Whether it’s a logo, brochure, or even an entire web design, chances are you’re designing it will full color in mind. But how do you know exactly what shades and colors will work well together? The answers are all around you.

Look to Nature

When you look at your garden, what colors do you see? Doesn’t the deep brown of the mulch paired with the light green of new plant growth give you a feeling of newness?

Look In A Magazine

Todays fashion drives the hottest trends in colors. So open up the latest In Style Magazine and see what colors the models are wearing!

Look In Home Depot

One of my favorite sources for color inspiration is the paint department of the Home Depot  or Lowes. When I want something new and unexpected for a design I pick up some paint swatches – they even have ones that show complimentary color combinations!

Look On The Web

Just like the Home Depot color swatches there are sites on the web that have some pre-packaged color scheme ideas. Colorcombos.com is one of my personal favorites as it has various ways you can mix and match colors.

Post written by KRSmith at www.khrysser.com.

ABOUT PROJECTCENTER:

ProjectCenter is a single-source service company providing marketing and document solutions to small, medium and large-sized businesses in the U.S. area. ProjectCenter is based in Phoenix, Arizona and its services include graphic design, web design, printing, copying, scanning and mailing. For more information, please call (602) 252-6655 or visit www.makepapereasy.com or follow us at http://twitter.com/ProjectCenter.

Just can’t find the right background texture for your project on the stock photo sites? Why not create your own? Scan or photograph any of the following for a unique and interesting addition to your design.

• Fabrics and material

• Hard surfaces like stone, slate, metal

• Nature, bark, leaves, sand, water, clouds

• Objects like macaroni, coffee beans, nails, pennies

• Craft items like specialty papers or canvas linens

• Animals including fur, scales, or skin

By adding a subtle texture behind text you can create the feeling of space without it having to be “white space”. Using texture in a border can add dimension to the design. Adding custom textures to your project is inexpensive but can make you  look like a million bucks!

Post written by KRSmith at www.khrysser.com.

ABOUT PROJECTCENTER:

ProjectCenter is a single-source service company providing marketing and document solutions to small, medium and large-sized businesses in the U.S. area. ProjectCenter is based in Phoenix, Arizona and its services include graphic design, web design, printing, copying, scanning and mailing. For more information, please call (602) 252-6655 or visit www.makepapereasy.com or follow us at http://twitter.com/ProjectCenter.

web, print, multimedia, all things Mac – welcome to my world

ABOUT PROJECTCENTER:

ProjectCenter is a single-source service company providing marketing and document solutions to small, medium and large-sized businesses in the U.S. area. ProjectCenter is based in Phoenix, Arizona and its services include graphic design, web design, printing, copying, scanning and mailing. For more information, please call (602) 252-6655 or visit www.makepapereasy.com or follow us at http://twitter.com/ProjectCenter.

So you have a project and you’ve decided to hire a professional. Kudos to you. You are already heading in the right direction! So where do you go? Who do you call? Well, the answer depends on your needs, budget, and time frame.

Advertising and Marketing Agencies often attract a large crop of talented individuals, and should you be lucky enough to work with their top dog you could come out of it with a really stellar piece. Agencies are often a one-stop shop and aim to take care of every aspect of the project from the writing, images, design, printing, and delivery. But you will pay a premium for those services. Agency mark-ups on goods and services such as printing can be as high as 30%! And because of the more corporate structure, you may need additional lead time for project completion. But if you are a large company with a lot of projects and you don’t want to be bogged down with having to do anything other than approve the final piece, then an agency is for you!

A nice alternative to agencies are in-house design departments. Many printers offer all of the services that traditional agencies do. They too are able to draw very talented individuals, but you’re more likely to pay a lower rate since they won’t be sub-vending parts of your project out for a marked-up rate. Another bonus to working with an in-house department, especially a printer, is that they have advanced knowledge of printing protocols and will be sure your project will looks it’s best. And, because they can control the status of the project from start to finish they can be a great option for those last minute rush jobs. So if you specifically have a print job and you want agency quality design at a lower price, an in house printer might be the perfect place for you!

But what about projects that you might have a smaller budget for? Or maybe you are a start up company with a lot of needs and not a lot of money? There are two options for you as well – template shops and freelancers.

Template shops offer low package rates on things like websites and logos. Often times you can simply review samples online and purchase the one you like. Others boast that several designers will work on your project to come up with your initial designs. In either case, even if the project is slightly customized to you, the general features of the project are cookie cutter style. You and twenty other people may own the same looking site. This is one of the cheapest option available, and if you are not in need of something that is completely unique to you, then its a great option for your needs.

Another great value to fulfill your low-cost, quality design needs is to hire a freelancer. A freelancer is an individual graphic designer, located anywhere around the world, who can design your project for an agreed upon rate or fee. Most freelance designers have agency and printing experience, but don’t have the overhead costs of an agency or in-house department – hence the lower rate.  In addition, they can be more accommodating to your timeframe – often working nights and weekends to complete your project quickly. It may take a little more legwork on your end to check the portfolios and references of a designer and determine if they meet your needs, but with the right fit you can get agency quality design at a mere fraction of the cost.

Post written by KRSmith at www.khrysser.com.

ABOUT PROJECTCENTER:

ProjectCenter is a single-source service company providing marketing and document solutions to small, medium and large-sized businesses in the U.S. area. ProjectCenter is based in Phoenix, Arizona and its services include graphic design, web design, printing, copying, scanning and mailing. For more information, please call (602) 252-6655 or visit www.makepapereasy.com or follow us at http://twitter.com/ProjectCenter.

These principals can apply to many design projects you might encounter, but brochures with their emphasis on both copy and images are a particular challenge. When handing off your brochure project to a designer it is most helpful to have all of the checkpoints below:

• Correct specs for printing – brochures come in all kinds of shapes, folds and sizes. Some printers require bleeds and crops while others do not. Some require extra resolution, specific color saturation, or certain file formats and settings. By knowing this info up front the designer can make the appropriate accommodations from the start -saving themselves time and clients money.

• Images – if you have images of your logo, product, projects, building, principals, etc., dig them out and hand them over at the start. Even if you don’t think they are useful, the designer may see the potential or significance within them. You may also be able to acquire images from your manufacturers or distributors if you have any. They sometimes have very high end photography that they are willing to share for free. If you have no images to offer then be as clear as you can about the type of images the artist should look for. There are literally millions of stock images to search through, but be flexible, sometimes there just isn’t that exact image you are describing.

• Copy – To remove the guesswork, you can write the copy for the brochure, sectioned off exactly the way you want it. But allow the artist to edit the copy as needed or be prepared to do so yourself. You can also provide other pieces to pull copy from. It’s best to let the artist know points that have to be emphasized and whether to pick up the copy verbatim. It’s also a good idea to give the artist an outline of what copy should appear in given areas of the brochure.

• Preferences – are there certain fonts or colors you absolutely love or hate? Can you provide samples of other designs you like? Any input that a client can provide that would help an artist zero in on the right direction is crucial.

After all, clients and artist are both on the same team. When a client succeeds with the designs, the artist becomes successful too. Clear communication from the very start give the designer a step in the right direction and helps promote a positive experience for all.

Post written by KRSmith at www.khrysser.com.

ABOUT PROJECTCENTER:

ProjectCenter is a single-source service company providing marketing and document solutions to small, medium and large-sized businesses in the U.S. area. ProjectCenter is based in Phoenix, Arizona and its services include graphic design, web design, printing, copying, scanning and mailing. For more information, please call (602) 252-6655 or visit www.makepapereasy.com or follow us at http://twitter.com/ProjectCenter.

Have you ever been in a situation where you were working with an artist on a project and it just wasn’t turning out the way you had hoped? Perhaps both parties are trying but just not talking the same language.

When a client says “I want simple and clean.”

An artist generally thinks “white space, simple fonts”.

The best way to be on the same page is to pick out similar designs that you like and explain what you like about them to the artist. Explain how you feel the colors, fonts, and layouts portray the clean look you are trying to achieve. This goes for every visual aspect of the design – whether it is fonts or colors you prefer, picture or type treatments, and even styles of copywriting. Be specific. Say what you mean. And show examples.

When a client says “Here is some copy for you to pull from.”

An artist generally thinks “Ok, let me see what works/fits.”

When an artist is asked to build a brochure from copy on a website or other literature we carefully analyze the content, try to look at what might be important from your customer’s point of view, and then we formulate the information into a format that fits within the space and with the design. If you already have in mind what you’d like to emphasize or specific copy that you’d like displayed as you have written, then speak up. You’ll save the artist time and yourself later disappointment!

When a client says “I want to be like Google/Nike/Coke/etc.”

An artist would like to tell you “Meet me halfway.”

Developing a brand as strong as Verizon, Amazon, or any of the biggies you can think of requires a meeting of the minds. It’s the company or marketing specialist’s responsibility to devise and implement a strong marketing initiative and to outline the general creed of the company. It’s the artist’s responsibility to design pieces that are on target with the marketing strategies, eye catching, and addressed to the right audience. If both of those forces come together accordingly, then all that is left to make you a mega brand is time and a few tweaks to the program along the way. No matter how great the marketing strategy or how talented the designer, it just can’t happen overnight.

Post written by KRSmith at www.khrysser.com.

ABOUT PROJECTCENTER:

ProjectCenter is a single-source service company providing marketing and document solutions to small, medium and large-sized businesses in the U.S. area. ProjectCenter is based in Phoenix, Arizona and its services include graphic design, web design, printing, copying, scanning and mailing. For more information, please call (602) 252-6655 or visit www.makepapereasy.com.

Have you ever encountered a scenario like this (either as a client or as an artist)?

A company is in need of a new logo or to revamp the one they already have. With a next to nil budget somebody decides, wouldn’t it be great to hold a contest? The company can see lots of designs from many designers and then offer a cash “prize” for the winning design! Isn’t that brilliant?

As an artist you should be cringing. If your not, then please find another profession. It’s scenarios like this that undermine the true value of our services. You have talent, you’ve paid your dues and earned your education and experience. You do not have to work for free. Repeat it with me. You do not have to work for free.

If you are a client who has ever thought about this, let me explain how unethical it is. Say you own a roofing company. I am in need of a new roof. I’d like you to come and reroof a portion of my house. If I like the job you have done better than the work of your competitors then I will pay you a miniscule static fee of my choosing. Insulted yet? As we are when you present such an offer to us.

If you are saying, “well don’t enter the contest.” Then you have obviously missed the point. We have worked hard to build our talent, knowledge, and experience. We deserve to be fairly paid for that. As an artist, or the employer of artists, please support us in the face of these injustices. Speak out and help end these unfair wage practices today!

Post written by KRSmith at www.khrysser.com.

ABOUT PROJECTCENTER:

ProjectCenter is a single-source service company providing marketing and document solutions to small, medium and large-sized businesses in the U.S. area. ProjectCenter is based in Phoenix, Arizona and its services include graphic design, web design, printing, copying, scanning and mailing. For more information, please call (602) 252-6655 or visit www.makepapereasy.com or follow us at http://twitter.com/ProjectCenter.

Sometimes it is painfully obvious that clients have no idea what it takes to create their designs. They have no concept of how much time some revisions can take “just so they can see that it would look like” and they also don’t want to pay for the time. Sometimes they want the impossible – too much text in too little space but it still has to be readable to the hear blind AND it has to be eye-catching? I must have missed buying the special computer sprinkled with pixie dust.

So I propose that computer and software developers unveil some new key commands to make our lives easier:

Command + J

This will be an instant command to “jazz up” any uninspired layout, boring copy, or terrible logo design. Just a click and all of the client’s wildest dreams come true.

Command + Shift + C

For cram it in. Got ten pounds of text to fit in a half page ad? No problem. I’ll just use my Cram It Command.

Shift + Option + Command + N

The no white space command. This will guarantee that the color profile 0/0/0/0 never appears in a single pixel of the design.

Command +L

For lock and load. Meaning the project is approved by the client and should simultaneously be uploaded to the printer with printed pieces delivered to the client yesterday. This magical button will instantly spell check, pre-flight, collect and deliver all files.

Shift + Command + M

The magic pixel button. Got low res pictures that need to be used for print? Do your pictures need impossible editing? Heck, got no image and you have to make the perfect one up? Use this command, it’s magic, and it can even read you client’s minds.

Post written by KRSmith at www.khrysser.com.

ABOUT PROJECTCENTER:

ProjectCenter is a single-source service company providing marketing and document solutions to small, medium and large-sized businesses in the U.S. area. ProjectCenter is based in Phoenix, Arizona and its services include graphic design, web design, printing, copying, scanning and mailing. For more information, please call (602) 252-6655 or visit www.makepapereasy.com.

Today’s post is geared towards some tutorial websites that I have seen lately. I hope this is helpful. Let me know.

____________________________

This website spans graphic design, web design & social media:

http://www.noupe.com/category/tutorial

Here is a rather well-known tutorial website that provides detailed steps:

http://psd.tutsplus.com/category/tutorials/

Some websites like this dedicate categories to Photoshop:

http://www.tutorial9.net/category/photoshop/

Here we have a website that believes it has the best Photoshop tutorials: 

http://bestphotoshoptutorials.net/category/tutorials/

This website is focused on web design:

http://www.thewebsqueeze.com/web-design-tutorials/

________________________________

ABOUT PROJECTCENTER:

ProjectCenter is a single-source service company providing marketing and document solutions to small, medium and large-sized businesses in the U.S. area. ProjectCenter is based in Phoenix, Arizona and its services include graphic design, web design, printing, copying, scanning and mailing. For more information, please call (602) 252-6655 or visit www.makepapereasy.com or follow us at http://twitter.com/ProjectCenter.

In this day and age, everybody has a computer. Everybody has access to fun fonts and colors. And everyone has a nephew, brother, aunt, cousin, or friend who can make a logo for their business. So why pay a professional to design one for you? The answer is simple. You want results.

I, for example, went to a 4-year art school and graduated with a BFA in design. I had the advantage of learning from some of the best in the industry all about branding an image, the correct use of typography, and the effects of color in design. I know the subtle insights that will make your logo effectively portray the style and mission of your company. It’s not simply a matter of picking out a piece of clip art and trying on some fonts until you get something you like. It’s about creating an image that will be recognizable, memorable, and reach your target audience. Whether the company is a home improvement contractor or a venture capitalist, a florist or a college, the key is to develop a look that perfectly suits the client’s needs.

Everybody wants to be the next Nike, Google, or McDonalds. With all due respect to all of the nephews, brothers, aunts, cousins, or friends who have computers and are willing to “put something together for you”, if you want to brand your image and company, hire a professional. The right designer, amply educated in results oriented design will make a world of difference between THE PLACE that people go to for that service, or just another ‘joe schmo’ in the phone book.

Post written by KRSmith at www.khrysser.com.

ABOUT PROJECTCENTER:

ProjectCenter is a single-source service company providing marketing and document solutions to small, medium and large-sized businesses in the U.S. area. ProjectCenter is based in Phoenix, Arizona and its services include graphic design, web design, printing, copying, scanning and mailing. For more information, please call (602) 252-6655 or visit www.makepapereasy.com.

So, how much is a logo worth? Can one be designed for $50 or less (or for a “prize” amount as discussed in a previous post)? The answer is simple. It’s worth a lot. To the client and to the artist.

Your logo is the first and foremost piece of communication for your company. It will be on everything you produce in the future. From the sign on your front door, to your website, to your brochures, and even on administrative items like your fax sheet, paychecks and invoices. It’s just that important, so it’s certainly worth more than $50 prize.

By hiring the right designer, you will also take advantage of their knowledge of branding, typography, color theory, and marketing skills, which they surely paid a lot of money to achieve. When I design a logo I don’t simply “try on” a bunch of fonts until one looks good and slap a generic symbol on there for good measure. I want to delve in deep, get to know your company, it’s goals, it’s personality as well as your likes and dislikes. I design solutions that will meet your needs, speak to your intended audience, and fit the personality of the company.

So it takes time to properly develop a logo, and that is what you are paying for – the artists knowledge, talent, and time. Anyone can slap together some type and a piece of clip art with minimal time invested. But without the underlying branding support it will probably fall short of being successful and not hold up over time. Would you rather pay $50 and have to redo it again in the near future? Or pay a bit more for something that is on mark and will last?

Post written by KRSmith at www.khrysser.com.

ABOUT PROJECTCENTER:

ProjectCenter is a single-source service company providing marketing and document solutions to small, medium and large-sized businesses in the U.S. area. ProjectCenter is based in Phoenix, Arizona and its services include graphic design, web design, printing, copying, scanning and mailing. For more information, please call (602) 252-6655 or visit www.makepapereasy.com or follow us at http://twitter.com/ProjectCenter.

So you want to create an ad, postcard, or brochure for your business and you don’t have any pictures you can use. You have a few options depending on the number of images you need and your budget for acquiring the images.

Hire a photographer.

Your location, image needs, subject matter, model needs, and timeframe will all be factors in deciding the price of custom photography. Most times, product still-life photos can be done in a photography studio quickly without a rush status for a reasonable fee. And it will save you the headache of doing it yourself.

Take the photos yourself.

If you have a digital camera that you know how to correctly use it, then go for it. Have the patience to adequately light your images, or better yet, take them outside in natural light if you can. If you are taking photos of a product outside, be sure to do it in a setting that will look nice when placed in your brochure. Don’t take the photos of your product in the grass then ask an artist to retouch the photo (photo retouching can greatly increase the cost of your project). Be mindful of reflections on glass – it can be costly to accurately retouch those as well. If you are taking a photo of a location, be sure to do it on a nice sunny day and when the sun is overhead, not directly shining into the camera. If you have the patience and know how this can be a super cheap option for you!

Use stock photography.

Sometimes artists and agencies can offer stock photography for free, but this is often very limited in subject manner. Instead I encourage you to check out the numerous options online for stock photography subscriptions. In some cases for a few hundred dollars you can get unlimited downloads from a stock site for a limited period of time. If you only need a few really good photos check out some of the pay per image services where individual images generally cost about $10 each. You can often find highly specialized and creative images on these sites for a low standard cost.

Ask your manufacturer.

Many manufacturers of things like windows and siding (to name a few) will allow you to use their corporate photography if you are a dealer or reseller of their products. This is often free and can yield some excellent custom photography images, all you need to do is ask them for it!

One thing you generally can’t do is take images off of published websites. Not only are these images too low res for your printing needs, but they are almost always copyrighted. So when in doubt, just steer clear of these or you may end up ultimately paying the price with a lawsuit!

Post written by KRSmith at www.khrysser.com.

ABOUT PROJECTCENTER:

ProjectCenter is a single-source service company providing marketing and document solutions to small, medium and large-sized businesses in the U.S. area. ProjectCenter is based in Phoenix, Arizona and its services include graphic design, web design, printing, copying, scanning and mailing. For more information, please call (602) 252-6655 or visit www.makepapereasy.com or follow us at http://twitter.com/ProjectCenter.

It’s best to consider this when your logo is first designed if at all possible. In most cases, embroiderers require a clean, vector version of your logo- free of gradients and fine lines. I approach logo design with all type of applications in mind.

I begin with vector.

Vector art is designed in a manner that is highly reproducible. Raster art, like photographs is made up of tiny blocks of color. When those blocks are greatly increased in size, you will begin to see jaggedness to your image. We’ve all seen this before. With vector art, the lines and curves are actually mathematically calculated. You have two points with a line or curve in between and the program calculates the exact dimensions and curvature. Therefore, with vector art, when you increase the size -even to fit the side of a blimp – it will be perfectly clear because the program recalculates the math to your new dimensions. This precise approach allows an embroidery machine to most accurately reproduce your logo.

I also begin my logo designs in black only.

It has been said that if your logo looks great in just black it will look great no matter what. There is some truth to that. Narrowing the color to just black causes a designer (and a client) to focus on the actual design of a logo. Forcing them to create solutions that will stand up no matter what the situation is. Have you ever seen a logo used in a way that was not appealing or easy to read? If so, I’m willing to bet they didn’t start with a black only logo. The other bonus to beginning this way is that you will have an advantage when it comes to the number of colors in printing or embroidery. You will be able to embroider it in a single color that compliments your product. Say your company logo is blue and black. Blue lettering might not look good on a black shirt, and the black lettering would be lost completely…vice versa on a blue shirt. With a one color logo option, white lettering would look great on either color, be highly readable and would still keep with your corporate colors!

This doesn’t mean you can’t have your logo with all of the bells and whistles. By beginning with a basic black vector design and elaborating from there, you end up with a logo that will be reproducible in a variety of uses. After all, if you are going to pay for a logo to brand your company, it would be a shame to have to redesigned it or be forced to deviate from your branding image when you come across a situation where it doesn’t work!

Post written by KRSmith at www.khrysser.com.

ABOUT PROJECTCENTER:

ProjectCenter is a single-source service company providing marketing and document solutions to small, medium and large-sized businesses in the U.S. area. ProjectCenter is based in Phoenix, Arizona and its services include graphic design, web design, printing, copying, scanning and mailing. For more information, please call (602) 252-6655 or visit www.makepapereasy.com.

I was fortunate enough to get into a music convention/trade show a couple of weekends ago. I met a lot of musicians like Michael Anthony of Van Halen, Dave Mustaine of Megadeth, Doug Aldrich of Whitesnake, Warren Demartini and Bobby Blotzer from Ratt, Mick Mars from Motley Crue, Alex Skolnick and Eric Peterson from Testament, Lemmy and Micky Dee from Motorhead, Nicko McBrain from Iron Maiden, etc.

Let’s face the fact that all these guys run a business like anyone else. Thus, you can see that they have lived off their brands and logos for some time. Think about Van Halen’s VH with wings or Iron Maiden’s logo and their mascot Eddie or Megadeth’s logo and mascot Vic Rattlehead. 

I was surprised by the fact that individual musicians did not have their own logos. Consider all the musicians that are sort of free agents in the music world, but have made quite a name for themselves, such as Billy Sheehan, Sheila E, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai. If these folks had a logo, it certainly wasn’t evident. Even MMA fighters such as Bas Rutten have their own logo, so why wouldn’t these talented musicians have one. I am guessing that they feel their name is enough, but it just seems like they are doing themselves a diservice by not supporting their brand identity with an individual logo.

www.makepapereasy.com or follow us at www.twitter.com/ProjectCenter .