design

More Than Rainbows: The Story of the Pride Flag

When you spot a rainbow flag when you’re out and about (pun very much intended), you might safely assume you’re in the midst of LGBTQ community. However, have you stopped to consider how the rainbow became the ubiquitous symbol for pride? A self-described “geeky kid from Kansas,” Gilbert Baker made his way to San Francisco …

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The Story Behind The Rebrand

If you’ve been following Upswept Creative for some time, you’ve likely noticed things look a bit different these days. Don’t fret – our purpose and mission haven’t changed; just our brand identity! Let’s be real, though: it’s not just a brand identity. It’s a first impression, an aesthetic, a mood, a visual representation of what …

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DWP: Good Design Solves Problems

On April 28th, Upswept Creative hosted a panel discussion at HQ as part of Design Week Portland. What started as a fun idea tossed to the group in one of our team meetings very quickly evolved into a fully realized, (and totally booked!) event. Creative Director and Benevolent Overlord Sarah had been thinking a lot …

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What’s in a logo?

A logo is a key brand element for any company. Whether a new startup venture, or a well-established company, getting your logo design (or redesign!) nailed down feels good, and can help re-energize your company going into the new year. Approaching logo design can be a real challenge. A good logo design will fit the …

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Open Source Bridge Day 2: You Are Not Your User

Day Two of Open Source Bridge encouraged us to look beyond our own experience, and try to see the world through a different lens. Not only does it help us be more compassionate as people, but it also helps us create and code better design and user experiences for everyone we want to reach. Algorithms …

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Open Source Bridge Day 1: Everyone In Tech Matters

We’re spending a big part of our week at Open Source Bridge, both taking in wisdom and taking photos! On Day 1, I spent a lot of time wishing that I could be in multiple places at once, but I did make it to a couple of different talks which drove home the message that tech needs to strive to …

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WebVisions PDX: Design is about People

I got to drop in on the WebVisions Portland conference earlier this month with a longtime collaborator, Jen Barth of Big Small Brands. The conference was a multi-day affair, but even a one-day peek felt like time well spent! The two talks I attended on Friday morning weren’t especially similar, but they had one very important thing in common: they …

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