this book layout by me )

One of my favorite books sitting around the house would have to be Robin + Lucienne Day: Pioneers in Modern Design. These two are hailed as the British counterparts to Charles and Ray Eames and they're just as amazing.

Lucienne (isn't she adorable?) pioneered the use of modern design in the textile industry during the 1950's. I love all of her patterns... those above are just a few of her many. Throughout her life, the designs she created were printed on wallpaper, carpet, table linens, handkerchiefs, furniture, clothes, plates & other tableware, and more. Every time I open the book, I'm inspired by this woman and the overwhelming amount of her creativity.

The Design Factory: by guest Angela Hardison

SeeSaw Designs is located near OldTown Scottsdale, Arizona, minutes away from Fashion Square. We’re in an old building that’s currently undergoing some renovation. Rumor has it the students from Frank LLoyd Wright’s Taliesin West school worked on the building, but I’m not sure how to verify that information. Regardless, we love our space for it’s tall exposed ceilings and huge windows that let in so much light.

This is where I sit all day. Sometimes my desk is that clean, but usually it has papers, notes, and sketches strewn across. Our 2009 letterpress calendar is hanging up on the wall to keep track of our client meetings and deadlines.

People seem surprised that all four of our desks are in one of the rooms. For us, working so close is important to the creative process - all day, we’re solving problems and creating together. It also means we have to really like each other... luckily Lindsay, Raquel, and Trent are some of the greatest people I’ve ever known. We have a lot of fun. (Notice Trent's face in the left photo; he was probably making fun of me taking the pictures. Poor guy is outnumbered, but we love the dynamic he brings into an otherwise estrogen-filled studio).

We just moved to this location a couple months ago, so there’s still much to be done to the office. But for now, we have the essentials: our computers, inspiration board, and a fully-stocked candy jar (we’ve all got a serious sweet tooth).

Unfortunately, our letterpresses remain a few miles away from us in a garage. (We’re on the second story of the office building and I’m pretty sure the 5,000+ pounds of equipment might crash through the floor.) We have a 12x18” Kluge, a 10x15” OldStyle Chandler & Price, a huge Challenge guillotine paper cutter, and a little 6x10” tabletop Kelsey which is currently at our design studio as a showpiece.

Next, I'll share a little bit about the type of work we do along with some examples of our design and letterpress pieces.

For more info, visit me at the following:

- my personal blog (http://angelahardison.blogspot.com)

- SeeSaw blog (http://seesawdesigns.blogspot.com)

Look & See: by guest Angela Hardison

One of my favorite things about being a graphic designer is that I get to work with all types of people. We have clients ranging from an international life insurance company to local yoga studios and quaint restaurants. The variety of work is what keeps things interesting... here is a little peek at some of the things we create.


Brand identity development for a local political PR firm -- shown above are the business cards printed on a soft-touch velvet paper.




Print collateral and menus for local (and amazingly delicious!) restaurant Palatte. The place has such a lovely atmosphere, and we created nice hand-made menus to match -- complete with sewn binding.



Two recent posters for AtOneYoga - a local yoga studio with a vibe that's unlike anything I've seen (hip-hop music during class? yep). We do a ton of design work for them and their sister company Spiritual Gangster ... really fun clients. Plus, they give us free yoga!


Custom letterpress wedding invitations by and for one of our very own designers, Lindsay.




Occasionally there's also time to print letterpress cards -- some of which are for sale in our Etsy shop. Finding the right balance (in a business sense) between letterpress and traditional design work has been a constant debate. After a brief hiatus from printing, all of us agree that we miss it.

There are a few changes in store for 2009 as the company continues to grow and we decide what direction to go with everything. Although I admit that having your own business is really hard at times (like when a client asks you to add 'angel wings' to the great logo you just presented -- true story), the rewards far outweigh the frustrations. I feel really lucky and blessed to be doing what I love.

For more info, visit me at the following:
- my personal blog
- SeeSaw blog