Best Ways To Outsource Graphic Design Work

Many online businesses don’t have the time or skills necessary to do their own graphic design work, so they naturally want to learn the best ways to outsource these jobs. You may be wondering, however, exactly how to approach the whole issue of outsourcing graphic design so you get the best possible results. In this article we’ll be discussing strategies to help you get the best outcome when you hire freelancers. How quickly and easily you are able to adapt to fluid business environments will work for or against you. If you are familiar with Brad Callen and have been around the world of business on the net, then you should have a solid idea of what we are talking about. Once you get to a point where your business is in the black, then you will be in a position to hire contracted help – something that can have a dramatic affect on your business.
There is no reason why you should hastily dismiss anything of possible value to your business. While outsourcing can work very well, you can encounter some challenges if you do not know what you are doing in the first place. When you take this approach of planning and executing with good information, then that will help you to eliminate the possibility of some mistakes.
Be Clear About Copyrights: You have to be aware of copyright matters when you hire anyone for graphic design tasks. This is something that can cause you trouble later on if you’re not clear about it up front. You should always ensure that the copyright/all rights to use the designed graphics are granted to you, upon the payment, without any exceptions. If you choose to go with a freelance marketplace such as Elance.com, you’ll find that they have a pre-existing contract in place that takes care of this. In cases where you’re simply hiring an individual or service without using such a site, you have to make sure that they agree to your terms. You may be hiring people from anywhere in the world, and not all countries have the same laws on these matters, so make sure you agree to this in writing.
Study their Profile: If you want to get the correct person for the job, it is necessary for you to look at their profile to make sure that they are acceptable.
Do you think they are right to do the work that you’re looking to get done? Do they present well as a graphic designer? Is the quality up to what you’re expecting? Does their standard and style make you feel comfortable enough to work with them? It is essential that you can answer these questions before you outsource your work because it will guide you when making your selection of a graphic designer. Besides, it is your investment and you do not want to see it go down the drain by getting the wrong person. We are confident many would like to take advantage of the full power of SEO Link Monster in their internet business; but you have to be careful and avoid proceeding with limited knowledge in your campaigns. The knowledgeable person can easily take things for granted, but people with limited experience will often struggle. While it is obvious you have to learn how to do certain things, what can cause problems is proceeding without a solid base of information. We make every effort to cover as much as we can when we produce our articles, but just remember you will be receiving an incomplete set of guidelines. There are evergreen areas of marketing and advertising that are specific to the internet, but innovation is always a possibility that you should explore whenever the spirit strikes you.
Showing Formats and Fonts: How do you want your graphics to be shown? Do you want them in PNG, JPEG, GIF, PSD or any other format? Do not forget that different formats will display in another way. If you are having a hard time making a decision, then talk to your designer and ask for her help. Remember that if you own high quality graphics such as vector, then it is recommended that you get Adobe Illustrator files. This is so that you will have the room to make changes later. If your outsourced graphics have text, you should request that the designer supply you with the fonts. This is so that you will have the opportunity to edit as time goes by, if necessary. These things may look trivial but they do matter in the long run. All in all, this article makes it be known that outsourcing the graphic design for your website is much easier than you might think. If you do the right things and make sure that you work hand in hand with your designer, you will see good results and know that you made a good investment. The volume of information on the net related to doing business is simply staggering, and we understand if you feel like that at times. Since these articles are short, and really meant to provide introductory information about spin articles, it is well-advised that you learn more. Sometimes we have enough room in an article so a person can begin right away, but usually it is best to dig deeper because of the scope of the particular strategy.
However, having said that we must caution you about getting too comfortable with only doing one thing which is remaining in the learning phase.
Yes, if this applies to you, then you just have to make the decision that you will put the books down and then make a plan and execute it. Just do not forget that you will never make a thin dime without positive action on your goals and business plan.

Creativity through a degree in Graphic Design Award

Graphic Design and style spreads its students in animation and graphics globe, the trend is increasing for advertising and marketing by advertising. It includes the participation of the inventive capability of students in web style, 3D modeler, animator, computer game style, visual results artist or illustrator. As the need to have to screen new communication tips that will keep demand for the degree stealth. For these with dexterity on the net style method is, of program, is actually a thorough system referred to as the appropriate training in the acquisition of knowledge, evaluation and application in the market global marketing. The degree teaches basics in layout to the formation of multi-tasking capabilities, the ad is at the front to obtain competitive planet. They have in depth applications, instruction in the style of graphics, drawing, color theory, net style, illustration, layout approach, visual effects and bases, Quark Express, Photoshop, Illustrator, and interactive design and style tools. With your hands on a lot of expanding up to be eligible for multitasking. The Organization establishes particular guidelines to offer candidates who qualify for a particular task profile. Diploma in Graphic Layout trains students so they sought to place the group as the prunes in a difficult marketplace region. They prove to be sent to the graphics processing, color management, proofing, strategies, drawing, photography, drawings, laptop or computer, computer, animations, presentations, advertising, web site design, and usually with all degrees social and organizational expertise. The age-outdated phenomenon with a degree in graphic design is not a lot a lot more than a sit for an animation buff computer tiny circumscribed or paper with a few words and drawings has lengthy been lost. Organizations now see the critical function they play designer. This is because a want for imaginative outburst is rapidly improved with the railway, which is element of the globe of everyday life. Some selective alternative, the diploma are provided:
Art Director 1: – Newspapers, magazines, television channels, SEM agencies, advertising agencies, they all have the same roof for this course. Want to see the creation of Flash sites, designing icons lucrative public, entertainment, enjoyable, and numerous far more, with adeptness for graphics. They can even pre-press technicians, errors in typing errors, graphics, logos, and other information will be published in magazines.2 check. The designers of identity: – Firms are investing heavily in brand identification. This is because it is imaginative perspectives on the name brand, which has the reputation of the firm. It is once again the location to designers.three. Flash Designers: This is the hot cake in the market. Flash models by designers use animations that are utilized by businesses to get a hefty sum to promote their web sites, logos, marketing, advertising and marketing with other approaches.4. Site Design: This is but yet another profession alternative. Specialist Programming Style Internet can rule the world through the World wide web of Century 21 is fairly the globe of Internet rage. A lot much more beautiful to the internet page will be much of human trafficking. It is the source of income for the designer. With so a lot of prospects are, the diploma of graphic layout is not considerably of a profession in doubt.

Enhance Your Art Abilities thru Online Graphic Design Degree

Art makes the world go round. Through illustrations and graphics, thoughts are simply presented. Graphics gives everybody unique visual experiences and an easier way to communicate with one another. Because of this, more and more folks need to master the ability of making graphics. If you are busy but have the zeal for art or want to find the most straightforward way to get a degree in the field then it’s about time you took some time and considered the advantages of getting an online graphic design degree. Yes, you read it right. You can look at the craft right in the pleasure of your home.
Why enrol and get online graphical design degrees? The answer's very simple. The big requirement for graphics designers has laid the groundwork for well paid roles for graphic artists. Thanks to the high pay, competition is also becoming tighter. As an artist, you need to improve your skills to induce more folks and survive the competitive sector of graphic design. An online graphic design degree would surely help you rise above the rest. Getting an online graphic design degree is also ideal for ambitious artists who wish to stay at home. Although you are working, you can enjoy the luxury of choosing your own schedule without the necessity to be within the school grounds. All that you need is a P. C. with a stable net connection.
But be careful. There are plenty of fake online graphic design degree internet sites as well. Don’t trust so simply. Do a background check of the online college you want to enrol in and make sure it is accredited by legitimate educational institutions. The web is chock-full of scammers and con men, so it's far better to be cautious. Get information from a professional graphical design artist about the bestonline art & design coursesthey can recommend. After that, remember to consider your options and consider important factors like needs, teaching style, course content, program length, student-teacher interaction and the schooling charge. After selecting the right school for you, it's possible to get you online graphic design degree by choosing the proper programme for your requirements. There are a lot of options to choose between.
Examples would be a degree on Associate of Science in Graphic designing, degree in Bachelor of Science in Design and many more. You can also get short courses but if you're aiming at high-level skill, there is also an online graphic design degree for PHD degrees. There also are specializations you could choose from. You can pick between copywriting, marketing, computer graphics, typography and advertising design.
Now that you know what sort of online graphic design degree you want, you must also consider that the course length varies, so be sure you weigh in all of the factors before enrolling and paying your teaching charge. Test your schedules and availability.
Hence what are you waiting for? With the wide array of jobs waiting for you after you get your internet graphic designing degree, you can certainly say that you invested your cash on the right thing. You may be a layout artist, a contract graphics designer, advertising designer or even a copywriter. Obviously, your options are really vast. Electrify your future clients by getting an online graphic design degree and you are going to reap the fruits of what you have invested.
Have you ever considered online study ?At online education courses we like online study and the opportunities it brings. An Online design degree opens the door to several different fields of specialization.

How To Create a Retro Badge/Emblem Style Logo

The retro style badge/emblem of logos is a hot trend at the moment, and it’s no surprise why – They’re super cool! We’ve already looked at a showcase of retro and vintage style logos based on circular motifs, now let’s build our own. We’ll put the basic structure together in Illustrator, then give it that aged vintage appearance with some finishing touches in Photoshop.


The logo we’ll be creating is for the totally fictional Powerhouse Gym (although I wouldn’t be surprised if there was a gym somewhere with this name!). It combines many of the typical traits of this retro/vintage theme with alternating rings of black and white as well as fine details such as the stars and dots. The text and tagline follow the circumference of the circle while the icon sits bang in the centre and gives visual feedback as to what the logo is promoting.

View the retro/vintage logo design

Be sure to check out the showcase of retro badge/emblem logos, then when you have plenty of ideas open up Adobe Illustrator and create a large circle. Copy (CMD+C) and Paste in Front (CMD+F) a duplicate, scale it down slightly while holding ALT and Shift, then switch the fill for a white stroke.

Press CMD+F to paste in another duplicate, scale down and change the fill to white. Paste in another, scale it down a little further to give the impression of a thick ring.

Paste a couple more circles and scale them appropriately to add a couple of thin strokes on the inside and outside of the white ring.

Position another circle exactly in the centre of the white ring, then adjust the stroke settings to 4pt Weight, Round Cap, Bevel Join, Dashed Line, 0pt Dash and 17pt Gap. For the gap setting in particular, use the cursor keys to nudge the number up and down until the circles are spaced evenly.

Elsewhere on the artboard, draw a series of weight plates with the rounded rectangle tool. Scale and position each larger plate with the same distance between them.

Use the rectangle tool to add a handle, then copy, paste and rotate the series of plates to finish off a simple dumbbell icon.

Switch the fill of all the shapes that make up the dumbbell to white, group them together and position the graphic in the centre of the logo.

Copy and paste one of the circles from the logo and clear out the fill and stroke. In the Text tool menu select the Type on Path option and click on the circle.

Enter the words Powerhouse Gym then select an appropriate font. Slab-Serif fonts typically have a strong and masculine feel, so I’ve picked out Boton for use in this logo.

Instead of adjusting the tracking of the letters, go to Type > Type on a Path > Type on a Path Options and adjust the spacing here. This setting will generate more even gaps where the tracking would bunch letters together as they flow around the curve.

Use the Direct Selection Tool to carefully adjust the little handle to centre up the text. Use a guide to make sure the wording starts and ends at the same angle.

Copy and Paste the circular text shape and replace the wording with the tagline ‘Reach your potential’. Use the little handle to adjust the text to sit on the outside of the circle and towards the bottom of the logo.

In the Type on a Path settings, adjust the Align to Path option to Ascender, then make another subtle tweaks to the size to make sure the text fits perfectly to the centre of the black ring.

A couple of stars finish off the text by separating the two sets of words. Scale and position one into place, copy and paste in front a duplicate and move this duplicate horizontally while holding Shift.

The vector version of our logo is complete. Illustrator’s tools made it easy to create the overall structure while keeping everything scalable and editable.

Let’s finish off the logo with some cool textures in Photoshop. We could import a texture, live trace and punch out some distressed marks with the Pathfinder, but you just don’t get the same effect as real textures in Photoshop.

Paste in the logo from Illustrator into a temporary Photoshop document and scale into place.

Use the super handy Subtle Grunge brushes from WeFunction to add grungy spots of white on a layer above the logo.

CMD+Click the logo layer’s thumbnail, press CMD+Shift+I to invert the selection and delete out the excess.

Tune the grungy effect by adjusting the opacity of the layer. This simple touch gives the logo that old, worn and distressed appearance of a genuine badge, sticker or emblem.

Concept Of Design

it is the design of Forest dragon it is really best concept of design 

Design Deviant Art

Graphic design proposal up for review

Associate Professor of Media Arts Mike Geraci submitted a proposal for a major in graphic design.
“I’ve gotten positive feedback from Dean John Hayes,” said Geraci.
Things are still in the early stages and Geraci is waiting to hear more from the university, but if the major is allowed to move forward, the department will to form a committee to ensure the curriculum adequately prepares students. Then it will to go through a curriculum committee to gain further approval.
The proposed curriculum would combine existing art and media art courses with several new ones. Some of the existing courses that would be required are art history, digital imaging, web design and introduction to photography. Also included are two revised courses in publication and identity design.
New to the curriculum would be an introductory course on visual communications, project management and professional practices, portfolio design and self-promotion and a specific senior capstone class. Other new courses include color theory and typographic design, which deal with how to communicate with colors and words, and a sustainable design course, which teaches how to limit waste as a designer.
According to the proposal written by Geraci, the graphic design curriculum has three primary goals:
1) An appreciation and understanding of historical, creative and social contexts of the arts,
2) Technical proficiency beyond specific toolsets but in strategic thinking, ideation and graphical production and
3) Preparation for careers after college and professional growth into the future.
Geraci estimated the new major would cost the university more than $100,000. Pacific would need a graphic design classroom, a few new computers, cameras, scanners and even a few iPads. The university would also need to hire one full-time professor to teach the new courses.
There is a growing interest in graphic design; including this major should draw the interest of students that normally would not consider Pacific. Geraci said, “No other school in Pacific’s conference offers a graphic design major.” By offering the major, Pacific would provide a niche for students interesting in graphic design. The art and media arts departments would benefit by having more students fill those classes.
Geraci estimated if Pacific recruits roughly five new students to enroll and major in graphic design, the investment could pay off in three years.

Graphic Design Forum Reaches 5000 Members – Come Join In!!

Roughly a year ago on 29th September 2010, Graphic Design Blog launched its very own Graphic Design Forum. In this brief yet adventurous time, our forum has achieved a milestone of 5000 active members. This signifies the level of usefulness and entertainment that we provide to our readers and members on the forum. Our 5000 members include professionals like graphic designers, web designers, logo designers and other graphic design fanatics and fun lovers. Sighting the immense response from our esteemed visitors, we decided to launch a new “Infographics section”, where you can learn how to make interesting infographics by watching, reviewing and submitting your own creations.

• Interesting Discussions:

We have a lot of healthy discussions going on at Graphic Design Forum that you would enjoy participating in. The most recent topic on Steve Jobs (Late) will let you know amazing and unknown facts about this Apple mastermind. Although I did an obituary post on Steve Jobs revealing some unknown facts and pictures, but I have been learning even more through contributions of members on Graphic Design Forum.

Here, for my readers, who are really inspired by Steve Jobs and his amazing achievements, should check this quick video on YouTube channel of Graphic Design Blog. I created it to display the not-much-seen aspects of Steves life.

• Useful Tips and Tricks:

Over at the learning sections, you will greatly benefit from all the tips and tricks submitted on the forum. If you have some questions about graphic design, then you can find the answers on our forum. There are a lot of popular tutorial in our Tutorial section that will help you in your graphic designing.

Graphic Design Companies Supply High quality Final results

In our globally related, higher velocity world, huge and little companies alike rely on business image as component of effective advertising. Technology delivers firms a variety of ways to get the brand name and communication to the client.
Big companies, however, have the benefit of becoming more substantial and getting entry to more funds for marketing assignments. For tiny organizations, a lot of occasions it falls to the owners to do the career on their own.
Do-it-yourself employment have sure positive aspects, supplying the operator a lot more management of the projects route and spending budget, but they are also time consuming. For hectic owners, the added function of creating a firm picture can be tense. Of program, that is why graphic design corporations are so popular.
When you contract with a graphic design and style group, you spend them to do the concerned work of developing your company picture. You give them your ideas and they generate a visual campaign to match your requirements.
The firm handles all of the information, from deciding on an appropriate color scheme to laying out a presentation that conveys your message in an attractive way. If you are centered on working your company, all individuals points can be tiring. Additionally, graphic layout corporations are skilled serving the requirements of their consumers.
Constructing your business picture contains producing browsing cards, a site, stationary, and other advertising products. Do you have the time for that leg function when you have a business to run? Most would response no. Of class, which is 1 of the significant reasons that any organization, significant or tiny, hires a graphic style firm.
In our extremely visual world, visibility can help or hinder good results. Graphic style corporations provide their clientele a wealth of specific expertise. They can rapidly establish what fits your requirements. In addition, they have the profit of their individual past successes and failures. Turning that to your edge is surely a savvy company move.
Assume of hiring a graphic design and style agency as delegation. Most proprietors have sufficient on the agenda to preserve them active 20-4 hours a day. Handing off your marketing and advertising concepts to a organization focused to that sort of manufacturing alleviates some stress on you. It can be a win your tips are regarded as and presented in a way that reveals your companys best facets.
As the stating goes, “time is income.” If you decide to function with a graphic style agency, remember that you get what you spend for. You perform hard for your money and throwing away it could harm your business as effectively as your livelihood. Check out the organization you happen to be thinking about and do not basically emphasis on cost. How significantly income have you genuinely saved if the finished venture isnt what you want?
Also, retain in thoughts that these graphic design and style corporations concentrate on extended-term associations. They want you to be as pleased with their function as your buyers are with yours. For you, that implies the business you pick really should have a vested interest in bringing you the outcomes you inquire for.
Even though do-it-your self advertising and marketing tasks are value effective, they arent constantly time efficient. If you locate by yourself in this predicament, and firm picture is crucial to your good results, think about a graphic design agency to assist you meet your advertising demands.

10 Benefits of Good Graphic Design

Every single company, from the small business owner in his street-side stall to the largest multi-national conglomerate, takes plenty of pain to create a brand they believe in. This brand becomes the reason for their existence and also the reason why they spend sleepless nights thinking about ways to make it better. When you spare no expense to make your product/service as customer-oriented as possible, then why shy away from using quality design?

The fact is, good design can mean the difference between a flourishing business and a shut-up shop. Here’s ten reasons why you need to pay attention to the effort and quality going into your designs!

a)     Grabs Attention: A well-designed shoe or computer will not only grab attention because of its features, but also because of its looks. In a shoe store, the first thing that determines whether a person will try a shoe or not is its design. If it looks ugly, it will stay on the shelf unless the customer has come in, specifically, with that model or price-range in mind. So make sure your products look good to grab the eye of your potential customers. This is also what makes them stand out against the run-of-the-mill competition.

b)    Creates Recall: When you buy anything, like hair shampoo, you might think that it is the product inside the bottle that matters. Fact is, the product matters only once the customer has bought the bottle and tried it on. To get them to pick your product, your packaging (in this case the bottle), needs to make them want to pick it. There are thousands of products lined up on store-shelves and if you don’t take the effort to create an experience from the moment someone receives a box to the time they start using the product, they won’t have anything to remember you by.

c)     Builds your Image: British Petroleum created a surge by changing their logo colours to Green and Yellow. While their logo remained the same, the message was simple – “We care about the environment.” Whether the company goes on to do something about it or not is something different. The fact is, in the eyes of the target audience, this shift in design leads to a shift in perception.

d)    Increases Sales: As people start looking at your company and brand differently, they start appreciating it more. If two companies create the same quality of product (equal in every aspect), it is a guarantee that almost every single customer will pick the one they remember the most. Design helps them remember and, therefore, the next time they go to a store, they will pick out what they remember. Make your brand more memorable with some innovative thinking that touches your customers and watch them line-up outside.

e)     Improves Market Standings: This is a direct off-shoot from a rise in sales figures. If you start selling more products, chances are that you are outshining your competition. That means, you are toppling them in the popularity charts as well as in the charts that matter the most – the financial charts.

f)     A Strategic Investment: As the world is being driven by more visual content, standing out in the crowd is getting harder. Using good design to create your own space, before anything covers your presence, is a great way to set things up for the future.

g)    Creates Goodwill: As companies are struggling to compete in the battle of price, recession and severely damaged economies, the ones that will survive are the brands that are trusted by customers. When you create a design, be it for a product, an advertisement or just a hoarding on the street, and connect with the customer, that is what they are looking for. Everyone wants to know that you are thinking about them and nothing says that better than meaningful design.

h)    Improves Staff Loyalty: Designing a brand isn’t just about getting customers and increasing sales. It is also about taking care of the people on the inside. When these people sit at their workstations or desks and start their day, they need to have your best interests in their mind. From office interiors to memos to the environment that you create, everything needs to be designed with their welfare in mind. Keep them happy and you’ll guarantee a successful organization that is run by the people – happy people, i.e.

i)      Reduce Time to Market: Are you forced to stay fresh in people’s mind with new launches? Are you afraid of slipping out of their sights as they go, everyday, to spend their money? Changing the brand image of your company or simply creating fresh design can stop that enforced product launch. An absolutely brand new product package can change the way people have been looking at the same old thing. No one will care that what is inside is what they have been using all along. What they care about is that there is something new about the product they love. Keep them interested and they’ll keep coming back for more of the same. So you can spend your time in developing something better for the next launch.

j)      Create a Better World: We live in a world where quality is an idea that is preached more than it is practiced. By creating a better product, you’ve already breached through the barriers of being average, and moved into the superlatives. Now comes the time when you need to carry that image through all other aspects of your business. By creating good designs, you emphasise on a better planet through fresh designs and thoughts. Your ideas will be the starting point for many others, and the cycle will continue with you at the forefront.

Whether you are looking at making a difference or simply making a profit, you need to realise that running a business is a long-term commitment. If you’ve taken the leap on all other fronts, then you’d better start looking at design as an investment for the future. After all, who doesn’t like to believe in love at first sight?

Mariner Resorts, The Bahamas – Logo Design

We were hired to be the logo designer for Mariner Resorts, a resort management and marketing company dedicated to waterfront destination properties in the Bahamas.  They are looking to offer their brand to existing properties who need a more efficient way of operating and bringing guests to their properties.

Mariner Resorts also incorporate a service program and on-line branding for each property, the destinations are considered high end and guests expect a high standard of quality and service this had to be reflected in the logo.

The Value of Education in Design

I’m all for determined do-it-yourself careers. There is something almost awe inspiring about strapping on your boots and thrusting yourself into a competitive career with only your experiences and the world as your teacher. It really takes courage to take a passion and simply say, “I am going to do this for a living.”

We have software! Who needs skills?

Unfortunately, far too many aspiring designers get caught up in the dreamy ideals of do-it-yourself career building and try to throw themselves into the design world. They spend thousands of dollars on high-end design software and equipment, thinking that only these tools and their determination (and perhaps a little help from blogs and other internet educational resources) will allow them to stand toe to toe with the design giants of the internet.
Then you try your hand at designing. You hit a few brick walls. And then a few more brick walls. And soon you start to wonder, after having spent thousands of dollars on equipment, whether designing is really your innate passion or life skill. Trust me, it takes longer to come to this realization than the period in which you can return all your expensive gear at full price.

Why Education Is the Better Investment

Rather than spending all of your time and money on figuring out how to use your gear or even determining if design is right for you, I recommend putting that time and money into design education. This will help you in so many ways:

• Opens options, gives advice and direction

While there are a good number of online resources out there for designers, finding and knowing how to use them is another thing. Design courses will save you countless potential hours that you would have spent researching online. More importantly, design courses assure you that you’re researching something that would actually be helpful and practical to your design career.

• Networks you with other designers

An design educator is a valuable reference for finding work, especially straight after soon. Not to mention, you’ll be attending classes with plenty of other designers who could possibly use your skills for their own projects or network you with some of their previous clients.

• Finds you more design work

In addition to the networking, taking classes in design will also help you land design jobs, freelance or in a firm. Of course a degree will help you even further, but even just a few courses can go a long way.

• Helps you decide what equipment you need

It’s definitely possible to buy some design equipment or software that you ultimately don’t need. Design classes will give you an idea of which design tools are most effective for your design style.

• Qualifies you for discounts on equipment

You only need to be enrolled in a single class at a higher institution of learning to qualify for a great number of education discounts on both design software and hardware. Some discounts cut prices in half, which is huge for equipment ranging in the thousands of dollars. Do be careful of licensing restrictions as many do not allow you to work commercially.

• Qualifies you for work & Visas abroad
  

If you love traveling and have the income to support it, you can take design classes abroad with a student visa. Better yet, once you take enough courses to earn a degree, you can qualify for a work visa in countries such as the US, Japan, or the UK.

• Doesn’t have to break the bank

While you can spend a lot of money for an education in design, you don’t necessarily have to. You can take courses online or at a community college and still receive valuable information about the career. Not to mention you will still be eligible for educational discounts. Some countries are much cheaper than others so do your research to find out what’s best for you.
With all of these benefits, there is no excuse to at least take one or two design courses, so you can at least find out if your heart really is in the skill. If you find out that design is not your life’s calling, at least you didn’t waste any more time and money than you had to.

Graphic Design Career Options

Have you ever noticed the images on web pages or the animated videos on some websites that you go to? How about the photographs of folks and objects on brochures and magazines, or the primary character in your favorite video game? All of these are created by graphic designers. Do you have a passion for drawing or working with pictures? If so, here are a few graphic design careers that could be a wonderful fit for you.

Illustrator

Illustrators make illustrations to convey a message or idea by means of two-dimensional or 3D images. Their function can be discovered on something from books and magazines to brochures and greeting cards. Illustrators also generate drawings for the packaging that comes with most items. Training for this career generally entails a degree in art or style, and several individuals acquire a degree in graphic design on the internet. Illustrators are hired by software program publishers, magazines and a lot of other kinds of organizations. Many also work for themselves as freelancers.

Internet Designer

Show the globe what you can do as you create pages and graphics that are viewed by thousands of men and women on a every day basis. Internet designers play a important role in the development of internet sites by creating layouts, graphics and other visual elements of the internet pages. People that are interested in this career can get training at schools that provide graphic style and computer technology courses, and companies that specialize in digital media are usually seeking for qualified candidates.

Creative/Art Director

Creative directors oversee teams that create images and artwork that is to be displayed on media such as billboards, magazines, and televisions. They make positive that workers total tasks to the client’s satisfaction and make the final decisions on visual elements for all sorts of projects. Most creative directors have a degree in design along with some management experience and training. Advertising agencies and advertising firms frequently hire creative directors, and newspapers also keep them on staff.

Photo Editor

Most photographs utilised in digital media are edited by a photo editor. This position utilizes software such as the common Adobe Photoshop to manipulate, crop, and boost the good quality of raw pictures. Training courses and tutorials for software that is employed in photo editing are widespread for those looking to get into the field. Many photo editors are hired at magazine publishers and media firms that use pictures in publications.

Multimedia DesignerMultimedia designers produce drawings, plans and scale models for sets and props utilized in stage productions, tv and movies. Designers also make costumes and create surroundings based on the interpretation of the story or message getting conveyed in the production. Multimedia designers normally hold a degree in graphic style or visual communications, and jobs can be located at film studios, tv stations and organizations that create live performances.

Effectively Outsource Your Graphic Design

All internet marketers and webmasters know how valuable effective graphic design can be. If you want to get premium graphics created, you must do it in two different ways. Either you assign it to somebody in your company or you outsource it to a qualified professional. In this article, we will suggest a few things that you should not forget if you plan to hire an outside professional to handle your graphic design.

Give the Correct Descriptions: You can give information to your graphic designer in two basic formats, which are broad and specific. Let us examine the broad term first. Basically, you would give your graphics designer a very broad or vague description of things if you want her to handle the project by herself. Also, you can use this strategy whenever you have not quite figured out the details for your project. This can usually occur whenever you outsource the company logo. So, a broad description can be utilized for when you are doing things like getting a company logo done or new ebook done.

When dealing with a specific description, you have all of the design elements floating around in your head. However, when you outsource your graphic design work, you have to be certain that people can tell what your specific descriptions are. For example, you may have a particular way that you want the mascot designed for your company. The details that you give must be sophisticated. This is so that your graphic designer will not feel that it is too hard. Inspect the Price: One of the most crucial factors that you have to think about is what the cost will be to outsource your design needs. Can you afford the cost of the graphic designer? If not, then try to get it changed. There is not anything bad about having to negotiate a cost. A majority of graphic designers will not find anything wrong with doing things in this manner. Your main purpose is to get the best cost available. This is because putting down too much money will increase your expenses. Remember that the cost does not always mean that service will be top of the line. Because numerous designers are from countries like India and the Philippines, the price that you are quoted is as a result of what they can make locally. So keep this in mind when you research your graphic designer’s cost. Inexpensive does not always mean a good product. Many times you will have to cough up a little bit more money to get quality work. So every situation has two ways of looking at it. You must find a medium between the price that you pay and the quality that you get. Realize that you will many times get the quality that you have paid for. So do the right thing.

Utilize Example Graphics: A lot of times we discover wonderful graphics that get us to do something just like it. If you can locate examples like these that you graphic designer can use, then this is an added bonus. This will accomplish two things. First, it lets you get a professional design created that you really like. Secondly, your graphic design will be unique even though it was done based upon another design. So it is truly something that can help you get more accomplished.

How to Outsource Your Graphic Design the Correct Way

If you want to capture the attention of your targeted market, then acquiring quality graphic designs for your website should be your main focus. This article will address some ways in which you can outsource your graphic design work and receive premium results without having to pay a fortune. I have found this article has helped people change the way they think about projects for example Lifetime Video Profits.

Be Clear About Copyrights: You have to be aware of copyright matters when you hire anyone for graphic design tasks. If this isn’t properly understood ahead of time, it can make matters very complicated in the future. It’s essential that, when you pay to have graphics created for you, that the copyright for this work is transferred to you. If you choose to go with a freelance marketplace such as Elance.com, you’ll find that they have a pre-existing contract in place that takes care of this. In cases where you’re simply hiring an individual or service without using such a site, you have to make sure that they agree to your terms. Remember that people in different countries may not have the same understanding of copyright issues, which is why you can’t assume that they see it the same way you do. It is amazing at how easily things could be improved when examining Income Instruments.

Sizes and Dimensions of Files: Before you go ahead and outsource the graphic design work, determine if your graphics are going to be used on your website or not. Based on which you may wish to restrict the file size. If the graphic design is going to be used universally, then it’s okay not to restrict it. Make sure that you have the proper proportions when it comes to your graphic dimensions. How may pixels should your graphics have? Analyze these calculations in advance so that you can give your designer the proper ones. These pointers can help you broaden your understanding on subjects for example Wealthy Affiliate.

Obtain Revisions: It might be a while before your final design is finished. But understand if you are not happy with the design, you can ask for a revision. Do not settle for designs that do not meet your requirements. A majority of graphic designers will allow numerous revisions until you get the product that you want. This is the way that graphic designers produce strong client relationships that last for years. And you as a client have a right to get what you pay for. So do not hesitate to let your designer know how you feel. By following the above strategies, you’ll be able to get the best results from outsourcing your graphic design needs, which can really make your site more attractive to customers.

Questions You Should Ask Your Graphic Design Agency

So you are interested in contracting a graphic design agency to do some work for you. The difficulty often comes when you get down to the nitty gritty details of contract discussion and the all important question: can you trust these folks with the branding of your company, organization, product, or service?

With that in mind, we’ve compiled a few questions which you can put to potential agencies to help you find the right graphic design company for your business.

1) Who are you guys anyway?

Simple but powerful. Any graphic design company worth their salt will be really excited to give you all sorts of interesting information about who they are and who they have worked for. It’s their moment to brag, just a little, about the great things they have done for other organizations and how that might apply to your requirements.

2) Have you done this kind of thing before?

A fairly innocuous question, but one which will probably show up any glaring omissions in a graphic design company portfolio. Be aware that omission of a particular discipline shouldn’t necessarily mean negative points, but it might provide the reason to choose another graphic design company, just as specialisation in your particular required area may suddenly make them a favourite.

3) How long will it take?

Don’t be afraid to talk about practicalities. If your designer can not provide a rough estimate then request that they follow up with the information at a later time. Don’t be coy though – many graphic design companies will be working for more than one client at a time, so if you need things done quickly then let them know!

4) How much do you cost, and what are the terms of payment?

Again, there is no reason to avoid practicalities. If this is the first meeting then don’t expect exact figures but you might be surprised how close early estimates often come to the final figure. Use this to root out graphic design companies which are too expensive for you before you waste too much time on them.

Hourly pay or quotes for entire projects are fine, but be sure you understand the benefits and limitations that each choice imposes. If using hourly billing, check that the graphic design company can deliver results inside your maximum budget.

5) How much involvement will I have?

This is often largely based upon cost and billing structure; if you are working on hourly billing then your designer will be keen to talk with you as much as you like, but projects moving forward from a single quote will be subject to more stringent time management for obvious reasons.

By asking these simple questions, you should be well on the way to finding a graphic designer that can provide exactly the kind of service that you require.

Lufthansa + Graphic Design

The beginning of the 1960s saw one of the most important steps in the development of corporate communication. Lufthansa employed the designer Otl Aicher and his Gruppe E5 student group to develop a visual identity for for the airline. It was substantially realized in 1963 and up until the present day counts as one of the most groundbreaking corporate design solutions of the 20th century. With a focus on the famous brand identity, the design and advertising history of Deutsche Lufthansa from the 1920s to today is comprehensively documented here for the first time. This volume contains numerous illustrations from the corporate archive and background articles and interviews.

Details:
14.8 × 21 cm, 5 ¾ × 8 ¼ in, 128 pages, approx. 300 illustrations, paperback

Worst Mistakes Graphic Designers shouldn’t be Making!!

The most common way for a graphic designer to learn is through trial and error. Especially for young and aspiring graphic designers, who keep on committing mistakes because of lack of experience. You must have heard of the old adage “To err is human”. So the next time you make a mistake, don’t fret over it…instead learn from your blunders. Having learnt from my mistakes, which I encountered in my career, I wish to educate my fellow designers about some of the errors, which they should avoid in any case. Following are 10 of the most common mistakes that most graphic designers commit in their graphic design careers:

1. Working without a Design Brief:

In any graphic design project, the details are necessary to guide a designer through the entire process. Some graphic designers have a bad habit of being overly confident and start the project without acquiring a detailed design brief. A design brief helps you collect all the information about your clients’ design project. Without knowing your client’s requirements, you simply cannot work on a logo design project.

2. Ignoring the Target Audience: The purpose of graphic design is to visually aid companies in expressing their message to their target market. Hence, if the graphic designers ignore the target audience, they will never be able to create the right design. In order to create relevant designs, you must first analyze the intended customers for which it is aimed at. Overlooking the target will lead to a weak and aimless design.

3. Not maintaining a Contract:

In a graphic designer’s career, salary and payments issues are frequent. When you don’t maintain a contract with your clients, you are likely to be swindled of your hard earned money. I don’t wish to imply that every client has ill-intentions. But some clients have a habit of getting the work done and running away with it without paying the designer.

4. Avoiding Contact with the Client: Some graphic designers feel shy while some are completely ignorant when it comes to staying in touch with the client. One of the biggest mistakes you can make in your professional life is not communicating with your clients properly. By not staying in touch with clients during the project, you make them feel ignored and unwanted. You must take feedbacks from them to avoid any client criticisms in the end.

5. Procrastinating:

In any profession, deadlines are extremely crucial to meet. By completing your work on time, you exhibit your determination and sincerity to commitments. Some graphic designers tend to procrastinate on their projects. When they end up falling short of their deadline, they pass off a mediocre design as minimalism design trend. Procrastination will make your clients go away since they expect you to be efficient.

6. Not Staying up-to-date: In this cut-throat competition, it is essential for graphic designers to stay up-to-date with the latest developments in the field of graphic design. As technology upgrades every day, newer and better ways of graphic designing are evolving. Those who fail to catch-up in graphic designing eventually lose the race.

7. Not Starting in Black and White: Some graphic designers fail to understand the importance of starting in black and white. They directly create the colored version of the design. This is a big mistake as one should know how the design looks in black and white because some promotional mediums don’t allow for colors. Hence, what you create in color might not look good in black and white.

8. Pass off Plagiarism as Inspiration:

One of the prime qualities of a graphic designer is their ability to be original. Another big blunder you could make as designers is to copy others work. Some designers have a bad habit of passing off what they plagiarize as merely inspiration. While you may get away with it sometimes, but in the long run, your credibility as a genuine and original designer will be badly affected.

9. Neglecting the Power of Simplicity: Some graphic designers believe that if they add more effects in design, it will become attractive. But the reality is otherwise. Adding too many elements to a design makes it complicated and messy to look at. They often neglect the power and significance of simplicity. Instead of making intricate and difficult to comprehend designs, designers must prefer simple concept that the target audience will remember.

10. Lose Confidence:

The greatest mistake you can make in life is to continually fear you will make one. Be it graphic designing or any other profession, confidence is crucial in the success of your career. One of the gravest mistake you can make as a graphic designer is to lose hope in the middle of a project. There will be times when you will get tired of working on a project or be unsatisfied with the results. But never give up and carry on until you achieve your desired results.

Studying Web Design, Graphic Design or Marketing? Here’s What to Expect

Students currently studying marketing, graphic design or web design will soon join the creative class of Canada’s workforce.

To give them a better idea of what awaits them after graduation, a new study has been released to forecast what creative professionals can expect over the next 5 years.

A new research guide, called The Creative Team of the Future charts the trends in marketing and design over the next 5 years, by surveying over 500 advertising firms.

For example, students can expect to have their opinions heard and valued, with almost two-thirds (64 per cent) of respondents stating that creative professionals will have more influence on their companies’ business decisions.

Grads can also expect an abundance of work, with 62 per cent of respondants expecting their creative staff to work more hours over the next few years and a whopping 85 per cent answered they will need employees to work outside of normal 9-5 business hours.

But the good news is that most, or all, of that work can be done from home, with 84 per cent of those surveyed claiming that more of their employees will work remotely in the next three to five years.

5 Things To Consider Before Deciding On Your Graphic Designer

Great design can make or brake a business, the first thing your customers will see could make them feel impressed and inspired, or make them look elsewhere to your competitors.

Very often companies can rush into getting a design or brand set up. Time is normally of the essence and as time is money mistakes can be made in haste.

A quick checklist has been compiled that could save time tears and trouble:

1. Research

Have a look at different designers, look through portfolios and see what you like. Get the opinions of others, what looks good to you may not look good to others, so getting the opinions of others for designers you like the look of is a wise move. Have a browse through designers portfolios, check out the range of their expertise. Creative designers like to showcase the range of their work as they are proud of it.

2. Budget

What is the budget you have to allocate to your design/brand. Be realistic, if you are approaching a top design agency with a small budget then you are wasting their time and yours. Great design does not have to cost the earth, but it does take some searching for.

If you are working to a budget, perhaps approaching the project in bite size stages could be best; spreading the cost over a few months of design to allow you to get the best designer possible but giving them the time to work on your campaign.

3. Competitors

What are your competitors doing? How are they presenting themselves, what angle are they taking and what is working for them. With design and branding, fitting into the industry/market is important, but so is standing out in the crowd. Great designers know how to get the balance of making you fit in, yet stand out.

4. Timescale

Honesty is the best policy; once you have found the designer you like the look of you need to be honest about the timescales they have to work with. Most great designers are in demand, and they will need to fit you in. If a designer has lots of spare capacity and free time, the question needs to be asked as to why.

Designers cannot be expected to come up with award winning designs for you if they only have a couple of weeks to research, design, and produce ideas (which then would need to be reviewed by you and whittled down). Sometimes taking a bit more time will pay dividends rather than rushing in like a bull in a china shop.

5. Partnership

Relationship is the key to business, if you have a close relationship with your designer then all the better. Not to say that you need to go around for meals with the family; but having a close working relationship will only add value to your finished product. For you to understand how they work (as designers are creative creatures thought to come from a different planet) and how they understand you (do they really know your business and market place) and your objectives.

By following these practical guidelines you should be able to find the right designer for your project. The world is well stocked with graphic designers, of all shapes and sizes; local, national and global. Choosing a designer based on their ideas, creative skill and background is more important than choosing someone local or cheap.

How to Catch-Up in Graphic Designing – You Snooze You Lose!

We are living in a world where information travels faster than light and people communicate faster than ever. In this rapid age of technological advancements, the field of graphic design has immensely developed as well. Every other day, new and innovative techniques of graphic designing surface from here and there. These times make the life of a graphic designer all the more challenging since they must keep the pace with the latest developments in graphic design. Especially for newbie and aspiring graphic designers, it is essential to stay in touch with the latest developments and advancements in the world of graphic design. And for those designers who are seasoned, it is all the more essential to pace up with the next generation of design. However, the question arises…how to catch-up with all that is novel and upcoming? Following are some simple and easy ways of staying in touch with the latest developments in the field of graphic design:

1. Surf on the Google Wave:

In today’s age of internet revolution, you can pretty much search for anything that is present on this planet. The web has developed into a huge database of information on all kinds of topics. Graphic designers should take advantage of this blessing and stay in touch with the latest developments in their field. Subscribing to RSS feeds is also a good idea to pace up with the current happenings in the world of graphic design.

2. Blogging – Creates Discussions and Ideas:

Most people believe that starting a successful blog requires immense knowledge on a particular subject. But I beg to differ. This is because the purpose of a blog is to generate discussions and dialogue on various issues. By starting your own blog, you will be able to learn from other people who will comment on your blog. Through discussions, you will stay in touch with the latest developments in your line of work.

3. Be Conservative – Read Books:

Another incisive approach that has been neglected nowadays is the concept of reading books. Many people perceive books as old fashioned. Many also term the concept of book reading as geeky and nerdy. Well, if this were true, then J.K Rowling would have never been a super hit. Being a graphic designer, your thirst for knowledge should never quench. Always take pleasure in reading design books and keep yourself on track with what’s new in your field.

4. Follow Other Designers:

We waste countless hours of our time on social media and networking sites like facebook and twitter. So why not use it constructively to gain knowledge and information about graphic design? Simply follow other designers and be a part of the designer community. This way, you will be tweeted about the latest movements on the web and you will be updated every second.

5. Keep an Open Mindset:

The foremost thing for a graphic designer to accept any major developments is to keep an open mindset. This is because, in order to accept any change, you need to broaden your horizons and learn to keep a flexible attitude. Being in the designer community, you will get heaps of opinions, thoughts and viewpoints from other designers. Always learn to accept others opinions and ideas. You never know when they might come in handy in the near future.

Graphic Designs in Business

Can you imagine life without graphic designs? Today’s world is full of designs which you might not aware of it. In every aspects of our lives from the moment we wake up till the time we goes home, we see graphics everywhere. It has became a part of our lives and businesses too.

Businesses use Graphic Design in a various of ways for their products and services promotion such as poster, newsletter design, banners, flyers, logos, brochure design, business cards, letterheads, websites and etc.

Graphic design is the use of graphic elements and text to communicate ideas or information to specific audiences. It refers to a numer of artistic and professional disciplines which focus on visual communication and presentation. Various methods are used to create and combine symbols, images or words to create a visual presentation. Typically, graphic design is most commonly-used to create marketing materials in businesses such as magazines, advertisements, logo, web design and more so.

Graphic designers or graphic artist as sometimes called are the one resposible in creating unique and amazing graphic designs. They mainly plan, analyze and create visual solutions to communicate people. I would say that they are the one mostly needed in most businesses today because they find effective ways to get messages across in print, electronic and film media using a variety of methods they know. It may be through photography, animation, color, illustration and other various techniques.

Graphic design when done successfully by graphic designers, it attracts attention, enhances the message you are sending and adds credibility to your business.

A good graphic designers can communicate a message through design.

A good graphic designers build trust and confidence in companies and helps in brand development..

A good graphic designers can enhance the image of advertising.

A good graphic designer welds artistic concepts.
A good graphic designer is legible.

A good graphic designer creates appealing and attractive design.

A good graphic designer is unique.

A good Graphic designers consider cognitive, cultural, physical, and social factors in planning and executing designs for the target audience

A good Graphic Designers gather relevant information by meeting with clients, creative or art directors, and by performing their own research.

Communications done by visual effect is far more effective than written communication; even the unspoken significance of emotion and importance are conveyed. Is the topic serious or playful? Has the viewer to be soothed, stimulated, and urged to action? Graphic Designers control the message and so there cannot be any compromise in the world of graphic designs. Graphic Design is important wether like it or not, it simply create balance between design and technology.

Though this is the age of computers, even prior to this computer revolutionized production designing was a part of everyone’s life. Graphic Design has always kept a position of cutting edge. Communications done by visual effect is far more effective than written communication; even the unspoken nuances of emotion and importance are conveyed. Is the topic serious or playful? Has the viewer to be soothed, stimulated, and urged to action? Graphic Designers control the message and so there cannot be any compromise in the world of graphic designs.

The State of Webfont Quality from a Type Designer’s View

The rendering issue, at least at text sizes, is not going to go away anytime soon. As it’s been pointed out, the naivety of some designers, coupled with the marketing motivations of webfont services and distributors, does not bode well for the readership. The bandwagon has left, with everyone on board, but not realizing it’s missing a wheel.

[Editor’s note: Ross initially posted this text as a comment but I felt it required the space and prominence of a new post. — SC]

Some of the following simply reiterates what Stephen has already observed, but I think it is worth reinforcing from a slightly different perspective.

Firstly, let me address the statement:

Font buyers rely on providers more than ever before. Those who provide quality and transparency will lead this new market and medium.

I certainly hope this will be the case soon. Currently, providers use a few approaches to address the quality issue. One approach is to leave the optimization up to the foundry or licensing designer. This is obviously the least expensive and most profitable approach in the short term — profitable for the third party provider, that is, probably not for the smaller foundry. Another approach is to develop some sort of “autohinting”. From what I’ve seen this is at best a stopgap that provides somewhat adequate results some of the time, and would be what I consider only a first step, perhaps suitable for fonts that you knew were only being used at larger sizes, or as a basis for manual improvements. If I could generalize, the main point of weakness is that most automated routines only recognize obvious features of glyph anatomy (eg. stems, and to a lesser degree vertical alignments) but are mostly incapable of recognizing relationships, which is a core principal of TrueType hinting; the rasterizer has to be explicitly instructed that the counter of an ‘e’ shouldn’t collapse and should have white inside of it, unless told otherwise using Delta instructions. Autohinting can only say there is a top stroke, a middle stroke, and a bottom stroke, and that the top and bottom are in alignment zones. In fact, it doesn’t really know that the middle stroke is in the “middle”, it just knows its a stroke, and it doesn’t know anything about the relationship between the top and bottom. And so on.

I see some mention of rendering quality — how one provider’s approach bests their competition — but I see little actual sensitivity to the quality. For the provider’s own websites, where they can chose the best option (one would hope they would, at least), they chose fonts which are not optimized and have obvious, easily remedied issues. Not the best advertising, but at least its truthful, I suppose.

Even with those who really do know better, you see rather odd examples. Stephen pointed out Monotype’s FontsLive site, which doesn’t show examples below 24px (ppms?).

Webfont at FontsLive.com with ClearType rendering.

On this page they are promoting the quality of their webfonts, but if you look at the first ClearType example, it very much looks like it is not even hinted (vis. 36px and below). It doesn’t surprise me that it isn’t hinted, but that they are using it as an exemplar of their webfonts. This illustrates a couple of the issues I already mentioned: the “provider” is pushing a service without adequately addressing quality issues, which in turn aren’t seen as affordable to the original foundry because the original foundry’s/designer’s slice of the pie doesn’t warrant the expense. So the complaint that they are only showing larger samples is a valid one. It’s a bit of a snow job, but in this case they can’t even pull that off because the problems manifest themselves even at display/headline sizes. (The second Copperplate example has the same problems.) Fortunately, their collection of fonts for text are well chosen because they are well hinted, but the distinction can be blurred, especially in cases where something that could be a “text” font is categorized as “headline” because its unhinted.

So now we have webfonts, and they’re spilling out into the wild faster than they really should. Well, actually, they aren’t really all webfonts, they’re just marketed as such. What are the discussions about quality taking place in foundries, distributors, and third party providers? What steps are they taking towards addressing the quality issues? Do they care? The one positive thing with webfont services is that the fonts are served, rather then installed, and so when a better quality version becomes available there isn’t some onerous install and upgrade procedure to deal with.

It also doesn’t help to skirt the issue by placing blame, or making excuses or predictions that are not demonstrably accurate. Saying its Microsoft’s fault because their rendering is “crappy” is specious. The (TrueType) rendering is fine, as long as the (TrueType) font has a suitable level of instructions. There are more fundamental reasons why MS have chosen to retain this relationship between the rasterizer and the font, some of which has to do with the global nature of their market. Whether or not Windows rendering is better then OSX rendering can be debated subjectively. This debate has no affect on the existing and near-future market that the font and design industries have to serve, where actual OS proportions should rule the decision-making process. Windows XP may well be anachronistic, but it so happens over 50% of users happen also to be anachronistic, and an additional 40% of people are using other flavors of “crappy” rendering systems. That’s approximately 90+% of users out there using “crappy” “anachronistic” software, and as suppliers of content to those systems we have to do the best we can.

The same goes for the argument that in a couple of years we will all have 300ppi screens. Well, maybe, but I wouldn’t count on it. We will have more high resolution devices (mostly mobile devices), but again we are looking at the bigger picture when producing content for the web. I won’t go into it in great detail, but it is considerably more difficult to manufacture say, a screen that is 70 square inches (such as a laptop) then it is to manufacture a screen that is 5 square inches (such as the iPhone). Manufacturers have to be able to produce volumes of screens at an attrition rate that does not impact efficiency (ie. if you have to chuck half the panels because they have dead pixels, it doesn’t make financial sense). This end of the industry doesn’t seem to move nearly as fast as the other components. Screen resolution has been nearly fixed for the last decade, with most devices hovering around the 100ppi mark (+/-10ppi). So this argument is fine, if you don’t mind not releasing any webfonts for the next 10 years (or however long it will take for high-res screens to be the norm) — otherwise you’re not really doing any good to our end customer’s experience.

Which brings us to the solution end of things.

I don’t think foundries realize yet the “damage” they’ve done by saturating the market with libraries full of fonts not-yet-ready-for-screen. [...] But nonetheless, type-designers, get busy with it! — Angus Shamal

Right. Easier said than done. There are only a handful of people on the planet who do TrueType hinting professionally. FontLab certainly has the basic tools available, if you know how to use them or are willing to learn. So that’s one hurdle. The other is time and/or money. Hiring a third party to do your hinting is an option if you can find someone with the time and if you can afford it. It is highly specialized and is priced accordingly. But the more basic issue — regardless of the form of the investment in hinting — is whether that investment translates to a reasonable return for the originating foundry or designer after all the distributors and “providers” have taken their cut. It seems to me a more coordinated effort may be a better option and that all parties involved carefully consider the quality of the product being released, and collectively find a solution to deal with the issue.

Ross Mills is a type designer and co-founder of Tiro Typeworks. He has been involved in the design and production of multilingual and specialist typefaces for Microsoft Corp., Linotype Library, Apple Computer, the Government of Nunavut and others.

How Graphic Designers can get a day off – 7 Wicked Excuses!!

Graphic Designers are humans and not computers…clients should realize this fact. We are not machines that can run for hours ‘n’ hours with the same pace and efficiency. Even machines need rest, so why we graphic designers are blankly refused when ask a day off?? But with a Hitler like boss, unrealistic deadlines or pitiless clients, how can one ask for a day off from work? This is because you know that if you ask for a day off, several taunts and criticism will be hurled at you by your boss (or clients in case of freelancers). So what effective excuses can help you escape the realms of workplace?

Before I start on today’s subject, let me clarify that my purpose here is not to encourage graphic designers to be irregular and often take sick leaves, neglecting their important tasks. But on the contrary, these excuses will convince even the cruelest of bosses and clients, for times when you are not in a working mood and have a dangerous deadline to meet. So, whenever any of the graphic designers want to beat the heat, try any of these 7 wickedly effective excuses.

1. Kill a relative – For the 9th time:

The next time your merciless boss won’t allow you to take a leave, kill a relative of yours Not literally (god forbid) just make him/her expire for a day or two. Or even better, use an already expired relative and pass them away again. Just call in at work and say “I can’t come to work today; my grandmother/grandfather expired last night.” But beware of not using the same person at the same workplace. It may work twice or thrice, if you’re lucky, as you may get caught deceasing the same relative.

2. Fake a Faint – Heat Stroke:

Now this excuse could be a little tricky to pull off since it’s a little difficult for graphic designers to be good actors. But faking a faint is an effective excuse to save yourself from an urgent presentation boss has asked for or a meeting where he will be asking for your work update. Just when you feel you’re not up to the mark, stand up from your seat and pretend to faint in front of your colleagues. No matter how strict a boss you inherit, he/she will have to send you home and you might end up getting a paid sick leave for multiple days.

3. Come Wearing Sunglasses – Red Eye Infection:

Another neat trick to convince your boss for a day off is by coming to work wearing sunglasses. You don’t mean to impress your boss with your dashing looks here, but just a cover up for red eye infection. Tell your boss that you have caught a contagious eye virus but still you are at work to meet the deadline. Reluctantly, your manager will have to let you go and probably advise you to take the week off to recover. No matter which field you are working in, be it SEO services or Web Development, this trick will surely help if your job is to sit in front of the computer for hours.

4. Get your cousin Married – Twice in a month:

Got a close relative that has reached the age of marriage? Then it’s time for you to arrange a fake wedding for them and get a day off from work. Call your boss (or client, in case you’re working freelance) and inform them that your brother/sister/cousin is getting married today and your presence is critical as they might get cold feet. But don’t even make the mistake of inviting the boss or client in courtesy even…it may spill the beans.

5. Food Poisoning – Critical Stage:

One of the evil myths of graphic design is that its Child’s play. But the reality is that it’s not…we need a break from work as well. But you’re not getting a sick leave on a minor flu or cough? Then it’s time for you to use the more serious and grave excuse of food poisoning. At times, graphic designers are unable to finish off their projects within the deadline, maybe because of sheer procrastination. Now they must evade an angry boss or client with an excuse. Use the food poisoning reason to buy yourself a day or two off the work. Explain that your stomach is severely affected and might be in a critical state.

6. Fake a Mugging – LIVE:

One of the shrewdest of excuses for taking the day off is faking a mugging. Let me explain how this could be done in most realistic way…call your boss and keep a friend ready nearby to act like a mugger. While giving an explanation for being late, all of a sudden shout like you’re mugged and keep your mobile on so that your boss can hear the phony episode. After a while, call at work and explain the whole event in a gloomy and miserable voice. To win more pity, tell how you resisted the mugger and got hit on the head with the butt of a gun. Eventually, your boss will advise you to take the day off or maybe a week to recover from the ‘traumatic’ incident and the bump in your head.

7. Back Spasm – Work load:

Being graphic designers, majority of your work is accomplished on the PC. Spending too much time on the computer can cause back spasms and sore necks especially for workaholic graphic designers. A day before you want to a sick leave, show signs of a back pain and sore neck in front of your supervisor so that he recognizes your pain. Now it all depends on how you act it out, you will easily get a trouble free day of relaxation at home.