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Friday’s Creative Review for Graphic Designers

I got this email/joke and I thought it was too funny not to pass it on!

Unfortunately, I can’t give credit where it is due because I have no idea where this originated from. But, I still want to thank them for this.

I take this with a grain of salt, but apparently, a father got creative with a picture of their angry child.

I’m usually pretty down on using PhotoShop because I think most desigers overuse it. However, this is an exception. This is actually hysterical.

Enjoy! Happy Halloween!

We’ll start with the picture that started it all and go from there.

Thursday’s Management Tip for Graphic Designers

I don’t know about you, but I have A LOT of paper. Stacks and stacks of it.

So, I went browsing on the Epson website (the US side) and came across a wonderful new scanner.

It’s the Epson Perfection 4490 Office and I now covet this scanner.

I don’t really need a new scanner, but this one may be just too good to pass up.

It’s got a document automatic feeder. So, put the papers you want to scan, and wham it creates a PDF for you. How fast is it? 3 B&W pages per minute at 300 dpi, or 2 color pages per minute at 300 dpi.

Imagine? Anything you need to keep, but would rather have a digital copy of, you can scan it and put it on CD. Or, it’s fantastic if you just want a digital copy of it (in case something happens to the hard copy).

Some of the specs from the EPSON website:

• Automatic document feeder for documents up to 8.5″ x 14″
• Professional level 4800 x 9600 dpi resolution
• 3.4 Dmax for wide dynamic range and greater image quality
• Powerful Epson Easy Photo Fix™ to restore faded color photos
• Transparency unit with dedicated light source for better scan uniformity
• Versatile scanning with film holders for 35mm negatives, slides and 2-1/4″ transparencies
• Digital ICE™ Technologies for film scans
• Powerful software package for photo and document scanning; includes Adobe® Photoshop® Elements

T A K E A W A Y S:

I wonder a couple of things and I’ll try and find out:

1. Can it scan front and back automatically?
2. Does it recognize if a page is blank?

Wednesday’s Production Tip for Graphic Designers

Today’s post is going to be simple. Very, very simple. And short.

There’s one thing (or 2 depending how you look at it) I started doing last year that has saved me a lot of time. A LOT of it.

I started keeping spec sheets with vital information for all my clients. I keep on a sheet of paper the colors, fonts, and other things that I need to remember for each client.

I also keep a contact sheet for each of them too. On the contact sheets, I keep telephone numbers, addresses, URLs, passwords, etc.

(Members of Design & Thrive have access to both forms.)

It’s such a simple idea, but I did notice that less time was spent ruffling through papers and trying to find out the information I needed on each client.

And it keeps everything localized.

T A K E A W A Y S :

It’s such a simple idea but trust me it works! Sometimes, the simple things are the easiest.

And, it will save you much frustration too!

Tuesday’s Design Tip for Graphic Designers

There’s something that has been bugging me for a while now. And something that I’ve been very passionate and vocal about.

Paul Rand once said “Design is the method of putting form and content together. Design, just as art, has multiple definitions, there is no single definition. Design can be art. Design can be aesthetics. Design is so simple, that’s why it is so complicated.”

He went on to say “A bad design is irrelevant. It is superficial, pretentious, … basically like all the stuff you see out there today.”

Begs the questions: is content as important as form? And is design all about aesthetics?

Some tricks of the trade for creating meaningful designs:

1. Have you given some thought to the design? Are you starting your design without really analyzing what you are trying to do?
2. Have you read the piece? Seems like a no-brainer but I’ve met many a designer that haven’t even read the content of what they are designing.
3. Visual hierarchy: Have you established what is important and what is supporting in your piece and have established a visual hierarchy reflecting it?
4. Fonts: Are you using fonts that are easily readable and appropriate for your intended audience? What about the size; is it suitable?
5. Colors: Are you choosing colors with your audience on your mind? Are the colors you’ve chosen appropriate and don’t overwhelm your message? Have you selected type colors that are easy to read?
6. When including photographs or illustrations: Are the visuals there as a decorative elements or to strengthen and complement the content? Can you see the relationship between your visuals and the content?
7. Graphic elements should not be distractions: Have you added lines and bullets that don’t interrupt going through the design but are there to provide structure and flow?
8. Don’t overdo it on filters and effects: Are your filters and/or effects really necessary? Does it enhance your message or are you just trying to show off?
9. Are you wasting time? Are you spending an more time trying to pretty it up or adding filters and effects than you did on the actual concept for the design? As Roger C. Parker constantly tells me “are we rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic while it’s sinking?”
10. Have you used elements of your brand: Have you included the logo, colors, typefaces that are seen in the rest of the promotional materials?

In my first newsletter, I spoke about how technology may not be such a good thing. When I see some designs that are out there, I see that they are become more reliant on the tools (ie. software) than on our actual creativity.

What does this lead to? Designs that are very similar and honestly a lack of creativity and of a concept. Many designs nowadays rely more on filters and effects than on classic design principles.

It’s a strange dichotomy: We can actually achieve whatever is in our heads, but are getting hung up with the tools used to achieve our visions. We spend more time fiddling with the tools than we do thinking through what we want to do — and what’s appropriate for our audience.

You can see this reflected also in many design schools’ curriculum. It’s now almost exclusively dedicated to learning the tools of the trade (Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, Dreamweaver, et al.) than it is with learning color theory and design principles

What happens? We don’t really think ahead of doing our design. We simply dive in. We itch to start clicking that mouse button. If you were to conduct a poll on how many designers actually do thumbnails, I bet most newbies don’t even know what a thumbnail is.

T A K E A W A Y :

So, back to Paul Rand. If you read his statement: design is the method of putting form and content together. That necessarily means that you must read the content. You must understand the content and plan out what you want to accomplish with your design.

And finally, you must choose graphic elements that are appropriate for the content. It’s the only way of getting more meaningful designs.

Make your designs more meaningful today!

Monday’s Promotion Tip for Graphic Designers

When designing stationery, there is one question about designing business cards that causes some debate. “To use or not to use the backs of the business cards. That is the question.”

You’ve got 2 camps: one that says you should and the other that says a resounding “NO!” (I know, deep!)

Those that say “NO” claim it’s because you want to leave it blank so that the recipient of the business card can write notes about you on the back. They also say that there should be “no confusion” as to which is the front and which is the back.

Those that say “YES!” say it’s because the back of the cards are prime real estate for an ad or additional information. They say that the back is a continuation of the front and be treated as sort of a billboard.

In design school, everyone always told me it was a no-no to put stuff on the backs of business cards. When I started working at the print shop, the majority of business cards were one-sided. In fact, printers hated double-sided cards. 

Well, I’ve come across one man’s solution for combining these 2 seemingly opposing views. You can check out the post here.

He does use the backs. He uses a “next action form” on the backs so that the prospect can write notes. Brilliant.

TAKEAWAY:

The reason I like this is 3-fold.

It’s original and practical. You never see anyone really create the backs of the business cards as something to be used. It’s practical because the prospect has a place to write notes.

But, most importantly, it’s engaging. You are ensuring that they remember you. More likely than not, the prospect write out stuff to remember. Or, at the very least, he’ll remember your original business card (and of course the person that gave out the card).

Thursday’s Management Tip for Graphic Designers

One thing that’s been a big help (in terms of my not losing my mind looking for stuff) is to devise a filing system for the gazillion papers I have.

There’s no bigger time waster than riffling through stacks of papers looking for that particular, elusive document.

There are 2 schools of thought (one that makes sense to me and another not so much)

• Organize my category
• Organize using a numbered system for indexing files

You need to identify what categories you’ll need.

I usually divide these into 2 categories: personal and business/work. You need to keep them separate.

Here are a few categories to get you started:

• Automobile (insurance, repairs, …)
• Computer & maintenance
• Credit Cards (MC, Visa, American Express, …)
• Clients / Freelance work
• Education
• Employer (if you are a part-time designer)
• Finance (loans)
• Important documents
• Information (articles should also classified by categories for easy retrieval)
• Insurance (life, home, business, medical, dental, disability, Long Term Care)
• Mortgage
• Personal folders (birth certificates, fitness, hobbies, holidays)
• Repairs (home, technology)
• Registration information (domain, auto-responder system)
• Services (Accounting, legal, finances)
• Subscriptions (magazines, websites)
• Taxes
• Travel
• Utilities (phone, cable, electricity, internet, heat)
• Warranties (computer, electronics, …)

T A K E A W A Y :

Get a label maker, grab some files, and get started.

I like to color code my files. So for instance, all my client files are one color so that I immediately know where they are. I color code files by: personal, client/work, information (like articles), finance / important papers, and miscellaneous

Friday’s Creative Review for Graphic Designers

Last Wednesday, Dane Cook took to his MySpace page to vent his frustration on his new movie’s poster.

For a “lay-man” with only a “self-promotion” background, he does a pretty good job of analyzing the poster’s graphics.

I’ve copied and pasted the entire entry below (including his occasional use of profanity):

“Dear Diary

Before the downpour let me just say that my new movie, “My Best Friends Girl,” is the best / funniest film I’ve done yet. It’s got a terrific cast. Kate Hudson, Alec Baldwin, Jason Biggs, and myself really kicked the funny around. This movie showcases our talents accordingly as it expands on them. It’s a fun R-rated flick. An edgy comedy with a dash of romance.

That being said, let me address the fact that although I’m not a marketing major, I have a bit of a trusted reputation after 18 years self promoting. I’d like to inform you I had no say in this marketing campaign, but if I did, things would be different since it is obvious that this poster is boring / odd and has zero to do with the movie I performed in.

Here are a few things that truly blow about my upcoming movie poster to promote the release of the film opening on September 19th:

1. Graphics:
Whoever photoshopped our poster must have done so at taser point with
3 minutes to fulfill their hostage takers deranged obligations. They should have called Donnie Hoyle and had him give a tutorial using “You Suck at Photoshop” templates. This is so glossy it makes Entertainment Weekly look wooden.

2. My head:
The left side of my face seems to be melting off of my skull. I guess I am looking directly into the Ark of the Covenant? Are they going for the bells palsy thing here? My left side looks like Britney Spears’ vagina.

3. The Stare.
My character apparently has fallen in love with a strand of Kate Hudsons hair. Kate’s mannequin is desperately in love with the inside of my right ear while Jason is half stunned, half corsage.

4. Lips:
It looks like I’m wearing Maybelline Water Shine Diamonds Liquid Lipstick. My characters name is now Winter Solstice and I’m a hooker with a heart of gold. Jason is my floral carrying pimp, while Kate is my first trick!

5. Fashion:
My character is sporting a very high collar. I mean damn they should be snow capped at that altitude. It’s going for the vampire lurking in the castle basement vibe. An Olympic pole vaulter would have a tough go clearing that collar. I’m also able to turn my head comfortably 360 degrees, because I was raised in an abandoned barn by a family of owls.

6. Flesh:
It’s no secret that I’m more rugged facially due to a drunken visit by the teen acne fairy, but according to this poster I’ve got perfect porcelain flesh. I look like the fuckin’ bathroom floor at Caesars Palace. One of Marie Osmond’s dolls would look at me and say “shit … that guys got flawless skin!”

7. Hair:
It’s actually a close up shot of Tom Sellecks Magnum P.I. mustache they photo-slapped on my noggin’.

8. The set:
Pick one. This entire film takes place:

A. on Gattaca
B. at the Fortress of Solitude
C. inside a crystal wind chime

9. The cast:
Alec Baldwin is so fucking funny in this movie! Is he on the poster? I think so. He plays the wise talking plant Jason is clutching.

10. Final thoughts:
I set out to make a movie like the men and women, that you and I respect, are making. My generation of comedians, actors, directors and producers that I wish to collaborate with as I build a solid body of work.

Granted, one poster stinking up the joint isn’t the end of the world. Yet it sends the wrong message about our movie and I just wanted you to know, that I feel the pain. I really love the film and I know from past missteps marketing wise that the wrong poster sends the wrong audience into the theater.

Thanks again for all of your support. If you have not seen the red band trailer (which is excellent and represents the flick accordingly) watch it below! Just click of the mute button and your rolling!

PS - “Its funny what love can make you do.” I just threw up all over this awful poster.
Wow, wait … it looks better.

Hey … I love my new movie. Jeez … it IS funny what love can make you do.”

Wednesday’s Production Tip for Graphic Designers

I hate working off of production files sent by other people — especially non-designers who try and “take a stab” at it. BUT, it’s really bad when the files are created by so-called designers.

Whenever I get a file, at first, I always feel overwhelmed. I’ve got to go in and try to figure out what someone has done. See if the file is set up correctly and if I can modify it quickly.

My biggest pet peeve is getting a file that has NO text (character) and/or paragraph styles. If everything has been what I call hard-coded.

QUESTION: Do designers care more about the looks of the document than the way they’ve set it up?

Well, this type of file makes my job way harder.

I got such a file the other day. I had been told that it was going to be a modification of an existing file done by a bona-fide graphic designer.

Well, when I opened the file, I felt like writing back “I should charge you more for this”. I’d quoted the job as though I was “modifying” a file. Never did I suspect that it was actually going to be one of essentially building it from scratch.

Do yourself and all other designers modifying your files a favor: USE character and paragraph styles!

Here are a couple of reasons why:

1. Makes designing easier
2. Makes designing quicker
3. Keeps everything consistent
4. Ensures less possibility of formatting mistakes
5. GREAT for branding and creating a visual identity package
6. If changes need to be made later on, it won’t have to be done manually but automatically (and throughout the entire document.)

It’s all in the way you handle it from this point on:

My first temptation is to bash the other designer who did the job. But, as I’ve grown older and a little wiser, I don’t do that anymore. It reflects badly on all designers (and especially me). It’s expected that you would.

Instead, if you don’t and calmly tell the client that this is going to be a lot longer because the file is not set up to be easily modified, it makes you look very diplomatic and a professional.

T A K E A W A Y :

I sometimes wonder if it’s done intentionally (when designers are providing the final production files) to ensure that only he/she will be the ones modifying them the next time. And, if it’s not them, then it makes it that much harder for the next designer to use them.

Or, is ti because they are so eager to design that they dive in and let their creativity run free.

Regardless of which it is: keep it simple, stupid. You’re not just making it harder on others but yourself too! Not smart.