While it may seem obvious, Maria Giudice of Hot Studio gives small businesses a little and important Reminder when it comes to hiring your graphic design team.
©2009 David Scott | Cosmic: Advertising & Design
Showing posts with label graphic designer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label graphic designer. Show all posts
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Friday, November 30, 2007
El Lissitzky
El Lissitzky was born November 23, 1890 and was a prominent Russian graphic designer and artist. He was widely known for his unique use of typography and use of geometric shapes in his work. Many Soviet propaganda poster designs, book designs and magazine covers were produced by Lissitzky starting from around 1919 til his death in 1941.
[Images: The Biggest List]
©2007 David Scott | Cosmic: Graphic Design & Branding
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Eight ways to drive a graphic designer mad
A friend sent this to me and I had a good laugh. So, I thought I would share it. Personally, a client wouldn't make it past step #1 before I knew it wasn't going to work out - just FYI for those thinking about taking this on.
As everyone knows, graphic designers are the reason there are so many wars in this world. They get inside our heads with their subliminal advertising, force us against our will to spend money on the worst pieces of shit, and eventually, drive us to depression and random acts of violence. And of course, most of them are communists.
So to do my part to save the world from them, i made a list of things you can do when working with a graphic designer, to assure that they have a burn-out and leave this business FOREVER.
1-Microsoft Office
When you have to send a graphic designer a document, make sure it's made with a program from Microsoft Office. PC version if possible. If you have to send pictures, you'll have more success in driving them mad if, instead of just sending a jpeg or a raw camera file, you embed the pictures inside a Microsoft Office document like Word or Powerpoint. Don't forget to lower the resolution to 72 dpi so that they'll have to contact you again for a higher quality version. When you send them the "higher" version, make sure the size is at least 50% smaller. And if you're using email to send the pictures, forget the attatchment once in a while.
2-Fonts
If the graphic designer chooses Helvetica for a font, ask for Arial. If he chooses Arial, ask for Comic Sans. If he chooses Comic Sans, he's already half-insane, so your job's half done.
3-More is better
Let's say you want a newsletter designed. Graphic designers will always try to leave white space everywhere. Large margins, the leading and kerning of text, etc. They will tell you that they do this because it's easier to read, and leads to a more clean, professional look. But do not believe those lies. The reason they do this is to make the document bigger, with more pages, so that it costs you more at the print shop. Why do they do it? Because graphic designers hate you. They also eat babies. Uncooked, raw baby meat.
So make sure you ask them to put smaller margins and really, really small text. Many different fonts are also suggested (bonus if you ask for Comic Sans, Arial or Sand). Ask for clipart. Ask for many pictures (if you don't know how to send them, refer to #1). They will try to argument, and defend their choices but don't worry, in the end the client is always right and they will bow to your many requests.
4-Logos
If you have to send a graphic designer a logo for a particular project, let's say of a sponsor or partner, be sure to have it really really small and in a low-res gif or jpeg format. Again, bonus points if you insert it in a Word document before sending it. Now you might think that would be enough but if you really want to be successful in lowering the mental stability of a graphic designer, do your best to send a version of the logo over a hard to cut-out background. Black or white backgrounds should be avoided, as they are easy to cut-out with the darken or lighten layer style in photoshop. Once the graphic designer is done working on that bitmap logo, tell him you need it to be bigger.
If you need a custom made logo, make your own sketches on a napkin. Or better yet, make your 9 year old kid draw it. Your sketch shouldn't take more than 5 minutes to make. You don't want to make something that's detailed and easy to understand, because the less the designer understands what you want, the more you can make him change things afterwards. Never accept the first logo. Never accept the 9th, make him do many changes, colors, fonts & clip art. Ask him to add a picture in the logo. Bevels. Gradients. Comic Sans. And when he's at his 10th attempt, tell him that you like the 2nd one the most. I know, it's mean but remember: graphic designers are the cause of breast cancer among middle aged women.
5-Chosing your words
When describing what you want in a design, make sure to use terms that don't really mean anything. Terms like "jazz it up a bit" or "can you make it more webbish?". "I would like the design to be beautiful" or "I prefer nice graphics, graphics that, you know, when you look at them you go: Those are nice graphics." are other options. Don't feel bad about it, you've got the right. In fact, it's your duty because we all know that on fullmoons, graphic designers shapeshift into werewolves.
6-Colors
The best way for you to pick colors (because you don't want to let the graphic designer choose) is to write random colors on pieces of paper, put them in a hat and choose. The graphic designer will suggest to stay with 2-3 main colors at the most, but no. Choose as many as you like, and make sure to do the hat thing in front of him. While doing it, sing a very annoying song.
7-Deadlines
When it's your turn to approve the design, take your time. There is no rush. Take two days. Take six. Just as long as when the deadline of the project approaches, you get back to the designer with more corrections and changes that he has time to make. After all, graphic designers are responsible for the 911 attacks.
8-Finish him
After you've applied this list on your victim, it is part of human nature (although some would argue weather they're human or not) to get a bit insecure. As he realises that he just can't satisfy your needs, the graphic designer will most likely abandon all hopes of winning an argument and will just do whatever you tell him to do, without question. You want that in purple? Purple it is. Six different fonts? Sure!
You would think that at this point you have won, but don't forget the goal of this: he has to quit this business. So be ready for the final blow: When making final decisions on colors, shapes, fonts, etc, tell him that you are disappointed by his lack of initiative. Tell him that after all, he is the designer and that he should be the one to put his expertise and talent at work, not you. That you were expecting more output and advices about design from him.
Tell him you've had enough with his lack of creativity and that you would rather do your own layouts on Publisher instead of paying for his services. And there you go. You should have graphic designer all tucked into a straight jacket in no time!
©2007 David Scott | Cosmic
As everyone knows, graphic designers are the reason there are so many wars in this world. They get inside our heads with their subliminal advertising, force us against our will to spend money on the worst pieces of shit, and eventually, drive us to depression and random acts of violence. And of course, most of them are communists.
So to do my part to save the world from them, i made a list of things you can do when working with a graphic designer, to assure that they have a burn-out and leave this business FOREVER.
1-Microsoft Office
When you have to send a graphic designer a document, make sure it's made with a program from Microsoft Office. PC version if possible. If you have to send pictures, you'll have more success in driving them mad if, instead of just sending a jpeg or a raw camera file, you embed the pictures inside a Microsoft Office document like Word or Powerpoint. Don't forget to lower the resolution to 72 dpi so that they'll have to contact you again for a higher quality version. When you send them the "higher" version, make sure the size is at least 50% smaller. And if you're using email to send the pictures, forget the attatchment once in a while.
2-Fonts
If the graphic designer chooses Helvetica for a font, ask for Arial. If he chooses Arial, ask for Comic Sans. If he chooses Comic Sans, he's already half-insane, so your job's half done.
3-More is better
Let's say you want a newsletter designed. Graphic designers will always try to leave white space everywhere. Large margins, the leading and kerning of text, etc. They will tell you that they do this because it's easier to read, and leads to a more clean, professional look. But do not believe those lies. The reason they do this is to make the document bigger, with more pages, so that it costs you more at the print shop. Why do they do it? Because graphic designers hate you. They also eat babies. Uncooked, raw baby meat.
So make sure you ask them to put smaller margins and really, really small text. Many different fonts are also suggested (bonus if you ask for Comic Sans, Arial or Sand). Ask for clipart. Ask for many pictures (if you don't know how to send them, refer to #1). They will try to argument, and defend their choices but don't worry, in the end the client is always right and they will bow to your many requests.
4-Logos
If you have to send a graphic designer a logo for a particular project, let's say of a sponsor or partner, be sure to have it really really small and in a low-res gif or jpeg format. Again, bonus points if you insert it in a Word document before sending it. Now you might think that would be enough but if you really want to be successful in lowering the mental stability of a graphic designer, do your best to send a version of the logo over a hard to cut-out background. Black or white backgrounds should be avoided, as they are easy to cut-out with the darken or lighten layer style in photoshop. Once the graphic designer is done working on that bitmap logo, tell him you need it to be bigger.
If you need a custom made logo, make your own sketches on a napkin. Or better yet, make your 9 year old kid draw it. Your sketch shouldn't take more than 5 minutes to make. You don't want to make something that's detailed and easy to understand, because the less the designer understands what you want, the more you can make him change things afterwards. Never accept the first logo. Never accept the 9th, make him do many changes, colors, fonts & clip art. Ask him to add a picture in the logo. Bevels. Gradients. Comic Sans. And when he's at his 10th attempt, tell him that you like the 2nd one the most. I know, it's mean but remember: graphic designers are the cause of breast cancer among middle aged women.
5-Chosing your words
When describing what you want in a design, make sure to use terms that don't really mean anything. Terms like "jazz it up a bit" or "can you make it more webbish?". "I would like the design to be beautiful" or "I prefer nice graphics, graphics that, you know, when you look at them you go: Those are nice graphics." are other options. Don't feel bad about it, you've got the right. In fact, it's your duty because we all know that on fullmoons, graphic designers shapeshift into werewolves.
6-Colors
The best way for you to pick colors (because you don't want to let the graphic designer choose) is to write random colors on pieces of paper, put them in a hat and choose. The graphic designer will suggest to stay with 2-3 main colors at the most, but no. Choose as many as you like, and make sure to do the hat thing in front of him. While doing it, sing a very annoying song.
7-Deadlines
When it's your turn to approve the design, take your time. There is no rush. Take two days. Take six. Just as long as when the deadline of the project approaches, you get back to the designer with more corrections and changes that he has time to make. After all, graphic designers are responsible for the 911 attacks.
8-Finish him
After you've applied this list on your victim, it is part of human nature (although some would argue weather they're human or not) to get a bit insecure. As he realises that he just can't satisfy your needs, the graphic designer will most likely abandon all hopes of winning an argument and will just do whatever you tell him to do, without question. You want that in purple? Purple it is. Six different fonts? Sure!
You would think that at this point you have won, but don't forget the goal of this: he has to quit this business. So be ready for the final blow: When making final decisions on colors, shapes, fonts, etc, tell him that you are disappointed by his lack of initiative. Tell him that after all, he is the designer and that he should be the one to put his expertise and talent at work, not you. That you were expecting more output and advices about design from him.
Tell him you've had enough with his lack of creativity and that you would rather do your own layouts on Publisher instead of paying for his services. And there you go. You should have graphic designer all tucked into a straight jacket in no time!
©2007 David Scott | Cosmic
Friday, October 5, 2007
Always get perfect
A client of mine wants to get some t-shirts made with their logo on the front. When I called the t-shirt shop they had selected about where to deliver a digital version of the logo, they responded with "Oh, you don't have to do that. We already digitized it off the business card."
In other words, they scanned and redrew the logo. Incorrectly, I might add. The type was wrong, the edges were pixelated and it was out of proportion.
When it comes to your company's image, leave nothing to chance. An inexperienced t-shirt shop knows nothng about your brand and they don't care about it either. This is why it is so important to hire an experienced graphic design firm to monitor these kinds of things.
Whatever it takes to get perfect, do it. If you are not taking care of your own business, why would you take care of your customers? That may not be true in all cases, but your customers will notice inconsistencies in your company whenever they can and it just might have an impact on whether they do business with you or not.
©2007 David Scott | Cosmic
In other words, they scanned and redrew the logo. Incorrectly, I might add. The type was wrong, the edges were pixelated and it was out of proportion.
When it comes to your company's image, leave nothing to chance. An inexperienced t-shirt shop knows nothng about your brand and they don't care about it either. This is why it is so important to hire an experienced graphic design firm to monitor these kinds of things.
Whatever it takes to get perfect, do it. If you are not taking care of your own business, why would you take care of your customers? That may not be true in all cases, but your customers will notice inconsistencies in your company whenever they can and it just might have an impact on whether they do business with you or not.
©2007 David Scott | Cosmic
Monday, September 10, 2007
Osama loves design
Banner ads, videos, sequels? Is it me or does Al-Qaida seem to be going a bit hollywood? I don't think I ever really paid much attention to how these guys get their message out and when I saw this banner ad featuring Osama Bin Laden's announcement of a new video, I was somewhat intrigued about the design. It seems to me that for a terrorist organization, this ad's design isn't half bad.
If you study it, one can see there's a certain sense of alignment and formatting to this ad and the typography might even be considered beautiful. It occurs to me that someone with a background in design would have had to have designed it. I wouldn't call it award winning work or anything, but I've seen much worse.
It struck me as curious. Are terrorists hiring graphic designers? If so, it makes me wonder whether organizations like Osama's see the value in graphic design and what role design plays to combat his and other's propaganda.
©2007 David Scott | Cosmic
If you study it, one can see there's a certain sense of alignment and formatting to this ad and the typography might even be considered beautiful. It occurs to me that someone with a background in design would have had to have designed it. I wouldn't call it award winning work or anything, but I've seen much worse.
It struck me as curious. Are terrorists hiring graphic designers? If so, it makes me wonder whether organizations like Osama's see the value in graphic design and what role design plays to combat his and other's propaganda.
©2007 David Scott | Cosmic
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Business Networking
Here in St. Pete, business networking is the buzz word of the day and if you don't belong to a business networking group, well you just won't succeed. At least, that's what I'm told, anyway. It really is amazing at how many of these groups there are around here. There's BNI, NPI, Free Networking International, Le Tip and Business Builders just to name a few.
I joined a small group called Local Business Networking (LBN). The group meets every Wednesday at 7:25am in the community room of Perkins restaurant and they seemed to take a liking to me so much that they made me secretary, which basically means I take attendance. The group is really a great group. There's a good deal of comraderie and everyone has a fun time at the meetings and it's an awesome group if you are a small business owner like a plumber, termite specialist, you sell Mary Kay or are even a massage therapist. It is not, however, for the professional graphic designer.
While I respect what groups like my LBN group does for small businesses, most of the members can't justify the costs associated with professional graphic design services. Especially when they can do it themselves using Microsoft Word! In other words, these groups are loaded with people that are overly concerned with cutting costs instead of taking steps to enhance their professional image. I've heard this referred to as steping over dollars to pick up pennies. If you play your cards right, what you put into your company you'll get back tenfold. Likewise, if you spend little you get little back.
Generating a powerful brand for your company does take time and money. It also builds confidence and morale. Can you see that a confident and high energy sales team wouldn't have to work so hard to get business? Graphic design is critcal to developing a strong corporate image that is backed by inspiring people. In the long run, the money is always well spent.
©2007 David Scott | Cosmic
I joined a small group called Local Business Networking (LBN). The group meets every Wednesday at 7:25am in the community room of Perkins restaurant and they seemed to take a liking to me so much that they made me secretary, which basically means I take attendance. The group is really a great group. There's a good deal of comraderie and everyone has a fun time at the meetings and it's an awesome group if you are a small business owner like a plumber, termite specialist, you sell Mary Kay or are even a massage therapist. It is not, however, for the professional graphic designer.
While I respect what groups like my LBN group does for small businesses, most of the members can't justify the costs associated with professional graphic design services. Especially when they can do it themselves using Microsoft Word! In other words, these groups are loaded with people that are overly concerned with cutting costs instead of taking steps to enhance their professional image. I've heard this referred to as steping over dollars to pick up pennies. If you play your cards right, what you put into your company you'll get back tenfold. Likewise, if you spend little you get little back.
Generating a powerful brand for your company does take time and money. It also builds confidence and morale. Can you see that a confident and high energy sales team wouldn't have to work so hard to get business? Graphic design is critcal to developing a strong corporate image that is backed by inspiring people. In the long run, the money is always well spent.
©2007 David Scott | Cosmic
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Adrian Frutiger
Adrian Frutiger (born March 24, 1928) is one of the twentieth century's most prominent typeface designers and continues to influence the direction of digital typography into the twenty-first century. Frutiger is best known for his typefaces Univers and Frutiger. Frutiger was born near the town of Interlaken, in the Swiss Alps. His father was a weaver. As a child he experimented with a variety of self-invented scripts and stylized handwriting in reaction to the formal cursive required at the time in Swiss schools. An early interest in sculpture was discouraged by his father and secondary school teachers who encouraged him to work in printing. Though Frutiger entered the world of print, he maintains that love of sculpture influenced the form of his types.
Frutiger's career and type development spans the eras of hot metal, phototypesetting, and digital typesetting. Frutiger now lives near Bern, Switzerland, and is primarily working with woodcuts. In 2003 Frutiger was commissioned by Swiss watchmaker Ventura to design a line of limited-edition watches. He created a new face specifically for the watch face. Frutiger also designed a mark for the National Institute of Design in Ahmedabad, India. The institute had been named the National Design Institute; however, the name was changed to match Frutiger's design, which incorporated a stylized NID logo alongside the words "National Institute of Design."
©2007 David Scott | Cosmic
Friday, March 2, 2007
Sean Collier
A lot of people have been asking me about the name change and the merging of companies. So, I wanted to take a minute to explain a little about it. My partner in crime, Sean Collier is a good friend and very talented design professional from Bermuda. We actually used to work together and we had a chance to collaborate on a couple of projects throughout 2006. Things went smooth enough to where we entertained the idea of increasing our collaboration efforts. Thus, we decided to tie our businesses together to expand the reach of both of our companies.
As far as the name change goes, I felt it was important to use a name that didn't identify with any one person. As the company grows we intend to grow as a team and not under the authority of any one person. The Studio David moniker didn't fit this vision. Sean was already using the name Cosmic and it was easy to simply incorporate it into the workflow.
Sean is well known as one of Bermuda’s freshest and most progressive graphic designers. Having worked in many areas of the creative field, including printing, web, and design agencies, he has won a host of awards for electronic and print media. Sean graduated Cum Laude from The Savannah College of Arts & Design, Savannah GA in November 1998 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Graphic Design.
We're both excited to be working together and look forward to a year filled with challenges and growth.
[Image: Sean at the slots during the 2006 HOW Design Conference in Las Vegas.]
©2007 David Scott | Cosmic
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)