I usually try to write about design in my blog posts, but this week I’m switching it up and talking a bit about a source for some inspiration.
On my Twitter feed the other day, I noticed that a friend was at a TEDx in Atlanta. If you haven’t heard of TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design), their website describes themselves as “a nonprofit devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading.” Even though I’ve … Continue reading »
By now, social media users know the basics of what to post and not to post on social media forums. The “not to post” category is broad, containing the likes of the over-sharer, the blitzed-eyed late night photo poster, and the wall-to-wall conversers. Outside of the obvious, why think twice about posting a photo onto Facebook or Instagram?
Before you post that photo publicly, all rights are yours. You own … Continue reading »
In 1956, Lawrence Herbert was about to start his medical degree when he took a part-time job at an advertising agency’s print division named Pantone in Manoochie, New Jersey. At the time, printers had to use many different pigments to mix colors using a trial and error method. Lawrence became so interested in solving this problem that he stayed at the company and used his knowledge of chemistry to develop … Continue reading »
When you bring a project to Porchlight that will end up being printed, there is a system of steps we take to ensure the end product meets your expectations. Today, I’m going to talk about one of the last steps – the press check. This is another one of those topics that can get a bit complicated, so I’m going to try to make this a cliff notes version.… Continue reading »
This year, Porchlight made posters/calendars to give to our clients for the holidays. The idea was it would be a calendar that people would want to hang up and use all year. They were designed by co-worker Penny Cannon. As it turned out timing-wise, I had availability to do the press check instead of Penny as she had some deadlines to tackle. I’m a sucker for paper and printing … Continue reading »
Out of what could be called the five design disciplines – industrial design, interior design, architecture, engineering and graphic design – graphic design is the only one that does not require certification. Other countries do it, so why don’t we? One argument is that any standardized test would have to be based on the more technical part of the job, which is great for people who work more on the … Continue reading »
If you were to look up the term “craftsman,” its definition includes “a skilled worker engaged in or occupied by the practice of a craft who may, through experience and talent, reach the expressive levels of an art in their work and what they create.” I really like this definition to describe what I do for a living. I’m not saying that I get to work every day and take … Continue reading »
Color is one of the most important tools we use in graphic design. It’s a very interesting, fluid part and one of many reasons that I enjoy working in this field. To me, there are four important parts to using color effectively in graphic design.
The first part is explained by the quote from the home page of the Color Matters website (http://www.colormatters.com): “Color plays a vitally important … Continue reading »
We are so used to type all over everything that it’s commonly taken for granted. Today, I’m just going to talk about what type brings to the table as far as the influence it can have on packaging in a retail setting. Let’s look at a couple examples of “packages” with just type and no other design elements.
As you can see, there is something wrong here. The more … Continue reading »