I See Pixels Podcast

In this episode we talk about how to charge more for your design work.  We also spend time at the beginning of the episode giving a quick update on our social media efforts since our previous episode “Twitterfingers” where we talked about how badly we were doing on our social media platforms. We discuss ways we have tried to have meaningful engagement as a company and brand without being boring or annoying. Many people connect with a company because a personal or emotional connection and we talk about ways to do that on Twitter and Instagram.

Our main topic was inspired by the video “How to charge more for a logo” by Chris Do on youtube. We talk about what we agree with and the aspects we aren’t quite on board with. The main takeaways for us revolve around presentation of your work, story telling, and quality over quantity. Tune in and enjoy this episode.

Alienmuffin Social:

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Special thanks to @ChrisHardknocks for the intro music:
 @chrishardknocks

The post How to charge more for design work – I See Pixels Ep 21 appeared first on Alien Muffin.

An Interview with Photographer Gianna Snell

In this episode we sit down with photographer Gianna Snell who is based in Northern Alabama.  Gianna shares with us her inspiring journey along her career path and how she managed to overcome the pressure to choose a ‘normal’ career. We talk about her influences and what led her to purse a creative career path.

Gianna enjoys capturing images that highlight connections between people. We speak about what inspires her photography and what defines her style.

We also talk to Gianna about a photo she took recently that went viral. She talks about the couple that inspired her, how it felt to see your work become popular, and the feeling of seeing your work shared without giving you credit. She gives us the play by play of how things went and how she used the new found exposure to not only promote her business but to tell the story of the couple.

Find Gianna Snell Photography:

An article written by Gianna Snell about the couple’s love story

www.giannasnellphotography.com/

IG: @gianna_snell_photography

FB: www.facebook.com/Gianna-Snell-Photography

Twitter: @photographybyG

Alienmuffin Social:

IG: @alienmuffin
Twitter: @alienmuffin
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The post Going Viral and Riding the Wave – I See Pixels Podcast Episode 20 with Gianna Snell appeared first on Alien Muffin.

In this episode we discuss Digital Barriers and Web Design.  We are joined by special guest Steven Norman IV to speak about the way he as a blind person interacts with the web and social media.  We discuss 508 compliance and how it can affect your bottom line as a business. JAWS is a popular screen reader and Steven explains to us and listeners how it works and what it allows him to do. We tie this to the fact that many things that are good for SEO are good for screen readers. We discuss The National Federation of the Blind and how they influence change and make life easier for their members. We are inspired by their saying “nothing for us without us”.

Learn more about NFB at nfb.org

Section 508, an amendment to the United States Workforce Rehabilitation Act of 1973, is a federal law mandating that all electronic and information technology developed, procured, maintained, or used by the federal government be accessible to people with disabilities.

Thanks the Steven for sharing his perspective and the music you hear on the podcast.

Steven Norman IV’s website

Twitter @Stevenorman4

Youtube stevenorman4

Facebook stevenorman4

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twitter.com/alienmuffin
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The post Digital Barriers and Web Design – I See Pixels Episode 19 appeared first on Alien Muffin.

In this episode of the I See Pixels Podcast we talk about business cards. Do you still need one?  What should be on it? Should I include a link to my foursquare profile and a QR code? We also talk about the whole SheaMoisture situation from last month and how it could have possibly been handled better. Is it possible to reach out to new groups of potential customers without upsetting those you already have? You can read more about it here.

If you have graphic design or web design questions feel free to connect with us on social media and we may answer your questions in an upcoming episode.

Social:

instagram.com/alienmuffin
 twitter.com/alienmuffin
 www.facebook.com/alienmuffin/

Our shop:

alienmuffin.threadless.com/

Special thanks to @ChrisHardknocks for the intro music:
 @chrishardknocks

The post Business Card Design Tips and More – Episode 18 – I See Pixels Podcast appeared first on Alien Muffin.

*We apologies for the audio issues*

In this episode we discuss album covers in hip hop.  We cover the time period between now and  the early 90’s.  We discuss common trends like Bling, Baby’s, Squads, Artsy, Stylized, and Minimal.  Some of of the covers we discuss are Juveniles 400 Degreez, Nas Illmatic, The Roots multiple squad covers and Kanye’s albums.  We talk about the vast differences in the thought and care put into the Graduation cover vs. Life of Pablo.  When talking on the different covers we pick out some of our favorites like Biggies Ready to Die, A Tribe Called Quest’s Low End Theory. We spend some talking about the use of stock images on album covers and contrast that with the use of commissioned artwork like Logic’s Everybody.  We also talk about controversial album covers like Ice T’s Power and Nicki Minaj’s Anaconda and the if they were actually good beyond the shock factor.

We also spend time talking about if album covers still matter in the streaming age.  We conclude the Run the Jewels has one of if not the most effective branding strategies in hip hop.

Our shop:

alienmuffin.threadless.com/

Special thanks to @ChrisHardknocks for the intro music:
 @chrishardknocks

Social:

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The post Hip Hop Album Cover Design – Episode 17 – I See Pixels Podcast appeared first on Alien Muffin.

In this episode we talk about some of the recent music we’ve been listening to.  We talk briefly about Kendrick Lamars new album,  Joey Bada$$ new project, Lupe Fiasco and the music we are looking forward to this year.

We also talk about feeling fulfilled in the work you do.  How to choose the right clients to work  with and what some of our favorite projects have been and what we’d like to work on.

Our shop:

alienmuffin.threadless.com/

Special thanks to @ChrisHardknocks for the intro music:
@chrishardknocks

Social:

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twitter.com/alienmuffin
www.facebook.com/alienmuffin/

The post I See Pixels Podcast – Episode 16 appeared first on Alien Muffin.

In this episode we discuss some of our favorite television shows and why. But first we talk about playing basketball as an adult. We discuss the change in your motivation to play and the benefits of having a moist jumper.

We also talk about the concept of having “fun” as adult and if that even exists.

We then talk about some of our favorite tv shows like The Expanse, Breaking Bad, Firefly, The Wire, Into The Badlands, etc. We also discuss the Marvel Netflix shows and why Iron Fist is “meh” at best. We also make a couple of suggestions on TV shows you should check out instead of Iron Fist like The Expanse, Emerald City, and Into The Badlands.

Our shop:

alienmuffin.threadless.com/

Special thanks to @ChrisHardknocks for the intro music:
@chrishardknocks

Social:

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twitter.com/alienmuffin
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The post The TV Episode – I See Pixels Podcast Ep 15 appeared first on Alien Muffin.

In this episode we discuss Ecommerce.  We start off by talking about the main misconceptions people have about setting up an ecommerce website. We talk about finding the correct tool for your business. Knowing your audience is one of the most important things to know when selling online and we talk about what that means.  We talk about developing user confidence and how that ties into your brand. Developers need to walk into a ecommerce project with their eyes open, we talk about what questions to ask and what clients to avoid.

We talk briefly about “instagram boutiques” and barriers you create for consumers that can reduce sales.

Whats important?

1. Investment
2. Security
3. Creating the “right” site

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About E-Commerce…but Didn’t Realize You Should Ask

Our shop:

alienmuffin.threadless.com/

Special thanks to @ChrisHardknocks for the intro music:
@chrishardknocks

Social:

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twitter.com/alienmuffin
www.facebook.com/alienmuffin/

The post Are You Ready for Ecommerce – I See Pixels Podcast Episode 14 appeared first on Alien Muffin.

In this episode we discuss some of our favorite podcasts.  We talk about the use of podcasts to passively learn something new and podcasts that we use a as a passtime.  We also talk about inspiration and the many forms it comes in including a great new show called Abstract, a show focused on designers from different backgrounds and working in different fields, that is now on Netflix.  Later we cover the importance of having a side hustle and what impact it can have on your pockets and mental health.  We talk about what staying “woke” in a changing job market and the importance of having a skill that will work in a post apocalyptic world. To wrap up we discuss what to do in a case of “scope creep” or when a client attempts to causally expand a projects scope.

Links to some our favorite podcasts:

• Fanbros
• You are not so smart
• I’ll Name this Podcast Later
• Girl on Guy
• Star Talk
• Friendzone

Abstract on Netflix

Our shop:

alienmuffin.threadless.com/

Special thanks to @ChrisHardknocks for the intro music:
@chrishardknocks

Social:

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twitter.com/alienmuffin
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The post I See Pixels Podcast – Episode 13 appeared first on Alien Muffin.

In this episode of the I See Pixels Podcast we discuss social justice and civil rights movements use graphic design to share their message. Not every social justice or civil rights movement has had great branding but its safe to say those that did have been more memorable. Characters like Rosie the riveter and Uncle Sam are hard to forget. We talk about some of what we think were the most memorable designs and the different methods designers used to get the message across. We also talked about:

• How design is used to influence people opinions of the “other” and the promotion of stereotypes through design
• Good design and how it can make a movement/cause more appealing
• How propaganda lives on today on the internet (memes)

You can see some of the designs we talked about in this episode here 

Our shop:

https://alienmuffin.threadless.com/

Special thanks to @ChrisHardknocks for the intro music:
@chrishardknocks

Social:

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twitter.com/alienmuffin
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The post Graphic Designs Role in Social Justice – Ep12 I see Pixels Podcast appeared first on Alien Muffin.