Link roundup, March 2012

Here are four lessons in networking from someone who was lucky enough to go to this year’s TED conference. But in truth, these apply to going to any conference.:

1. Perfect your introduction.
2. Have a purpose.
3. Listen.
4. Connect with people who aren’t aligned with your goals.

You should read the whole thing.

Jim Campbell advocates for simplicty in design. He’s talking about logos, but this is true for posters, too:

No amount of icing and sprinkles will disguise the fact that your cake isn't properly cooked; pretty much the same principle with logos.

You think you have pressure when you make a poster? Check out this article on Fergus Wessel, who makes stuff written in stone. Literally. I was amazed by this:

How do you achieve good letter spacing? Do you use a ruler?

By eye, I never use a ruler! With a ruler one is limited to set measurements and sometimes a letter needs to be moved “by a nothing.” I judge good letter-spacing by visualizing an equal volume between letters. This skill is achieved by having the patience to start drawing out an inscription all over again if it doesn’t look perfect. We call this “killing one’s darlings” and it takes a lot of self discipline.