Monday, February 16, 2009
Saturday, January 31, 2009
About Design
With the rapid growth within the Graphic Design & Communications industry there has been some confusion about terminology. Here we have listed some of the more common phrases and terms.
Graphic Design: The process of using images and text to present and communicate visually. Graphic Design is also used to describe the finished product ("a piece of graphic design").
Identity, Corporate Identity & Logos: All of these terms relate to a similar concept in design. The personification of a business or individual to be in harmony with and facilitate the ideas and concepts the business stands for. The logo is the potential end result, while both the terms Identity and Corporate Identity represent a much broader spectrum of work and ideas that work in conjunction with the logo.
Web Design: The design and graphical presentation of content to be shown on the internet in the form of Web Sites and other Web Applications.
Web Programming & Development: A more techinical direction including e-commerce, server side programming and writing web code.
Negative Space: In the Graphic Designers world, negative space is not a negative design element at all. Understanding graphic communication and the implications of professional graphic design in relation to the intended audience is crucial. The use of space in graphic design can convey a message of quality, by designing a layout with lots of space, or of value for money, by filling available space.
Typography: The art and techniques of type setting and type design. Performed by graphic designers, typographers, graphic artists etc. The digital age has opened the door to a whole variety of graphic possibilities with regards to typography.
Leading & Kerning: Terms such as leading, kerning, tracking etc. These are a graphic designers tools to aid legibility. The ease with with the audience can read a document will be key in their understanding of the message.
Related Terms for Graphic Design:
Take a look at the samples of our graphic design work available on our website, from original Logo and Corporate Identity Design, to Professional Graphic Design samples in stationary, brochure, flyer, packaging and advertising designs.
If your a company or business in Mississauga, and your tired of the usual Graphic Design why not call us. Our In house Design services and expert Graphic Design solutions will not dissappoint.
What Is Graphic Design???
Graphic design basically is visual problem solving using text and/or graphical elements. Your aim is to create something that is pleasing to the eye, and gets the attention of the viewer. But things can't just look cool. They have to work as well.
Dictionary.com says this:
"The practice or profession of designing print or electronic forms of visual information, as for an advertisement, publication, or website."
The Scope of this Industry...
So what do graphic designers actually do? Most people can name at least a few things, but the graphic design spectrum is perhaps broader than you think.
Designs can include: brochures, posters, magazine covers, magazine layout, tickets, business cards, T-shirts, signs, logos, book layout (typesetting), importing advertisements into a newspaper, websites, cd covers, dvd interactivity elements, Internet banners, flash animation, web interfaces, Powerpoint presentations, and more.
So what can YOU expect? Some employers will have a very specific and narrow job description, and some will want you to do a whole load of stuff. Often an in-house graphic designer (meaning a non design company will hire someone to do their graphic design rather than work with a company) will be the jack of all trades. You might expect to create the website, brochures, a poster for an upcoming event, and prepare powerpoint presentations. And then there is the other end of the spectrum where your entry level job for the first 2 years is scanning photos for Auto Trader Magazine, and placing them into the layout. It all depends on who is hiring, and what they want.
Go For It... : )
How effective is a great looking restaurant menu if you can't for the life of you find beverages, or it's hard to tell which price is for what? ; )
About.com defines it this way:
Dictionary.com says this:
"The practice or profession of designing print or electronic forms of visual information, as for an advertisement, publication, or website."
The Scope of this Industry...
So what do graphic designers actually do? Most people can name at least a few things, but the graphic design spectrum is perhaps broader than you think.
Designs can include: brochures, posters, magazine covers, magazine layout, tickets, business cards, T-shirts, signs, logos, book layout (typesetting), importing advertisements into a newspaper, websites, cd covers, dvd interactivity elements, Internet banners, flash animation, web interfaces, Powerpoint presentations, and more.
So what can YOU expect? Some employers will have a very specific and narrow job description, and some will want you to do a whole load of stuff. Often an in-house graphic designer (meaning a non design company will hire someone to do their graphic design rather than work with a company) will be the jack of all trades. You might expect to create the website, brochures, a poster for an upcoming event, and prepare powerpoint presentations. And then there is the other end of the spectrum where your entry level job for the first 2 years is scanning photos for Auto Trader Magazine, and placing them into the layout. It all depends on who is hiring, and what they want.
Go For It... : )
Graphic design is a very exciting career to enter into. You'll often be working with cutting edge technology, using your creativity, and having fun doing it. If you pay attention to detail, are patient, creative, and like solving problems, then you are well on your way. What is graphic design? It's a creative career that finally rewards you for all of those doodles you'd make during class.
copyright by adigitaldreamer.com
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Why Branding is Important
Written by: Bruce Milletto
Your brand is more than a series of words; it is your corporate identity. Your name and logo should tell people who have never been to your establishment something about you. Your brand should be strong enough to convey a message and a feeling in an instant. When you run a small newspaper ad, besides a Website, phone number and address, your logo may be all someone has by which to judge your business. If your logo design looks professional, it alone may be the reason that someone decides to visit your coffee establishment for the first time.
When you are developing your identity, first define your target or niche market and make sure your branding speaks to those groups. For example, if you are located close to a university or college, your branding should appeal to the young adults who will probably be your main source of income. If your operation is in a downtown district, it would be wise to create branding that will be attractive to office workers and business people. If you're in a suburban shopping mall, you will probably want to develop an identity that will engage mothers, shoppers and area residents.
Properly executed branding can set small chains and independent retailers apart from the big chains. World Cup Coffee & Tea, a small chain in Portland specializing in organic, shade-grown, fair-trade and relationship coffees, has created branding with thematic ties to its niche market-coffee consumers who are interested in the social issues surrounding coffee. So its branding is colorful and fun, with an International and ecological flavor, suggesting an affinity with the environment and sustainability issues.
I have seen many small companies make the mistake of choosing an identity too quickly. Sometimes when Bellissimo arrives to train retailers on-site, the first thing we see is a sign with a poorly designed logo. We do our best to explain how to use these ill-conceived logos, but to be honest, if the identity is not professional, do you want to see it everywhere you look? A good rule of thumb is to have as many people as possible look at your prospective logo design before you invest any money in it. Garner the opinions of people whose taste you trust.
Taste may be subjective, the law is less so. From a legal standpoint, it is extremely important to check with your attorney before finalizing your name to avoid copyright infringement. Every state has different laws regarding business names. A client of mine in Arizona wanted to register the name "Caffe Paradiso," but because there was already a "Paradise Café" in the state, my client was unable to use the name. In other states, the name may have been acceptable. Make sure you follow the proper registration procedures in your state so you will not have to change your name years later because of an infringement violation.
Your brand is more than a series of words; it is your corporate identity. Your name and logo should tell people who have never been to your establishment something about you. Your brand should be strong enough to convey a message and a feeling in an instant. When you run a small newspaper ad, besides a Website, phone number and address, your logo may be all someone has by which to judge your business. If your logo design looks professional, it alone may be the reason that someone decides to visit your coffee establishment for the first time.
When you are developing your identity, first define your target or niche market and make sure your branding speaks to those groups. For example, if you are located close to a university or college, your branding should appeal to the young adults who will probably be your main source of income. If your operation is in a downtown district, it would be wise to create branding that will be attractive to office workers and business people. If you're in a suburban shopping mall, you will probably want to develop an identity that will engage mothers, shoppers and area residents.
Properly executed branding can set small chains and independent retailers apart from the big chains. World Cup Coffee & Tea, a small chain in Portland specializing in organic, shade-grown, fair-trade and relationship coffees, has created branding with thematic ties to its niche market-coffee consumers who are interested in the social issues surrounding coffee. So its branding is colorful and fun, with an International and ecological flavor, suggesting an affinity with the environment and sustainability issues.
I have seen many small companies make the mistake of choosing an identity too quickly. Sometimes when Bellissimo arrives to train retailers on-site, the first thing we see is a sign with a poorly designed logo. We do our best to explain how to use these ill-conceived logos, but to be honest, if the identity is not professional, do you want to see it everywhere you look? A good rule of thumb is to have as many people as possible look at your prospective logo design before you invest any money in it. Garner the opinions of people whose taste you trust.
Taste may be subjective, the law is less so. From a legal standpoint, it is extremely important to check with your attorney before finalizing your name to avoid copyright infringement. Every state has different laws regarding business names. A client of mine in Arizona wanted to register the name "Caffe Paradiso," but because there was already a "Paradise Café" in the state, my client was unable to use the name. In other states, the name may have been acceptable. Make sure you follow the proper registration procedures in your state so you will not have to change your name years later because of an infringement violation.
What is Branding?
Written by: Bruce Milletto
Branding is not only your logo but also your business name. Great names evoke intrigue, savvy and class, and tell customers a lot about who you are. When you begin the branding process, think first about your name. Next, envision an image that works with that name. Finally, create a byline, which is a short sentence that describes who you are or what you stand for. Here's an example. I named of one of my first coffee bars "Caffe Primavera." In Italian, "Primavera" means springtime. For my logo design I used a Corinthian column with a floral theme at its base, surrounded by two renaissance angels. The byline I chose was "Coffee delivered from heaven."
There are many examples of expired branding in the coffee world. Let's look at Seattle's Caffé D'arte (Italian for "coffee of art"). Its simple logo incorporates the company name and a cup in a design that uses traditional Italian colors. Its byline, "Taste the Difference," tells you a lot. It indicates this company has traditional Italian coffee and suggests it is a high quality product.
Another Seattle coffee company with impressive branding is Caffé Vita. Its logo design features an Italian clown holding a cup. The image is classy, whimsical and reminds me of Carnival in Venice, reinforcing the link to Italy, the Mecca of espresso. The company uses its name and branding in fun and unique ways, probably more so than any other company in the industry.
Recently the company gave away black hats with an embroidered logo design that simply said "Caffé Vita." But for the younger crowd, as a very creative and unique promotion, the company created cheap black and white foam baseball hats that from a distance read "VITA SUCKS." Upon closer inspection, you could read small print that said, "VITA is great! What SUCKS is when you can't find any!
Branding is not only your logo but also your business name. Great names evoke intrigue, savvy and class, and tell customers a lot about who you are. When you begin the branding process, think first about your name. Next, envision an image that works with that name. Finally, create a byline, which is a short sentence that describes who you are or what you stand for. Here's an example. I named of one of my first coffee bars "Caffe Primavera." In Italian, "Primavera" means springtime. For my logo design I used a Corinthian column with a floral theme at its base, surrounded by two renaissance angels. The byline I chose was "Coffee delivered from heaven."
There are many examples of expired branding in the coffee world. Let's look at Seattle's Caffé D'arte (Italian for "coffee of art"). Its simple logo incorporates the company name and a cup in a design that uses traditional Italian colors. Its byline, "Taste the Difference," tells you a lot. It indicates this company has traditional Italian coffee and suggests it is a high quality product.
Another Seattle coffee company with impressive branding is Caffé Vita. Its logo design features an Italian clown holding a cup. The image is classy, whimsical and reminds me of Carnival in Venice, reinforcing the link to Italy, the Mecca of espresso. The company uses its name and branding in fun and unique ways, probably more so than any other company in the industry.
Recently the company gave away black hats with an embroidered logo design that simply said "Caffé Vita." But for the younger crowd, as a very creative and unique promotion, the company created cheap black and white foam baseball hats that from a distance read "VITA SUCKS." Upon closer inspection, you could read small print that said, "VITA is great! What SUCKS is when you can't find any!
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