This guy. I can’t imagine how many times he’s been approached by people asking him to Cinderella them into designers... but he graciously, patiently, agreed to mentor me--even when I wasn’t sure he actually liked me much as a person.

That’s the thing about Jeff. I don’t think he’d be able to say no to someone sincerely asking for help. I’ve learned as much about being kind (and generous with time) from him as I’ve learned about design and typography.

Jeff taught me that software skills could be taught, same as technique and style, but that the real thing that differentiates a designer is thinking like one -- creative problem solving.

Jeff has an exercise he went through when we toured middle schools on their career days (three years in a row) to explain the difference between Fine Art and Graphic Design. (He doesn’t take credit for it, says he saw it in a magazine -- another lesson, always do your best to place credit where it’s due.)

The exercise goes something like this...

Jeff shows three abstract paintings:

(Jean Míro)

(Piet Mondrian)

(Jane Davies)

He points to the paintings, one at a time, and asks for a show of hands -- which one do you like best? Usually, the class is divided three ways, pretty equally.

Then he asks them to imagine that he’s an airline -- that this painting represents the experience you will have flying with him... NOW which painting do you like best?

With few outliers, the kids’ hands shoot up for the Mondrian.

They know that when it comes to flying, the most important thing is to be safe, reliable, and on-time, and they intuitively understand which painting most effectively relates those qualities.

What a great way to differentiate an abstract concept to kids.

This guy... this Jeff Barlow guy. Seek him out at the School of Visual Concepts or on his site Jelvetica