in the current job market, there is a glut of unemployed designers. the field has become highly competitive, leaving those looking for jobs also looking for ways to set themselves apart from their fellow job-seekers. some go back to school to get additional degrees, while others take learning on their own terms. one of the most common forms of continued education for designers is learning how to take the websites we design and actually making them come to life. if you feel the need to grow your resume or are looking for a new challenge, and words like programming and coding scare you, look no further than this site called don’t fear the internet, by jessica hische and russ maschmeyer. they have video installments explaining the internet and websites in tasteful bites that are palatable to designers, and are easy on the eyes. this may not make you a programming genius, but it will help you get your feet wet. if you are in a position to hire, what skills would you like to see designers have? if you’ve recently been or are on the interview circuit, what skills do you feel are most impressive or appreciated? what resources have you found helpful?

obesity and malnutrition are plaguing americans, and there are obvious causes, but less transparent solutions. there are government organizations that are tasked with consumer protection and education. we’ve recently witnessed the first lady reinventing the food pyramid into a dinner plate in an effort to make portions and exercise integral elements. another tool that the government has enacted is the nutrition label. this uniform vehicle of information about the food being consumed was a product of the nutrition labeling and education act in 1990, and the label hasn’t changed much since. the good blog recently asked how this label could be better designed to help people better decisions. there is a plethora of submissions – some better than others – but what do you think? is this a tool that will actually affect how consumers evaluate food acceptability and change their purchasing? which labels do you feel best raise the bar in information communication?

* i before e except after c"

infographics are a formidable communication tool as we have previously noted. they have been employed everywhere, from the white house to corporate annual reports. and one of the pre-eminent creators of infographics is nicholas feltron. we have also featured the website kickstarter which helps indie-creative projects find funding. they have now teamed up to help make kickstarter more visually informative and accessible.

in the past i have noted my adoration for illustrator/type designer extraordinaire, jessica hische and my affinity for well designed book covers. the only thing that could make either of these better?… if miss hische designed book covers, of course. well, the design gods have listened and behold: barnes and nobel’s box set of hardbound classic books designed by jessica hische.

and, if you would an additional mecca of book cover design try spine out.