about:pixels

The creative team at Mozilla handles a wide range of visual design, writing and video projects, and there are always plenty of ways for interested community members out there to get involved. Today, we have a couple of opportunities in particular that would be perfect for any skilled visual designers looking to contribute:

Reddit Graphics
If you’re a Redditor, this is the project for you. We’re looking for someone who can liven up /r/Mozilla and /r/Firefox with the proper visual themes. Details are available in bug 937325, and once you’re signed on for the project we can discuss further.

Mozilla Web Compatibility Visuals
The Mozilla Web Compatibility team works toward the goal of making sure people can use the Web regardless of the particular device or browser they’re using. That effort is very closely connected to the Mozilla mission, of course, and they need help with a design for a t-shirt, website and Twitter account visuals. This project is bigger than the Reddit one, but there’s a tremendous opportunity to make an impact if you’re interested.

How to Get Involved
If either of these sound appealing to you, please email us at creative@mozilla.com with details about yourself and which one you’d like to help with. Be sure to include a portfolio or links to other work you’ve done. We’re looking forward to hearing from you!

Update November 19:
Thanks to everyone who’s contacted us or shown an interest so far. We’ll be holding this one open until Friday, November 22, but if you don’t get in touch in time don’t worry…there will be other opportunities for sure!

(crossposted from our QA blog)

40 community-contributed designs. 5 visual designers. 21 days of community-driven voting. 150 votes. 1 community favorite badge design.

The votes are in and Mozilla’s Quality Assurance (QA) team is happy to declare the General QA Participation Badge chosen by the community. We’re also happy to have two of the visual designers share their experience with us.

General QA Participation Badge

The design chosen overwhelmingly by our community was Ivana Catovic’s. Some of our community members further endorsed their choice by leaving positive comments on SurveyMonkey like “It shows the QA clearly and very good design.” and “clear and easy to understand :-)”.

Ivana Catovic

Graphic designer Ivana Catovic hails from Rijeka, Croatia, but currently lives in London where she is working on her personal project, BeLove. She loves travelling, reading, drawing, dancing, watching films, drinking tea and spending time with interesting people.

Question: How did you hear about Mozilla and its call for General QA Participation Badge Design submissions?
Ivana: I have always used Mozilla Firefox as a browser, but I found out about the submissions through a friend who is an employee of Mozilla.

Question: What was your thought process behind the design that you created?
Ivana: After analysing the brief and getting familiar with badges that were already in use, I set up my design direction. General QA Participation Badge had to differentiate from all other badge groups and allow further development of an entire set of more specific QA badges. At the same time it had to preserve the general style of already developed visual system for other Mozilla-related badges. Therefore, I have introduced a new representative colour (green) and a new typographic solution for the badge, while keeping its characteristic shape and style. I wanted the overall design to stay clean and simple as well as legible at small sizes. Green colour and its shades can be easily applied to more specific badges that are yet to come. I also think that the colour itself perfectly matches QA mission.

Question: Have you contributed to any other Mozilla projects in any other way?
Ivana: Yes, I was invited to create a custom Mozilla UK T-shirt last year. Dave Hunt, an automation engineer who works for the automation and tools team, always thought it would be great to have a specific T-shirt design for the UK and after he had seen one of my designs, he proposed a collaboration. I found the project incredibly interesting and I made an illustration representing a gentleman Fox in a typical British situation – floating on a puddle in his bowler hat, enjoying a cup of tea.

Question: How did you get involved in this kind of work? What’s your background?
Ivana: Although I studied fashion, I was always attracted to graphic design. At the end of my studies I had the opportunity to spend a year in Lisbon doing a graphic design course and I jumped at the chance. I enjoyed it so much that I have decided to change the direction of my professional life. I have been working as a graphic designer ever since. My love for textiles is still present though, and I’m expressing it through my personal project BeLove. Every now and then I create a series of handmade gifts. The latest are Tea cosies and you are welcome to check them out at www.facebook.com/be.love.be. (Coffee cosies coming up soon!)

Question: What is your favorite type of design to work on?
Ivana: I mostly enjoy working on projects that include lettering or illustration. I love creating visual identities and packaging design.

Question: What serves as your design inspiration?
Ivana: Random little wonders of everyday life.

Question: What do you consider your proudest design moment?
Ivana: I don’t really think there is a specific moment that I would like to point out. I always feel fulfilled after finding the right solution for every single project I develop and I am always looking forward to new challenges.

Question: What advice would you give to someone who is new and interested in visual design?
Ivana: Work hard and pursue your dreams.

Glenn “Buzz” Parsons

Buzz is a California-based graphic designer and illustrator. He loves collecting vinyl records of movie soundtracks.

Question: How did you hear about Mozilla and its call for General QA Participation Badge Design submissions?
Buzz: I follow Mozilla’s Creative Team on Twitter and one of the tweets mentioned it.

Question: Have you contributed to any other Mozilla projects in any other way?
Buzz: I have not but being a long time user of the software, I felt it was time to contribute.

Question: What was your thought process behind the designs you created?

Buzz: Mostly I was thinking in terms of something simple, that would read at a small size, and still be bold and have impact. Also designs that suggested examination and oversight. The blue color seemed to suggest a winning ribbon or show prize, to symbolize the hard work that all the volunteers put into their work for Mozilla. The QA folks deserve a first-place ribbon.

Question: How did you get involved in this kind of work? What’s your background?
Buzz: I have been a designer for over twenty years, with logos and lettering as a side specialty. My beginnings were around the music industry, that lead to many other parts of the design and advertising business.

Question: what is your favorite type of design to work on?
Buzz: Lettering design and logos for different businesses and clients is my favorite mostly because it’s a confined component piece that fits into a larger puzzle or concept. I get to focus on my small area that can have a large impact. When you’re overseeing a general design, like a brochure or book cover, there are many elements to organize visually. Logos are just very focused and distilled; it makes them special to work on.

Question: What serves as your design inspiration?
Buzz: Everything and nothing.

Question: What do you consider your proudest design moment?
Buzz: The next job.

Question: What advice would you give to someone who is new and interested in visual design?
Buzz: Know your design history and the people who made it, like Eero Saarinen who designed the TWA Terminal at JFK. It’s important to look around all the time.