Contect US

For Any kind of Graphic Design and adds Contact US rockjone@gmail.com

Monday, February 27, 2012

Graphic design


Graphics are needed everywhere and are being created by millions of people all over the world. It creates visual solutions to communicate as well as known process in the field of business. It is a very bright career and its demand is continuously increasing these days. A graphic design is very essential for success of a business. It is an important aspect of your site online presence the online casinos with the best design elements and most creative player bonus online casinos. Today you can easily see the work of graphic design nearly anywhere.

Graphic design is an integral part of web design. Use of attractive graphic images and colours attract the visitors to the website and compel them to read the text on the web pages of the site. The art and technology of graphic designing has opened up many professional avenues, which are not only lucrative but also satisfying. Resource for all online graphics and for all online casino site with excellent graphic design solutions for communicating purposes.

Graphic design can play a very important part in web designing. It's almost like the foundation of any well designed websites. The best rated online casinos internet graphics casino reviews. A website that has a good layout and is properly designed will be able to help your brand image and popularity to your customers. A graphic designer's goal is to provide you with the logos, artwork and page designs that best fit your business, personality and convey your offerings and differentiators.

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Mistakes That Can Kill Your Logo Designing

New logo designers may be under the notion that the more complicated and colorful a logo design is, the more it will be appreciated. This is one of the first mistakes that can be made. When these designs are used to participate in logo design contests and none of these initial designs are accepted by clients, some are left confused and disappointed.
Amateur logo designers tend to make a few mistakes at first, which can become disastrous for them in the long run. Two other mistakes some designers make is avoiding to learn the basics of design and/or they don’t have a creative design process to follow. In today’s post I’ve decided to educate fellow designers about the 13 critical mistakes that can kill any logo design. Read on to make sure that you are not guilty of these mistakes.

1. Lack of Process & Planning


logo design process
Very few logo designers spend time doing research about the industry of the client they are working for. Even fewer realize the importance of a creative logo design process. In professional logo designing, research and sketching comes before creating a logo on the computer. Jumping on the computer without sketching and basic planning is a failed design waiting to happen.

2. Neglecting the Essence of Logo

A logo represents the essence of a company, what it stands for and what message it wants to convey to its audience. Be sure to think from a potential customer’s perspective. What would a certain image mean to you? What will your first impression of the logo design be? Focus not only on the design, but on the meaning.

3. Following Trends Blindly


design trends
Following all design trends will most likely lead to outdated design concepts. Create designs that can stand the test of time and will look great even a century later. Example: The Coca-Cola logo still looks good a hundred years after its creation.

4. Creating Complicated Designs

Filling your logo design with too many colors and shapes is a big mistake. Simplicity is the best way to go. If you think that creating a complicated design will win you a logo design contest, at times, you are wrong. Simple logos tend to be the most memorable. Want an example? Think of the logos of McDonald’s or Nike.

5. Being a Copy Cat


logo designer
Are you an inspired designer or a copy cat? Inspiration is when your original idea had influence from things around you, all while keeping in mind the client’s perspective. To be a copy cat means you have copied pieces of another person’s design work. Copying another designer’s concept is dishonest and shows your lack of creativity. Be Original, Be Creative, Be Unique!

6. Using Clichéd Images

Using airplane images for a travel logo design, hammers for construction logos or books for education logos is seen as redundant and clichéd. Try to be innovative. Use special characters, unique metaphors or abstract symbols to create an identity. You don’t want your client’s design to become lost in the crowd.

7. Adding Special Effects


special logo design effects
Graphic design expert Jacob Cass says, “If a logo requires color or special effects to make it a strong logo, it’s not a strong logo.”
If your design is strong it will look great in black and white, as well as in full color. Lose the colors and see where your logo stands.

8. Using Clipart & Stock Images

Successful logo designers never use clipart or stock. Clipart images are visually poor and will give the design an unprofessional look. Avoid clipart, stock vector images or anything similar and create your own, custom images. The client will fully appreciate your design’s individuality.

9. Typography Issues


logo design typography
Using the wrong font and inappropriate style can ruin a perfectly good design. In a logo design, the typography has to be industry specific. Otherwise the meaning could be completely lost. For instance, using Comic Sans for a law firm logo has more of a childish feel, it does not portray a serious, successful and professional law firm.

10. Hurrying to Create a Logo

Most logos fail when designers do not spend quality time to create and ignore the importance of having a design process.  A design that is made in a short amount of time tends to be unsuccessful. Your speed doesn’t determine your efficiency. Logo designing is an art that requires understanding and research, which requires time.

11. Lack of Communication with Clients


client designer relation, client designer communication
Most amateur designers do not understand the importance of communication and get offended at the slightest bit of criticism. They don’t discuss their ideas with their clients and give no creative input. This is not healthy if you want a client to understand your point of view. Communication is the key to success. Explain to the client what you are trying to achieve in your logo design concepts and take their criticism positively. Remember, criticism is just another person’s opinion.

12. Sending Raster Files

Raster files tend to become pixilated when scaled or sized for various printing needs. Always send your client the vector format file of your design. This will allow your client to print the logo on a small business card, a large billboard, t-shirts or any other item without affecting the quality.

13. Not Cleaning Up the Logo


logo designer, clean logo
Before sending out the design to your client, make sure that it is neat. Any extra twirls or any excessive colors must be removed. Sending out a messy design discredits you as a professional, thus you want to spend time with the finishing touches and in finalizing it.

Lincoln MKZ Concept: Future Vision Today +VIDEO

The new Lincoln MKZ Concept, revealed today at the NorthAmerican International Auto Show, signals a significant step in Lincoln’s reinvention, providing a clear visionof its next-generation vehicles.
“With the Lincoln MKZ Concept, we are not introducing a new car. We areessentially introducing a new brand,” said DerrickKuzak, Ford Motor Company group vice president for Global ProductDevelopment. “The MKZ Concept is the next step in the reinvention of Lincoln, something we’ve been quietly butaggressively pursuing.”
Watch the complete Lincoln Press Conference at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show
Lincoln MKZ Concept: Exterior
The MKZ Concept strongly hints at the production model arriving indealerships later this year, as well as Lincoln’s design future.
“The MKZ Concept’s shape is a vision of simplicity completed with just afew strokes,” said Max Wolff, Lincoln design director. “Our movement as abrand is toward something we call elegant simplicity. It’s something warmerand more restrained, which is moving away from complex designs andtraditional luxury.” (View a video highlighting the main design elements ofthe Lincoln MKZ Concept here.)
Warm hues are evident in every aspect of the new vehicle’sCognac-colored exterior. The deep finish is achieved with a rich base coatcovered in multiple layers of tinted clear-coat finishes.
The sedan’s profile is dominated by a long, sleek and sweeping rooflinethat allows the design to break away from the traditional sedan three-boxshape. The lengthening of the roofline enables a more flowing, elegant andmore naturally aerodynamic appearance. (Access Lincoln MKZ Conceptspecifications here.)
A panoramic glass roof spans uninterrupted from the windshield to thetop of the backlight. Integrated into the sedan’s aluminum and boron steelsuperstructure, the fixed-glass expanse extends to the side roof rails ofthe cabin, creating an airy, open interior. (Click here for gallery.)
LED technology enabled an extremely thin and distinctive full-widthtaillamp graphic. Exhaust tips are cleanly integrated into the rearfascia.
Lincoln MKZ Concept: Interior
The Lincoln MKZ Concept’s four-seat interior is open, warm and inviting.”The front graphic is repeated in the dramatic sweep of the instrumentpanel, helping tie the interior to the exterior. These flowing forms createa comfortable and functional interior that particularly appeals to theyounger, more diverse customers we are targeting,” said Wolff.
Innovative interior features include push-button transmission gearselection, an open, tiered center console and liquid crystalinstrumentation. The reconfigurable 10.1-inch Thin Film Transistor (TFT)LCD positioned ahead of the driver operates with the latest version ofMyLincoln Touch as does the nearly flush-mounted center8-inch LCD touch screen.
Responsibly harvested poplar wood, aluminum in bright and satin finishesas well as leather help create a sculptural, luxurious and comfortableinterior space. Champagne-colored leather seats with dark taupe accentsfeature a champagne perforation pattern, so-called because the perforationson the seat backs conjure the image of champagne bubbles rising from thebottom of a glass.
Lincoln MKZ Concept: Engineering
The Lincoln MKZ Concept is a styling study that rides on an all-newmidsize platform. The sedan is capable of utilizing multiple powertrainoptions in front-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive configurations.
Like the recently introduced MKS and MKT withEcoBoost, the Lincoln MKZ Concept features LincolnDrive Control and the sophisticated Continuously Controlled Damping (CCD)adjustable suspension. (Click here for information on these Lincoln technologies and here for background onthe Lane Keeping System, another feature integrated into the MKZConcept.)

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

browser like website the best Firefox And Google Chrome

Most community have strong thoughts about their internet browser. It used to be Internet Explorer loyalists versus Mozilla Firefox geeks, but a number of new browsers have muddied the water a bit. Browserlike allows people with strong opinions in this area to vote once and for all for the browser they like best. even though it only allows you to choose between Google Chrome and Firefox, this should settle a few arguments once and for all.
This website is a hobby site, but it is a well designed one. Vote for your favorite, and if you have a comment feel free to leave it.

Browserlike is a hobby website and we are still trying to figure out what the designers get out of the deal. No advertising or other money-making opportunities clutter the pages. There are links to Twitter and Facebook and you can opt to ‘Like’ the website, but it is indistinct who stands to profit or how. This could be the foundation of a beautiful business opportunity if the admin figures out how to capitalize on a pretty impressive amount of interchange.
You don’t need movies and videos to show how you feel about your browser, so why bother? Here is how we ranked this site in our favorite five categories:
creativeness: 3 stars. While the concept of an online ballot box is relevant and appropriate, the designers need to get on the ball and add a few more features.
simplicity of use: 5 stars. This may be the easiest site to navigate that we have ever reviewed, because everything you need is fit neatly on a single page. Kudos for avoiding the common trap of thinking that more pages is always a better choice.
Functionality: 5 stars. Facebook and Twitter both have strong presences here. If you care enough about your favorite browser to make this presence part of your own internet presence, here is your chance.
Content: 4 stars. We want to hear more about why the site exists and what the owners think about the browsers as well.
suitability: 5 stars. The old fashioned voting motif is cute and shows at a glance what the website is for.

Friday, January 20, 2012

Optimizepress – Is It Any Good?

If you are thinking about trying out the Optimizepress WordPress theme, you will find this a very valuable post.
The creator James Dyson has really leveled the playing field with this new WordPress theme.
In this post we will look at what Optimizepress is exactly, why it was created followed by an exclusive Optimizepress discount bonus for trying it out through this website today. Lets take a little look at the creator James Dyson.
When you are building a website, customers will not stay on your page if you do not have a professional squeeze page that captures their attention.
Optimizepress if a software program that offers 10 different squeeze page templates so you will increase your opt-in rate quickly.
This means that this WordPress theme has been actually proven to improve conversions unlike many themes which just claim to do so.
Before Optimizepress, you would have had to pay about $2000 for a website that had this level of design. You can now get it for under $100 and you can make as many websites as you like!
For the first time a completely new Internet marketer can compete and look just as good as a pro Internet marketer.
Those are only a couple of the features that you will enjoy using when you invest in OptimizePress. As you use it, you will learn about many of the other great features that it offers.
For example, it allows you to integrate FaceBook comments with your webpages and videos. This integration brings more attention to your product and ultimately more money to you.
OptimizePress will earn you a very high return on your investment for the lifetime of your website. You will make a one-time payment for the software package and you will enjoy all of the benefits for as long as Internet marketing is around.
To see more on how to get a special bonus, see below now.

Affordable Online College for Graphic Design

Graphic designing is a lucrative career and one which bears many rewards. Information technology has flourished considerably and the information technology industry is experiencing tremendous growth and the field of graphic designing falls into this category as well. The employment opportunities for people who have an advanced degree in graphic designing are really good. And some of the best online schools for graphic design can be easily found in the country.
Graphic designers are professionals who create commercial arts in a number of medians used by business to sell their products and services for example T.V, newspapers, websites and etc. These are all the medians of advertisement crucial to a business to succeed in attaining its targets. Most professional graphic designers apply for their jobs as soon as they have completed their bachelor’s in graphic designing.
Web designing is also a related field which most graphic designers aim to focus on. In the coming years it has been estimated that many jobs in graphic designing will be in related areas such as digital design, media, social networking and etc. The median salaries of graphic designers are $33,000 to $57,000 an year. And you can now too become a part of this growing trend if you are interested in becoming a graphic designer. Check out some of the best online schools for graphic design that suit your needs.
You can now study your degree in graphic designing completely online without any problems. The main coursework in a bachelor’s degree contain subjects like art courses, color theory, typography and etc. There courses that will be taught to you online. In distance education you don’t have to go to a university to attend classes instead the university comes to your door step. Yes, all the education you will be getting will be via the Internet. All the courses, the guidelines, and the study materials everything will be provided for online.
The creativity and art of graphic designers is almost visible everywhere you can see it on books, magazines, CD’s, advertisements, product packaging and etc. It takes a lot of skill and talent along with proper education to become a good graphic designer.
Graphic design degrees are available at all levels, but getting a higher degree will improve your chances of climbing the ladder of success in the corporate market. Graphic designers with enough experience can also start up their own business if they have the resources. This career has a lot of employment opportunities. So hurry now and apply for the best online schools for graphic design.
Do you know that you actually can look up all the info along with admission specifications regarding graphic design schools right here.

Macromedia Dreamweaver vs. Fireworks, whats best for web design?

Ive just finished learning these two programs and while dreamweaver is supposed to be the web design and fireworks is supposed to be the graphic design, it seems so much easier to just design your entire page on fireworks with links and all. I know that technically you are just supposed to create images and buttons in fireworks and insert them in your web page on dreamweaver, but the tables in dreamweaver are hard to work with. Any thoughts, suggestions, or perhaps tutorials explaining the best way to integrate fireworks over to dreamweaver to design basic web pages?

Thursday, December 29, 2011

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

Read the article
Free Website Builder
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.

Retro badge logo
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.
Retro badge logo
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.

Friday, October 14, 2011

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.

Thursday, October 13, 2011

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.

Logo Design The Bahamas

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.

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

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.