PAPER Matters I

When you are choosing paper to design with consider this:

Opacity:

Can you see-through the paper? If the paper has a high opacity, you have a better chance that the printed text and images will not bleed through to the other side.  *If you are printing double sided make sure that you have a paper with high opacity.

Brightness:

Is the paper bright? *Because all papers are not numbered, compare paper side by side.

Top 10 for Design Inspiration

Tired of the Same Ole Thing? Not Feeling Inspired?

Time to Design and You Have No Idea What To Do? 

10 Ways to Get Great Inspiration for the Design!

1. Books. There are thousands and thousands of books on any given topic that you could think of, if not, you may be the very one to write on the topic!
2. Websites.  Look at what others are doing in Design and Communications.
3. Music.  Music not only can inspire you but look at the album covers and the inside of the cover.
4. Magazines.  Look at Magazines (do not limit yourself to magazines specific on design)
5. Prior Periods.  Artwork and design has evolved throughout the years.  Look at the overall history of Artwork.
6. Artists and Designers. Consider the artwork of other artists and designers. How do they integrate contrast, repetition, alignment, and proximity?
7. Nature.  Get outside during the morning, day, or night!  Get out and about. 
8. Buildings.  Look at the structure of buildings.  Look at the architecture and get inspired.
9. Shopping.   You can find anything while shopping and design is definitely close by.  Look at shopping bags, products, wrappings, advertisements, etc.
10. Social Networking. Look what others are doing and saying regarding artwork, communication, and design.

How to Use Adobe CS5 to Create a Newsletter

Newsletters are a great way to reach your targeted demographics. Adobe products such as Indesign, Photoshop and Illustrator can be a help to create the newsletter.  Below, the various parts of the newsletter are placed under the best program for the design:

Adobe Indesign

Mailing Panel

Captions

Pull Quotes

End Signs

Headlines

Decorative Text Elements

Table of Contents

Masterhead

(staff names, contributors, subscription information, addresses, logo, etc.)

Headlines

Page Numbers

Bylines

Adobe Photoshop

Photographs

Illustrations

Adobe Illustrator

Logo

Name of newsletter





Newsletter Designed from ronbutler.com



Bad to the Bone Branding

The House of Dereon branding is a reflection of daring approach and bold ideas. This Spring 2010 advertisement selection is fierce, stylish, edgy, and sexy.   The fashions are playful as evident in this advertisement as well.

31 Flavors and Design is ONE!

Now I love Baskin Robbins logo!  The logo incorporates playful use of colors in addition to the 31 highlighted in pink. This design appeals to you people as well as older ones! Great use of Gestalt! 

A Lesson In History for LOGOS

I love the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History and Culture's logo design.  The design cptured the essence of Maryland as well as African American History by using colors and images! I love it!

For the RECORD Logos Matter!

The logo design for Epic Records could have done a better job at using image to convey that it is a Records company. The design does not say "Records".  I think by adding an image would have better impact the design.

What Does Beauty have to do with Logo Design? EVERYTHING!

As I browse through one of my favorite fashion magazines, I stumble upon this logo for Ultra Beauty.  While there products are worthwhile this design is lacking in the area of  beauty! There is nothing that stands out to me that says, "Beauty".  Not a Good Logo Design!

There's Hope for Correct Color Use!

Browsing http://hyperakt.com/ I came accross this poster.  I believe that the use of the colors help to distinguish Obama's facial characteristics. This is a great use of color.

Color: Is There Room On The Court?

Considering that color has been described as the way an object absorbs or reflects light, I don't feel that the advertisement does a good job at making the yellow M&M stand out.  The yellow M&M blends in with the surroundings.  There is not enough contrast for the yellow M&M.  The green M&M stands out more.  Maybe a red M&M, could have been used to bring more attention to the two M&M's.