The game is simple: Look at these pictures decide if the image was digitally altered or untouched. I scored a 67 on my first try. Not sure if that’s good or not. How’d you do?

Play: http://overheadproductions.net/RealorShopped/

I just stumbled onto this post at Vandelay Design about pricing your services. The go into some detail of each but I shan’t duplicate it here. You’ll have to visit their site and read it on your own.

1. There’s no exact formula.
2. Both hourly pricing and project-based pricing have pros and cons.
3. Pricing is a necessary part of freelancing.
4. Mistakes are a part of the process.
5. Your prices will affect your own outlook on your services and it will also impact your client’s opinion of your services.
6. Uncertainty is Common.
7. The variety of prices is as wide as the variety of talent levels.
8. Losing a job isn’t always a bad thing.
9. Pricing can be a good way to weed out the tire kickers.
10. Some potential clients will think your prices are high no matter what you charge.
11. Charging more than you quoted may be necessary.
12. Starting out you’ll probably have to charge less than you’d like.

Source: T12 Realities of Pricing Design Services

Lois Knight over at Freelance Folder has a neat post about the creative process. I suggest you swing by and read it.

For better or worse, these instantaneous thoughts that fall onto the nearest scrap of paper can be the start of something great.

Read: Freelance Folder

As many of you know, I’m really into alternative fuels. Electric cars, electric motorcycles, and the like. I’ve been asked to participate (show my bikes) in the 2009 National Alternative Fuels Training Consortium at Kalamazoo Valley Community College.

I have some ideas of how I want this years display to look but I don’t have much time. So, I’m looking for someone who’d like to volunteer helping me put together flyers and posters. I’m afraid I spent my budget on advertising the website (damn you Google!) so there’s no money here but we might be able to squeeze a dinner for you out of my accountant.

Six Revisions has a post listing 30 Photoshop text effect tutorials. Some of them look pretty trick.

Source: Six Revisions.

Once of my favorite blogs, Speckyboy, has a list of six downloadable typography magazines. Four of which are FREE!

1. Four Minutes to Midnight (Free)
2. Cadernos de Tipografia de 2008 (Free)
3. The Font Magazine (Free)
4. Baseline Magazine (£13 or $26)
5. Better Web Typography – .net magazine (Free)
6. TYPO Magazine (30eur – 50eur)

Source: Speckyboy

I like this post from WebAppers. In it, they list what they think are the top places to find freelance work. I’ll take their word at it and forward the list on to you:

FreelanceSwitch Job Board

Authentic Jobs

Smashing jobs

FreshWebJobs

Elance

Krop