Posts Tagged ‘design’

Get the Right Logo Files from Your Graphic Designer

May 6th, 2010

If you hire a graphic designer to design your logo, make sure that you get the correct files once the logo is finalized.

Vector vs. Pixel Based Graphics

Generally, designers will work in Illustrator to design your logo. Adobe Illustrator is a vector based program, rather than a pixel-based program like Photoshop. Vector-based images can be resized both larger and smaller without diminishing the quality. On the other hand, pixel based images do not resize well. As you can see in the example below, the vector-based Illustrator file (top) is created with just a few points and a mathematical formula determines the curves and lines in between. The pixel or bitmap based Photoshop file (bottom) looks digitized and has blurry edges when resized from a low resolution file.

The vector version (Illustrator eps files) of the Visible Logic logo.

Visible Logic logo resized from a pixel-based program such as Photoshop.

Your final logo artwork will probably be an Illustrator eps (Encapsulated Post Script) file. Now it’s likely that you do not have Illustrator, so you will not be able to open the file. But that’s OK. You only need to be able to place the finished eps file within documents or provide it to vendors for such things as business card printing, signage, etc.

File type: eps

An Illustrator eps file is the gold standard for your logo files. In fact, if your logo designer says they are working in Photoshop, you are probably not going to get files that will be universally useful for you, your printers, your other vendors, etc. And it will in fact cause problems for you in the future, if not immediately. Whenever you have a reason to pass along your logo to a professional, give them the eps version, unless another format is specifically requested.

The benefit of an eps file is that it can be sized up or down without restriction and without deteriorating the image quality. It also has a transparent background so that the logo can be placed in any situation without a problem. A jpeg, on the other hand, will always have a white box as the background of the logo. Professionals such as graphic designers, web designers, printers and sign makers can convert the eps file to whatever size and format they need.

The problem is often that you may not be able to place an eps file in documents such as Word or Powerpoint files. Whenever you are working on something that requires your logo, always try to use the eps file first. If the software does not let you place or import an eps, then you will be forced to use an alternative format.

File type: Jpeg

Jpegs are the most common image types that many of us are familiar with. They can be easily placed within Word and other software programs. There are two common problems with jpegs files: they do not resize well, and they have a background fill (such as white). Therefore jpeg images need to created with their end use in mind.

Here are some examples. If you are creating a jpeg for a large, printed poster, then the file should have a resolution of 300 dpi, it should be set up four-color (CMYK rather than RGB), and should be at a large enough size that it does not need to be resized very much upon placement in the layout program. On the other hand a web graphic should be saved at 72 dpi, and in rgb format. The size should be close or exactly what it will be on the web page. If you are placing your logo on a black background, for example, you’ll need to create a jpeg with a black background.

As you can see, it’s easy to end up with a large library of these images because you need one for every specific usage. And, you may not have the tools to make all these variations. You’ll need to start with the eps file to create the jpegs in these various formats, and your designer may need to be the one to do that for you.

File type: gif or png

Gifs and png files are an alternative to jpeg, but allow for a transparent background. However, they have essentially the same limitations because they are also pixel based. You will again need to create the file with the correct size and resolution for the end usage.

Developing a library of files

Whenever we design a logo for a client, we provide a large library of final electronic files. The key files are the Illustrator eps files, and we usually provide them in Pantone (PMS) color, four color, grayscale, black, and white versions. That handful of eps files are the most critical.

Then, we build a whole library of jpeg and gif files. We create a wide range of files in different sizes and resolutions to span most of our clients needs. As you can imagine, this is a large library of files. It is not uncommon for us to provide up to 100 different variations for them.

What kind of files did your logo designer provide you? Were they sufficient?

Tags: design, file type, logos, must
Posted in Design Basics | 8 Comments »

7 Environmentally-Friendly Design Practices

April 22nd, 2010

In honor of Earth Day, here are 7 things to consider on your next design job:

Understand the type of papers you are using. In your copier or from the offset printer, understand the type of paper you are consuming. This can be confusing as there are recycled content numbers to look at, as well as sustainable harvesting practices to examine. Take the time to ensure that one or both of those are following good, green practices.
Watch the coatings. Aqueous coating is water based and much more environmentally friendly than varnish. Don’t just assume glossy is bad and matte is good, ask about the specifics of how a print job is finished.
Choose your print partners wisely. Printing has many qualities that can make it pretty bad for the environment: paper waste, toxic inks, high-energy machinery, to name a few. Find out what your printer is doing on all three of those fronts. Ensure they recycle waste paper, use soy-based or other less toxic inks, and see what type of energy efficiency or carbon-limiting programs that have going.
Minimize your own printing. At the beginning of the design process, it is usually necessary to create a hard copy print out or mockup of a printed piece. This helps people understand the actual physical presence of a brochure, how big the text will actually look, etc. But once you are at the point of proofreading and double-checking, it is often not necessary to keep printing out every new version. Try to proof online by using PDFs.
Don’t print excess quantities. The way offset printing works is that the per-piece price drops significantly the more you print. When you see that a quantity of 5000 is just a little bit more than a quantity of 1000 it can be tempting to print the higher quantity. But think twice: you’ll have to print, ship and store all of them.
Consider transportation costs. Try to print near where you’ll be using the printed pieces to minimize the shipping of materials. Also, heavier paper means more shipping or postage costs.
Does it really need to be printed? My business has changed dramatically in the 9 years I’ve been in business. It has switched from print-dominated to web-dominated. To make the same amount of information available online, as in print, it’s generally more economical to have it on a web site, rather than printed. It’s also, obviously, much more earth friendly. I’m still a believer in many forms of printed materials: I’m a book lover, and sometimes you just can’t get a good look at something unless it’s in printed form. But the throwaway marketing materials and excessive printouts of things is wasteful.

Happy Earth Day from this people-powered commuter.

Tags: design, Earth Day, environment
Posted in Design Basics | 2 Comments »

How to Work with Royalty-Free or Low Cost Photos

February 8th, 2010

This post is a follow up to Royalty-Free vs. Stock Photos: Differences and Benefits

The reality of tight budgets is that many of us rely on low-cost images when designing brochures, web sites or other marketing materials. If you do find yourself working with less-than-perfect photos or illustrations, make sure you work carefully within the restriction of those images.

Make the Design Work with Low Cost Images

It may take more time to find a good image. There are many web sites boasting low-cost of even free photos. You’ll notice a large variance in the quality of these royalty-free photos. That means it often takes longer to sort through pages and pages of poor quality results. The larger, more reputable stock agencies offer free research, so they can do a lot of the leg work for you. Factor in the cost of your time. For example, does it make sense to search for 6 hours to find a decent $25 image or should you search for 45 minutes and pay $400?

Understand the resolution of the image. Most royalty-free sources charge based on the size of the image sold. A small, web-resolution image is going be less expensive than a large-scale, high-resolution image ready for poster-sized printing. Read this post, if you need more information about resolution. However, you will not be able to put a web-resolution file into a printed piece without it looking blurry, bitmapped or both.

Don’t make poor-quality images the focus of your design. What makes something less-than-great? Poor lighting, stiff actors/models, out-of-focus images, cheesey poses, trendy (ie soon to be out-of-date) clothing and hair styles, out-of-date looking people, places or accessories.

Examples

As a graphic designer, I have certainly found myself having to work with less than ideal images. Sometimes a tight budget only allows for royalty-free photos, other times one or two poor quality photos are the only images available.

Educational Endeavors printed marketing materials. When we worked with Educational Endeavors we had to rely on low-cost royalty-free images to stay within budget. Silhouetting all the photos helped to unify them graphically, and made the layout less boxy. Making the images duotones diminished inconsistencies of color palette, lighting, and style.

Community Energy Cooperative printed marketing materials. When Visible Logic worked with the CEC on the Energy-Smart Pricing Plan, we used primarily all royalty-free images taken from just one or two photo CDs. Because all of the images were energy-related, it was easy to find images. But, they varied greatly in the angle, depth of field and color spectrum. So we kept them small, and enhanced them in photoshop through judicious cropping and some color effects.

Cambridge Human Resources Group Web Site. Finding low-cost, but high-quality photos of adults can be particularly hard. Clothing, hairstyles and accessories can look out-of-date quickly. Think of it like investing in a good suit: focus on timeless styles. For Cambridge, we purchased a group of photos and then made them duotones of gray and purple to work with their branding systems we were building. We made sure to purchase high-enough resolution versions to work in both their print and web campaigns.

Cover design for Boycott. Boycott is about the athletes who were unable to compete in the 1980 Olympics because of the Moscow boycott. The stories were based on interviews with the athletes and we wanted to show the athletes at that time. So, we had to rely on images supplied to us by the author and publisher. Rather than use only the photos, we made sure major design elements and parts of the concept were made up of other graphics. In this case the red-white-and-blue motif and the distressed type.

There is no denying that high-quality photos can improve your design. But if you know that there are limitations because of what is available or what you can afford, design around it. Make images small, use other graphics, manipulate and pull the images together with an effect like duotoning or silhouetting. In the end, you may decide that no photos is a better solution than poor photos.

Tags: design, low cost, phototography, royalty-free
Posted in Design Basics | No Comments »

“Simple” Does Not Mean “Not Designed”

February 1st, 2010

Nothing too complicated. Nothing fancy. Something simple, it shouldn’t cost too much.

These are remarks I’ve heard many times from people considering hiring me for design services. And they all seem to suggest that something that is simple is therefore easy and therefore shouldn’t cost a lot.

However, I’d argue that the cheapest design is all the stuff that falls in the middle. It’s not complicated, but it’s not simple either. It has the usual amount of fussiness and detail, and the usual amount of scale and proportion applied.

To do something simple and minimalist takes a certain design expertise (which you’ll pay for) and the ability to keep out all the extraneous details (which you’ve got to really be ready to embrace).

Some wonderful examples of minimalist design are many of Paul Rand’s logos:

Iconic logos by Paul Rand: ABC, IBM, and Westinghouse

Creating minimalist and simple design, is a skill that can separate a mediocre designer from the best. It’s that ability to strip a concept down to it’s essential meaning and simplest shape. Logos are the clearest example of this. But a great designer can help you follow this method by applying the same philosophy to your web site, your marketing materials, or your book cover.

I don’t want to compare myself to the legendary Paul Rand, but I do want to show that the ideals of minimalist design are alive in well even in this time period where swooshes, shadows, bevels and gradients seem to overpower too many design. Here are a few items from the Visible Logic portfolio to make my point.

Modern Epicure logo

Book cover design: BYOB Chicago

Next time you are looking for something simple, realize that you need to do two things:

accept that some things will be “left out” of the design
work with a highly skilled designer so that the end result is beautiful, minimalist design rather than boring, unfinished looking design.

Tags: design, minimalist, simple
Posted in Design Basics, Design Trends | 6 Comments »

I’m Not Slow; The Creative Process Takes Time

January 22nd, 2010

I like to think of myself as someone who can think on her feet. But sometimes when a client, or potential client asks me a question, I end up with just a blank stare or dead silence.

If I’m asked about the nuts and bolts of building a brand identity, the general process of web development, or even the identity of a typeface I can usually come up with an articulate answer quickly. But if you ask me to provide you with some creative ideas, out of the blue, you may not be as impressed with my answers.

The creative process takes time.

I don’t think this is unique to me or to graphic design as it’s something I’ve read about from people doing creative work ranging from fine art, to computer programming to scientific experiments. There is something about moving a project out of the conscious line of fire, and into the subconscious that allows a new perspective and breakthrough creativity.

Whether I’m developing a logo, a book cover concept, or a web site design, the more I allow ideas to percolate in my head, the better the responses. Well, within reason. I’m not saying I need six months to create preliminary web designs, but I do need more than 60 seconds. In fact, I’ve come to recognize there is sweet spot in my creative process that comes with having just enough pressure (often a time deadline) with just enough leeway to allow the concepts to rattle around in my head for a while.

So, if you call me on the phone and ask me for my quick ideas about your new project don’t be disappointed if I’m unable to come up with brilliant ideas on the spot. I hope I can come up with a brilliant idea soon, but give me time.

Get the process rolling

Even mundane tasks such as job estimating and organizing of job files can help me with the process of integrating the information and ideas for a design project. Sometimes I write a formal creative brief, sometimes I do a lot of sketching. Other times, I just do a lot of thinking in the gaps between doing other things. Like sleeping.

Yes, I do often start thinking about design projects just as I drift off to sleep. Then I silently curse you, but you get some of my best design work.

So make sure you allow enough time for the creative process.

Tags: creative process, creativity, design, time
Posted in Design Basics | 3 Comments »

5 Design Tips for More Effective E-Newsletters

November 17th, 2009

We are all complaining about our full e-mail boxes, yet we continue to send tons of e-mail, receive tons of e-mail and sign-up for more e-newsletters. You’re hungry for good information and so are your clients and potential clients. E-newsletters are a powerful marketing tool, and using high-quality design can help your e-mail stand out in an overflowing inbox.

Subject lines and copy are critical, and I suggest you spend some time learning about how to write catchy and succinct text. Some good sources are here, here, and here.

5 design tips

Most of us try to sort through our e-mail efficiently and therefore, quickly. If your e-newsletter is a struggle to read, it’s probably going to be headed for the trash bin. Here are 5 tips for better designed e-newsletters.

Some examples of custom-branded e-newsletters designed by Visible Logic.

Above the fold, create a masthead. Many of us, as we review our inboxes, get just a quick glance at the top-most part of an e-mail as we decide whether to read it or not. So design of that area is most critical. Work on your layout so that area holds key branding or content elements.
Branding. Your e-newsletter should be custom-branded with your logo, your color scheme, your imagery, your tagline, etc. It should look familiar and safe and hopefully even enticing to your viewers. The newsletter should have a cohesive look and feel with your web site. It does not need to be an exact replica, but key elements should match from web to e-mail. I know, there are lots of low cost e-newsletter services that provide “templates” but they can’t be refined more than choosing key colors and placing your logo. If you’re relying on an e-mail marketing campaign to build brand awareness, you need to start with your unique brand identity.
Make it scannable. Try using a table of contents type of area that acts as clickable headlines for key stories. This also works to put key content near the top.
Make it a quick read. Ensure stories are easy to read by having shorter sentences and more paragraph breaks. If you have long articles, have only the start or an excerpt and have the remaining text online; readers can click to read the full article. If you put a long article near the top of your newsletter, many people will not scroll down far enough to see other content.
Limit fonts and styles. The basics of good design apply to your e-newsletter, just like any other project. Keep font choices and changes to a minimum. Set up a rhythm for the reader to follow, where all similar content has similar design to it.

At Visible Logic we design e-newsletters, then our clients insert and edit the content and send them out on their own. We design a custom-branded template that has all the branding and navigational elements in place, and defaults for the layout and type. But many people get carried away changing typefaces, font colors and styles. Many people think they are adding excitement and interest, but nine times out of ten it’s just making it more confusing and less readable.

Special Offer!

Are you ready to start your own e-mail marketing campaign? Let Visible Logic setup a high-quality, custom-branded e-newsletter for you. Until December 31, 2009, we’re offering a special rate of $400 for all custom-branded templates. Compare that to $599, charged by Constant Contact, to move you from one of their stock templates to a custom-branded solution. Here are the details.

Tags: design, e-newsletters, email
Posted in Branding, Design Basics | 2 Comments »

How to Measure the Return on High-Quality Design

November 15th, 2009

Design is an expense that may be put under the umbrella of branding, identity, marketing or even public relations. Those are businesses expenses that are necessary, but are sometimes hard to measure their effectiveness.

Here at Visible Logic, we are currently putting together a white paper that will talk about the Return On Investment (ROI) on high-quality design. It includes a case study with one of our clients detailing how their business grew as their branding became more cohesive and professional.

The naysayers

Obviously, most (hopefully all!) of our clients value professional design services. But sometimes there are naysayers out there who need to be addressed. It may be a boss approving budgets, or the spouse of a new business owner who downplays the importance of design within a business.

I’ve certainly heard people say that they don’t really care about the quality of their business card (in either design and/or printing) and they doubt that their customers or potential customers care either. But I know that my clients, and many others out there, do care about design. So when you decide to forfeit professional design services by either doing nothing, or going the DIY route, you are unfortunately, making a poor impression on many people.

People do notice

Even if most people can’t tell the difference between Times Roman and Garamond, many can recognize good typography and typesetting. Many people can’t describe why some web sites are easier to use than others, but they recognize usability. Many can identify excellence in design and layout, paper choice, and printing quality even if they are unable to articulate why.

People are forming opinions of you and your business from their first impression of you. Whether that is with your web site or a business card, professional design services can assure that those first impressions say: quality, integrity, excellence. On the other hand, poor design can lead to people thinking you do shoddy work, or are financial unstable.

White paper to be released soon

We encourage you to check back with this blog or sign-up for our e-mail newsletter, so you don’t miss the release of our white paper: Professional Graphic Design: The Crucial Step Toward Higher Brand Equity,
Increased Revenues. You can find links for the RSS feed and e-newsletter signup at the top of the left sidebar on this web page.

Tags: design, ROI, white paper
Posted in Branding | No Comments »

Type Size Explained

October 10th, 2009

It’s a bit of a stereotype, but designers have a reputation for setting type too small and clients have a habit of asking for it larger. When setting type for print projects, there are a number of issues to consider:

Application: Across the room or held in your hand?

An ad, a poster at a trade show, or a book cover all need to have typography large enough to attract a browser’s eye. A brochure that is held at arms’ length relies on larger headlines to get key points across and then smaller type to fill in details. A business card should have the business and individual name easy to read, but other contact details can be smaller as it will accessed only when the reader is focused on getting that information.

Context: Attracting attention or a captive audience?

Another factor is how focused is the reader’s attention? While a novel and a sales brochure may both be held at arms length and include many paragraphs of text, the reading styles of the users are fundamentally different. When someone picks up a book, they have made a commitment to reading the text and they are probably willing to put on their reading glasses and get some good lighting to be able to get through the content. With a sales brochure, your audience is more likely to be skimming and wondering if the item is worth their time. Type size, along with other type styling (shorter content, more paragraph breaks, greater use of subheads) keeps people’s attention and helps them focus on the specific text that is of interest to them.

Size is relative: Type size as part of a larger design layout

Several times I have been asked by a client ask to set the type a certain size. Or, someone may be surprised when they inquire about the type size in a document and it was not what they expected.
For many in the business world, they do most of their “typesetting” in Microsoft Word. Often set in Arial, Helvetica or Times, Word documents are set up to be printed on an 8.5 x 11 sized paper. With standard margins, and standard line spacing, the type size that is the default in these programs (generally 12 point) is easily readable in these circumstances.

It is important to remember that when type is set into different sized columns, or placed into different applications that 12-point type may not feel right or even be the most readable. Imagine reading the New York Times set in 12 point type-believe me, it’s set smaller because of the narrow column width.

What is a type size: What does 12-point (or 9, 10, or 72 point) mean?

Point size is a measurement system that is a relic from when type was set as metal pieces. Points are just another unit like inches or centimeters, and are generally considered to be 1/72 of an inch. Therefore, 72 point type should be 1 inch high.

However, this original measurement system had a specific reference within the context of typesetting. A square piece of metal that was 72-points high (for example) needed to hold the complete letter forms of the font set at 72 point. This meant from the top of the tallest ascender (say the top of a capital letter “T”), to the bottom of the lowest descender (say the tail of the lowercase “p”) all had to fit into an area 72-points high. So a font with very tall capital letters or very low descenders would look different, compared to another typeface, within that 72-point high area.

Two different fonts, both set at 72 point, can look very different.

As you can see, two different typefaces that are both set at 72 points in height can look like different sizes.

We’re digital now: Type sizes in the modern world

Now that type is no longer designed and set into metal blocks a difference in sizes between one typeface and another is even more likely. Size are now set by the type designer and are not necessarily in relation to the diagram above. So you can’t even really be assured that a type set in 72 points will be 1 inch high.

Both of these are set at 72 point, but are not the same height.

Both of these typefaces were set at 72 point. As you can see, the actual height varies. However, the typefaces feel pretty similar in size and readability.

Final Thoughts

Type size is not as set-in-stone (or metal) as you may think. As you move from one font to another you may need to adjust the size. Also, consider the application of the font and make adjustments based on the intended audience, the layout, the printing process, etc.

Tags: design, graphic design, typesetting, typography
Posted in Design Basics | 2 Comments »

What is Branding?

September 16th, 2009

Branding is a very popular and even over-used term in the business and marketing sectors. It can mean different things depending on who is talking/writing and who is listening/reading.

Some phrases I’ve heard to define branding

A brand is a promise. This is a phrase I see quite often, and it’s honestly always a bit vague and confusing to me. I guess that is sort of the point: this message is that your brand is not tangible. However, I would argue there are clearly tangible parts to a brand. These are parts can be called your brand identity and include your logo, your trademarked designs and services, your corporate look and feel, among others.

You don’t build your brand, your customers do. This is another sentiment that stresses that all of brand building is not within your control. However, I think this is a bit extreme, as you do have some control. And businesses should make every effort to grow their own unique and thriving brand.

A brand is more than a logo. This I can agree with. However, it seems to suggest that designers are out there saying “here’s a logo, here’s your brand” which I don’t think anyone falls for any more. A complete brand system would include a logo, and then much more. It’s not enough to just rubber stamp your logo on something and call it branded, it should move into the areas of layout, color systems, fonts, photography and imagery as well as the tone and style of writing.

How do I define branding?

Your brand is like your reputation. Who you associate with, what you say, and how you act matters. How you present yourself matters. Can you be trusted? Do you words and actions paint the same picture? And like your reputation, you do not have complete control over it. Others may misrepresent what you do, or even go so far as to slander you. But if you are honest, present yourself well, and keep your head up any misguided jabs will not harm you too much.

And when you don’t have a reputation, your brand is your first impression. This is often key for a start-up, or a company that is growing. You have the opportunity to show the world how you’d liked to be viewed. And you do that with your logo, your presentations, your web site, your customer interactions, among other things.

Is it all about design?

No. Branding is definitely more than a logo, and it’s even more than your design systems. But without those elements, it’s hard to contain and quantify your brand.

For example, Coca Cola is always listed as one of the most valuable brands in the world. Imagine their success without the scripted logotype and their hourglass bottle shape. If these elements were not so easily identifiable it would be much harder for them to build their international presence.

Want to see some examples from small businesses?

It can be difficult for a small business owner to imagine their own branding strategy, when they compare themselves to giants like Coca Cola or Google. At the Visible Logic web site, we’ve just reorganized our portfolio to show the branding systems that we’ve developed for our clients. Creating branded elements that build a cohesive look and feel from logo to web to print is an important start for business owners looking to build their own brand. Take a look and get some inspiration for all the places you can present yourself.

And finally, how to do define branding?

Tags: Branding, design, graphic design, startup
Posted in Branding | No Comments »

Typesetting Tips: Think Twice Before Centering the Type

August 24th, 2009

One thing I’ve noticed over the years, working with clients, is that they love centered type. It’s not that I hate centered type, but like many graphic designers, I think there is a time and a place for it.

I’ve come up with a theory as to why non-designers love centered type. It’s because they feel like they’re designing. They are making decisions about the placement of typography and overriding the default settings of their word processing program.

The default setting, in programs like Word, is to have all the type the same size and flush left. When you choose to center type, you’ve made a decision about the layout; you are doing some measure of typography design. This is similar to the decision to make something bigger, smaller, a different font, or a different color.

The problem, or potential problem, with centered type is that when the rest of your type is flush left it breaks the rhythm of the typical reading pattern. There are times when that makes sense, but there are other times when you should make it easy for your reader to keep reading.

Here are some examples of typography where centered type is well-designed, and not-so-well designed.

When to use centered type

For headlines above large blocks of copy. If you are reading something like a research document or white paper, that has multiple paragraphs of running text, centered type on headers works well.
Headlines above multi-column layouts. One centered head that runs across multiple columns is a good way to show that the headline applies to everything underneath.
Multiple short lines of copy, like on an invitation. Greeting cards, invitations, announcements and posters can all handle centered type well because there is just short amounts of text and all of the text can be centered.

When to avoid centered type

With short and small subheads. If you’re reading along, and have large sections of type that are all flush left, you can easily overlook a small, centered piece of type. It’s better to keep that flush left.
Mixed in with bulleted text. Text set in bullets is already indented and hanging. When centered type runs immediately before or after bulleted text it’s hard for it to look properly spaced between left and right margins. BTW, you can see how these graphics also don’t sit well when centered under this bulleted text.
Using it for no good reason, when flush left type is fine. This is really at the heart of my pet peeve with centered type; when people decide to use it without being consistent and without good reason. The problem with centered type is that it breaks the reader’s flow, and that should be done with purpose and with care.

Am I the only one with a pet peeve about centered type? Do you like it?

Tags: centered type, design, Design Basics, how to, typesetting, typography, Word
Posted in Design Basics | No Comments »

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