Computer Arts issue 150

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Computer Arts has been in the game for 13 years and I’m proud to say we’re still going strong. Of course when the magazine was first set up, nobody knew whether or not it would work. It turns out that the risk taken by the men and women behind it in those early days was well worth it.

Taking a risk is what being on the edge of design is all about. This issue, one of our themes centres on one of the biggest risks of all – going it alone. For everyone who’s frustrated with working for the Man, for everyone who has more to offer, and for everyone who’s tired of numbskull management, we’re looking into how to set up your own studio.

First of all, in our industry Round Table we’ve gathered together five creatives who’ve started their own design studios. We’ve quizzed them on what it takes to not just get started in design, but also how to stay in business. Then we talk to Small, a studio that was set up by David Hitner and Guy Marshall because they were tired of the meetings, admin and loss of inspiration that are endemic in large agencies. Finally, our regular columnist Jason Arber, himself part of the independent start-up Wyld Stallyons, gives his advice on the whole idea of going your own way.

Still on the theme of independent thinking, also take a look at our feature on design in China. Though they’ve had little exposure here in the West, we’ve sought out some of the best creatives who are bringing Chinese work to international audiences. They too are taking risks and starting new things.

Garrick Webster
Editor, Computer Arts 

IN THE MAG

Start your own studio

Jason Arber speaks
The co-founder of Wyld Stallyons on getting started

Small profiled
They set up in opposition to the big boys

Round Table
Five studio founders discuss the challenges of going it alone

Output

D&AD Black Pencils
Find out who won

Semi-Permanent
The huge design festival

Research Studios
Redesigning a Polish paper

Features

Vince Frost
The great designer interviewed

Michael Bierut
Names his Design Classic

Tom Baker
The hot animator profiled

China inspired
Exclusive interviews with China’s best

Technique

Textured illustrations
Amazing Photoshop skills

Object Effects
Use Photoshop-style effects in InDesign CS3

Inspiration Workshop
Gus López Mañas brings tattoos to life

Detect web plug-ins
Make sure visitors see your site correctly

Creative inputs
New ways of using Flash

Visualisation in 3D
SketchUp makes it easy

Brief Encounter
How Conor Breen created our CD sting

Textures and vectors
Derek Lea combines Illustrator and Photoshop

Need to Know

Audio for designers
How to improve your rich-media projects

Illustrator plug-ins
The best you can get

Online type
Ten strategies for success

PLUS

Graduate Showcase 2008
This month sees our annual celebration of the year’s best graduate work, and this year we’ve gone a step further and included graduates from all over the world in our 48-page Graduate Showcase supplement. If you want to know who the design stars of the future are going to be, look no further.