Austin Archives - Breakaway Graphics

Digital Painting in Adobe Illustrator

Sheana — Mon, 21 May 2018 18:46:24 +0000

Watch the whole process from start to finish below.

This weekend, which happened to be the opening weekend for Deadpool 2, I challenged myself to create Deadpool fan art in Adobe Illustrator in under two hours. Why under two hours? Because that was the exact amount of time before needed to head towards the movie theatre to see the movie itself (it was AWESOME btw). Anyway, I would have much preferred to freehand the artwork but given my self-imposed time restraints, I knew I needed a little help. I decided I’d have a better chance reaching the finish line on time if I used a reference behind my art board. I was right….from start to finish the drawing took exactly one hour and 42 minutes (including several breaks to care for and feed my furbabies and to get more coffee).

All-in-all I don’t think it came out half bad for a quickie personal project. AND it allowed me to distribute the result using my “five around” method. (a general rule I use to determine priority and set up of various deliverables: If I make it for one specific purpose, can it be used in at least four other ways?). In this case, the original purpose was to create tiled Instagram posts for fun but because I knew I’d want to find four more ways to use it, I screen captured the entire process. I then sped it up, added some royalty free music and created the video above. Then, I was able to post the video on YouTube, LinkedIn and Facebook….and as for number four? Well you’re reading it. So there you have it….one for-fun challenge, five distribution points, and a pretty neat looking deliverable.

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What Is Corporate Identity

Sheana — Thu, 05 Apr 2018 00:09:14 +0000

Our Process for Building a Solid and Relevant Identity

The combination of all of the elements that make up the company’s aesthetic is more or less, its identity. Its a visual presentation of the company as a whole. Identity design is based on the visual elements created by a brand expert to build cohesive and appealing sales tools, marketing collateral and tradedress. A specific set of guidelines are developed, inspected and examined to ensure that a company’s brand identity remains intact throughout all avenues and each element adds value to the overall visual feel. To learn more about the ideation process, read my blog about Creating Iconic Brands.

Marrying these elements, the brand expert will create a brand manual and style guide which should be studied and followed closely as it illustrates how the Identity is applied throughout all mediums by using exact color palettes, specific fonts, pre-approved layouts, etc. By establishing and following these guidelines early on, the company can begin the process of building brand recognition, customer loyalty and achieve success by offering a cohesive message and visual aesthetic no matter where the customer encounters them.

To illustrate how each element works together to form a corporate identity, we’ll take a journey through the process using a client of mine and the identity I created for them.

Logo Development

In this case, I had been working with LoPresti Aviation for four years within the limitations of an existing identity they had when I was contracted to do collateral for them. When leadership changed hands, the new owner contacted me to strategize a completely new look (something I had been itching to do since the first sales deck I had produced for them.I started from a slightly difference place than I usually do (see my typical logo design process here), instead choosing to skip some initial steps simply because I already knew so much about the company. I already had a good understanding of their values, competitors, position in the market and goals. The SWOT analysis had already been performed and metrics defined. The first sprint of heavy lifting was in the past. So in this case, I chose to start by confirming if my view of the company’s ideal presentation was aligned with the view the new owner had for the future of the company.

I asked him if there were any elements that needed to stay from the old brand. (Sort of, yes…more on that below). I asked how he wanted the customer to FEEL when they interacted with the company. (Safe and as if they were dealing with THE professionals of the trade). From these and several other questions, I was able to determine four solid personal characteristics that were the foundation of the company’s representation: Dependable, Innovative, Accessible and Bright

The old identity utilized bright yellow, orange, red and a ‘swoosh’. The new owners wanted to maintain some similarity to the old brand. Specifically, they loved the movement expressed by the swoosh and a secondary use of the warm color palette but wanted a more ‘high-end’ feel. I chose to represent movement by positioning the plane as if it were landing or taking off. This ambiguity would also allow the user to unconsciously assign perspective resulting in an organic connection to the mark. I liked the idea that yellow represents optimism, brightness and sunshine in color theory (one of their main product lines is super bright HID lighting systems). It is also the most easy to see color of all the rainbow. This worked right into their product line of high visibility aftermarket lighting.

I chose a warm yellow for its additional connotations of durability (think construction tools) and because when combined with black and grey (the other brand colors we chose to convey elegance, prestige, and stability), the overall presentation was one of sophisticated illumination. I also replaced the old standard italic serif typeface with a sturdier serif/slab serif hybrid. Then, I manually adjusted some of the ligatures and skew so that it nodded to the old brandmark while departing from the commonality of the previous type.

Establishing Best Practices for the Brand

Once the logo was finalized, I further defined the identity by solidifying typefaces, accent colors, patterns, additional supplementary graphical elements, margins and use guidelines. The result of this process would eventually become the style guide which was used as a reference on how to use the brand elements and to ensure that the visual representation of the company is always congruent.

Utilizing the Style Guide to Create Collateral

By carefully following the guidelines and best practices set forth by the style guide, I began to create the various sales tools and internal business collateral utilizing the approved color palette, typeface, patterns and image standards. A typical starting identity suite from a designer would include letterhead, business cards and perhaps a presentation/pitch deck template. In this case, however, I was contracted to work beyond just defining and developing the identity. I was also tasked with creating many additional pieces including presentation folders, envelopes and sales sheets for various airplane models.

So Why Is This Important?

Everything from the shape, the colors and the type to the arrangement of elements, the use of space and minimum standards for imagery are all important components. When combined, they offer the viewer a dynamic view of your company. It’s that view and the resulting opinion formed in the mind of the consumer that will motivate how he or she engages with the company moving forward. Given that successful marketing and design expertly leverage the three “V’s” of communication (55% Visual, 7%Verbal [what is said], 38% Vocal [how it’s said]), it could be argued that your identity (or visual representation) comprises 55% of customer’s first impression. And since you only get one shot at a first impression, you should be deliberate, careful, and thoughtful. What you’d like that first impression to be? How you want your customer to feel in response to seeing it? How you will achieve that response through your corporate identity?

Think of it like this: if the logo is the face of the company, the facial expression and body language are its Identity. As a side note, the brand is how all of the above plus beliefs, personality, style of voice, etc are perceived by the audience….but more on that in a future post.

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How Iconic Brands Are Developed

Sheana — Thu, 05 Apr 2018 03:23:48 +0000

THE THREE ELEMENTS

Many assume that a company’s brand is simply its logo and colors. Most of my clients are surprised to learn that it is a much more intricate and thoughtful process than that. I tend to start with asking a client to describe the company as if it were a human being because a brand is a company, personified and what better way to start understanding WHO the company is than to define its qualities and values?

There are, though, three major facets of a company’s brand:

The logo (the mark that makes a company recognizable), the presentation (the marketing plan and optics), and the personality (message).

BRAND

The Personality

The perceived characteristics of the company as a whole.

LOGO

The Face

A brandmark identifies a business in its simplest form.

IDENTITY

The Presentation

The visual aspects that form part of the overall brand.

IDEATION

SO WHERE DOES IT START?

The Brand Expert should start by becoming familiar with the products and solutions on a fundamental level in order to start with a blank canvas. Then, by looking at competitors in the market, the brand expert can examine strengths and weaknesses to identify where there are voids that needed to be filled.

Next? Brainstorming. This is far more than basic word association and shouting out ideas, directions or personal opinions; it’s a step-by-step, tried and tested, thorough technique used by Marketers and Brand Experts worldwide but only understood and utilized by few because it is a highly specialized sub field.

Starting with Latin root words then word combinations and finally brand-new words, the Brand Expert will carefully check definitions against multiple languages and even check slang words that could be negatively associated. Sometimes you find one that works in English, but wont work in Spanish or French. Often, through the process, you find a word that fits the core messages and has no conflict linguistically, but come to discover that another company has already scooped up the domain or has already trademarked the word. It is an arduous process.

Sony

Sonus is the Latin word for sound, but the name also comes from the founders considering themselves ‘sonny boys’, a Japanese word that suggest smart young men.

Fage

The word φάγε (translated from Greek to English as FAGE) both the singular imperative verb meaning ‘Eat!’ And is spelled using the first initial of the founders.

Google

A play on the word “googol,” a mathematical term for the number represented by 1 followed by 100 zeros – reflects the mission to organize a seemingly infinite amount of information on the web.

THE LOGO

THE FACE OF A COMPANY

Used for identification, a logo represents and identifies a company or product immediately (and simply) through the use of a mark. It does not sell the product directly but rather derives its meaning from the quality of the product it symbolizes. The logo is the FACE of the company.

The 5 elements that make an iconic logo: Describable, Memorable, Effective without color, Scalable, and Relevant. See more about the logo development process here.

MESSAGE

DEFINING A PERSONALITY

This part of the process involves carefully defining the mission, vision, essence, and purpose of the company as well as establishing the Brand’s characteristics and promise.

Misson

What the company wants to do and how they want to do it.

Vision

What the company wants to become.

Essence

A three to five word summary of the brand’s space and how it fits in.

Purpose

The driving force behind the Brand.

Character

If the brand were a person, this is how you would describe them.

Promise

What the company ideally provides to the customer.

INDENTITY

A Company’s Identity might be defined, more or less, as the combination of all of the elements that make up the company’s aesthetic – a visual presentation of the company as a whole. Identity design is based on the visual elements created by a Brand Expert to build cohesive and appealing sales tools, marketing collateral and tradedress. A specific set of guidelines are developed, inspected and examined to ensure that a Company’s Brand Identity remains intact throughout all avenues and each element adds value to the overall visual feel. To learn more about copperplate identity, read my blog about it here.

Marrying these elements, the Brand Expert will create a Brand Manual and Style Guide which should be studied and followed closely as it illustrates how the Identity is applied throughout all mediums by using exact color palettes, specific fonts, pre-approved layouts, etc. By establishing and following these guidelines early on, the company can begin the process of building brand recognition, customer loyalty and achieve success by offering a cohesive message and visual aesthetic no matter where the customer encounters them.

Logo

The symbol of the brand.

Collateral

Marketing collateral includes flyers, brochures, books, websites, etc.

Signage

Both Interior & exterior design.

Letterhead

Letterhead, business cards, envelopes, etc.

Packaging

Includes the actual products sold and their tradedress.

Other

Any additional visuals that represents the business.

BRANDING

Many people have little or no understanding of what a corporate brand actually is. Essentially, a company’s Brand is the way the AUDIENCE interprets the company. This opinion can be shaped by the way the company presents its personality and corporate image combined with the message and how it interacts with the audience, however branding is a massive topic, a complicated task and a multi-faceted concept with a little bit of unpredictability added in. As such, it is not something that should be taken lightly. Through proper planning, research, ideation and development, the end consumer’s perceptions, reactions and emotions can be reasonably predicted.

The fundamental purpose of the company’s Brand is to add value, importance and create loyalty to the company. Every product or service a company sells, every message it sends, every advertisement it places, absolutely every part of a company’s message should represent the parent business as a whole to achieve this. It is the research, development, ideation processes, and objective communication of a company’s core message that defines a brand as much as the end result of these practices. You see, the consistency of the message (whether verbal or visual) and a company’s actions is what defines the company, announces what drives it, promotes where its values lie, and why.

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“My Designer Wont Give Me My Files!”

Sheana — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 15:56:52 +0000

Often, in design, there are requests by the client to release the layered, master files. Many clients feel a bit peeved when their designer tries to explain that the master files are not included in the final price and are not considered part of the Final Deliverables. Perhaps they are right to feel this way based on a misunderstanding of the profession and the assumption that the price they pay is for the rights to the master artwork. One of the roles designers play is to educate the client (or public) about many things, one of these things being why Master files are not always part of the deal. In an attempt to to clear up misconceptions, I’ve detailed the main reasons behind why master files are not considered part of the package for many freelancers.

First, we should resolve the difference between work performed by an Independent Contractor versus Work-for-Hire. According to the United States Copyright Act of 1976, “work made for hire” is— (1) a work prepared by an employee within the scope of his or her employment; or (2) a work specially ordered or commissioned for use as a contribution to a collective work, as a part of a motion picture or other audiovisual work, as a translation, as a supplementary work, as a compilation, as an instructional text, as a test, as answer material for a test, or as an atlas, if the parties expressly agree in a written instrument signed by them that the work shall be considered a work made for hire. (17 U.S.C. § 101). Work-for-Hire typically implies that any work created by a graphic designer as an employee of Company A, remains the property of Company A, not the designer. Occasionally Graphic designers are commissioned to perform Work-for-Hire but at a substantially higher rate (usually 300%) and when the terms and conditions are mutually agreed to in writing.

An Independent Contractor is commissioned because the work requires significant artistic skill. The Designer supplies her/his own tools, performs the work at her/his own office, works for a relatively short time on a project-to-project basis, and controls when, how or how long he/she works. Typically, in this arrangement, the client has no part in the Designer’s business practices, does not provide the Designer with employee benefits or contribute to his/her unemployment or worker’s compensation, and most importantly to Uncle Sam, the client does not treat the Designer as an employee for tax purposes. Independent Contractors work where they want, when they want, how they want and with whom they want. They pay self employment taxes and foot the bill for health insurance, technical maintenance, tools required for the trade, and provide a valuable service to their clients.

So, “why aren’t master files supplied to me, the client? That’s what I am paying for, right?” The short answer is no and here’s why:

1. You’re paying for the final product, not the tools to create that product.

When you contract a professional graphic designer to create and deliver a brochure, that’s what you will get for your money, a fully completed, fully thought out printable (or printed) brochure. You are not paying for the history, tools or layers used to create that brochure nor are you paying for the fonts and images contained within it. Think of it this way: if you went to the hardware store to buy a drill, you pay the cashier for the drill to take home and use as-is, not for the manufacturing trade secrets, right to the mechanicals and mechanisms or for the rights to take that drill, remove the brand sticker, replace it with your brand sticker and sell it to the public for profit.

2. There are third parties involved that you may be unaware of.

Every designer uses fonts, photos and graphic elements that are often the works of someone else. Designers spend a good amount of money (font licenses can cost anywhere from $25 to $600) purchasing licenses to multiple typefaces in order to offer you options that maybe you don’t already have and to create the perfect overall look for your collateral. We spend our capital to have access to stock imagery that must be purchased for use in your collateral. These tools are not our property but are the property of their respective creators, we have simply secured the right to use it to provide you with awesome designs. Because of this, it would be unethical and illegal for Designers to release those tools to you as we are not the copyright holders.

3. You likely don’t have the hardware or software to handle or manipulate the master files.

Graphic files can be very large and what I can open and manipulate with a fair amount of quickness with my heavy-duty machinery, could slow your equipment down to snail speed. Assuming that you have the proper software and can open the document, what are the chances you know what to do with it afterwords? Do you know how to change the text, what color space and resolution to use, how to format it for different mediums or how to collect it for submission to printers or vendors? There is a whole host of technical junk Graphic Designers have to learn and use everyday. We’ve already put in the time to learn the ins and outs, the technicalities and techniques, so why not just let us handle it and save yourself the headache?

4. We worry about issues with file types.

As designers we often keep track of multiple proofs, files and file types. For example, I may have a high res psd or tif file that I use for the artwork, a indd file I use for the text and layout, various files for import into InDesign, a few low res pdfs of various revisions, a high res pdf with trim marks for an offset printer, a high-res pdf without trim marks for another printer, a high res pdf with half-inch margins for in-house, inkjet printing, a low res jpg for web, and possibly several more. I know the specs, color space, technicals and use for each of these files and can easily send the one needed to various vendors if need be. What many designers worry about is that a client with all the files will erroneously and unknowingly send the wrong file, causing a headache for the client, the vendor and the original designer as usually we’re the ones who have to step in and remedy the situation. Also an issue is that if a layered file is supplied to a vendor who doesn’t have the same fonts or embedded images, the formatting and typeset can go very askew (i.e. the font will automatically change to a default font, ruining any formatting and the images will either show up as grey boxes or in low resolution and will not print properly), turning our hard work into a mess and making life harder for the recipient of the file and causing undue upset to the client.

5. If you have the software and technical know-how, why do you need a freelancer?

The simple answer to this is that most people don’t have the specific skill-set and/or talent to do the work or that they simply don’t have the time. If you are hiring a designer simply because you don’t have the time and are looking for someone to collaborate with, then the work is considered work-for-hire and would be handled as mentioned above. Similarly, if you are hiring a design professional for their creative and technical talents with the intent to use them for the concept and initial execution but not for derivative or future works of the concept, with the purpose of making future changes yourself, you would need to work out a Work-for-hire agreement between yourself and the creative. Unfortunately, many designers face the sad fact that there are people out there who want to pay them for a stellar concept without being completely forthcoming with their intentions, then secretly hand off that concept to a novice or cheaper designer to save money. Since the original designer has done all the hard work already, the second designer gets to reap the recurring financial benefits of that design for doing little work. It’s unethical and unfair to the professional designer. Of course, if this is stated up front by the client, most designers will negotiate an additional fee or higher hourly rate to complete the work for another designer to take over. In this case, it is Breakaway Graphics, LLC’s practice to require the client to purchase all fonts, elements and photos used in the design and stipulate that once the files have been released, we are held harmless of any warranties with the design.

If you are working with a designer and would like to obtain rights to their layered/master files, just ask. Most designers won’t have an issue negotiating a price for the transfer of full copyright including layered files and are more than willing to help you secure the various image and font licenses to protect yourself from violating a third-party’s copyright. The industry standard for copyright transfer is 300% of the total bill so if you’ve used your designer for letterhead and business cards that total $200 in design fees, be prepared to offer him/her about $600. This will cover the loss of future income for the designer from those designs as well as the time it will take him/her to collect and prepare the documents for sale and aid you in securing licenses. If you are working with a designer who flat out refuses to release copyright without one of the above valid reasons, find a new designer.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Sheana — Sat, 07 May 2011 20:54:32 +0000

What are your business hours? Regular business hours are Monday through Friday, 9am to 5pm Eastern Time. Although I am often working much earlier and much later than my posted hours, I ask that you please respect the hours of operation. The time I put in before and after business hours is often when I am most productive and I prefer not to be interrupted by phone calls unless it is a design emergency.

Where is your office? Can I come by? I choose to work from home as I have found that I am most productive in the work environment I have created here. I do not take any meetings at ‘my office’ but am happy to meet you at yours.

How long will the project take? That would depend entirely on the scope of the project, availability, deliverables, and the clients ability to provide feedback in a timely manner if time is of the essence.

Can you fit me in immediately? Anything is possible! However, if you are a new client, I will work you into the production schedule based on current projects. Breakaway Graphics, LLC schedules projects several weeks in advance as I take great care in offering the highest level of attention to each of my valued clients. To ensure that each client receives my best work, I never schedule more than two or three large-scale protects at once. This also allows me to fit in projects for my long-term clients for whom I work for all year. Depending on the scale of your prospective project and Breakaway Graphics, LLC’s production schedule, I may ask that you allow a lead time for your project.

Are you available on nights/weekends/holidays? As a general rule, not often, however if there are special circumstances preventing our meeting during regular operating hours I will make exceptions, of course. In the event that I am required to work outside the scope that was previously agreed upon (such as failure to supply materials in a timely manner to meet a specific deadline), hours will be billed at one and half times my regular rate.

Can I have the Layered (editable) files to make edits myself? Due to use of outside third-party materials in advertisements / publication designs and intellectual copyright laws, the simple answer is probably not (click here for details). If I am creating a logo or brandmark for you, you will be supplied vector files that can be edited with the proper software once payment for services rendered is received. There are special circumstances where you may ‘buy out’ the files should you need them. You will receive non-editable finalized print or web-ready files upon the completion of any project.

What happens if I don’t use up all of my hours? Your return on investment is of utmost importance. If for any reason less than 75% of your monthly hours remain unused, half of the remaining hours will be applied to your next month. This ‘rollover’ is allowed each month based on the month immediately preceding it but do not accrue.

How do I pay you? When can I have my product? The monthly fees are due on the first of the month and no later than the 5th. For your convenience, auto-drafts can be set up so there will never be a lapse in production. If you’d like special accommodations regarding the due day or would prefer to split monthly payments into two separate amounts, please ask. Per-project fees are due at the time of the invoice. Finalized project files (see above) will be released after payment is received. All invoices will accrue late fees after 30 days.

Can you help with printing? Yes. If you should require help with choosing a printer for your project, I am happy to provide you with several printer options. I will also provide quotes and pricing whenever possible. In lieu of attaching an additional fee on top of printing prices, I will only bill for the time it takes to research, contact and quote printing prices and the time it takes to upload, send or order prints. I ask that you provide me with a payment method to place any orders as I am unable to provide payment for printing to be reimbursed upon invoicing due to TN state taxing laws.

Why should I choose you over another designer who charges less? Graphic Design and Logo Development are not simply the ability to operate the required software: it is as much art as it is skill and aptitude. Being that the effectiveness and success of your brand/campaign/publication/etc depends on it, I would urge you to choose your designer as you would choose the house you live in. Like a house, where the purchase price is directly related to the soundness of the structure and the level of it’s amenities, the cost of a good designer is directly related to the quality of their work and the skill and experience of the artist. I choose my clients and projects carefully, so please feel free to browse my portfolio and contact me for a free proposal if you value and like what you see.

What can I expect from you? As a client of Breakaway Graphics, LLC, you will always receive my utmost attention, creative expertise, respect and top-notch customer service while I create your deliverables and for the lifetime of our partnership. You will be guided and educated throughout the design process so you will always be informed on what to expect from me and when to expect it. When you have a question or concern, I will happily take the time to address it to your satisfaction. You will always receive a response from me within 24 hours of email or telephone contact during regular operating hours. I, and any of my affiliates, will always utilize the best time management skills and design techniques to offer you the very best deliverables and to avoid unnecessary charges to you. Customers always receive a fully custom experience that will result in effective, attractive and timeless designs so we allow for as many revisions, modifications and variations as the customer needs to achieve this.

Have a question not answered here? Please contact me or ask a question below and I will happily answer any questions you may have concerning hiring Breakaway Graphics, LLC.

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Graphic Design File Types

Sheana — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 20:31:29 +0000

Below is a list of common file types, extensions and uses for Graphic Design Professionals and their clients.

Raster File Types (definition here)

.jpg (.jpeg): Image File. Commonly used for photos but also acceptable for logo or advertisement files. While a .jpg will exclude some data, it is widely used and easily opened by most anyone with a computer. A jpg can be used for web (RGB, 72dpi) or print (CMYK, 300dpi), however any transparencies will be lost.

.psd: Adobe Photoshop Document. .psd’s are typically layered files in which designers can manipulate the text, images, shapes and format. These can be created in any size, resolution and colorspace.

.gif: Graphic Interchange Format File. These are primarily used in web and allow for transparencies as well as animation.

.png: Portable Network Graphic. These are often used in web-based design and applications but can also be supplied in CMYK/300dpi if intended for print use. These are easier to use in web as the transparencies remain intact and are of better quality than .gifs.

.tif (.tiff): Tagged Image File. These files are the preferred file format for print designers as they are widely accepted by many of the design software programs and are equipped with all the file data. These can be RGB but are far more commonly used in print at CMYK/300dpi. These can be flat or layered depending on the intended use.

Vector File Types (definition here)

.eps: Encapsulated PostScript File. .eps files are often used for signs, banners, and billboards…or anything that is to be printed in large format. Vector graphics are easily scalable and can be used at any size without loss of image quality or definition. They can also be supplied to print designers for use in their designs, guaranteeing an image that prints clear and crisp.

.ai: Adobe Illustrator File. As the industry’s leader in software for creating vector graphics, Adobe Illustrator files are commonly used in the creation of logos by graphic designers all over the world. These files can also be supplied to printers for use when printing in large format or to other designers for creation of business collateral (advertisements, brochures, business cards, etc)

.svg: Scalable Vector Graphics Files use an XML-based text format to describe how the image should appear. SVG format was developed as an open standard format by World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). The primary use of SVG files are for sharing graphics contents on the Internet and are suitable because the XML base allows SVG files to be searched, indexed, compressed, and scripted. SVG files are widely supported in Internet Browsers.

(as a side note, some .pdfs can also be used as vector files so long as they were developed in Illustrator (or other vector software) and saved properly for this use)

Page Layout File Types (definition here)

.indd: Adobe InDesign File. These are layout files with one or more pages arranged in a particular order.

.qxd: QuarkXPress File. Like .indd, these are layout files with one or more pages arranged in a particular order.

.pdf: Portable Document File. .pdf files are often used for print and are the preferred file type for magazines when accepting advertisements from designers and for printers when accepting magazine files for production. .pdfs are also viewable by most anyone with a computer or smartphone, making it the easily the best way to supply clients, printers or publications with a file to be proofed or printed. .pdfs are so versatile that they can be any color space, resolution or size and can be ‘flat’ (a single layer), merged (with transparency) or layered (for manipulation) making them acceptable for both print designers and web designers alike.

While there are many, many more file types that are used in design, these are some of the most common for print (which is of course what we specialize in). When in doubt, use the file type requested by your designer, publisher, printer or programmer. If they do not readily offer this information, just ask. Trust me, all of these folks will know what to ask for and what file type will make their job easier.

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Logo Design Process

Sheana — Sat, 13 Nov 2010 13:51:25 +0000

In logo design and imaging, there is more to the process than simply creating a ‘pretty’ icon for the client. There are many blog posts and books out there that are dedicated to explaining this process and why it is so important in creating an effective and successful iconic logo. I’ve decided to include my own design process on this website as I believe it could be a valuable tool for other designers and an informative article for prospective customers who want to know more about how brandmarks are created and why choosing a experienced designer is a necessity, not an option. As you will read below, a good amount of work is done before the client ever sees a concept. There is also a great deal of research and critical thinking on the part of the designer to gain the information and perspective required to create said identity. So without further ado, here’s my logo design process:

First Things First

Before I do anything at all, I will send my client a questionnaire with comprehensive and detailed questions aimed at getting all the information required for me to start the process. When possible, I prefer to ask these questions and perform an interview in person but that’s unfortunately not always an option. The logo questionnaire/interview is extremely important in the logo design process and even if the client feels that they’ve already settled on a design they’ve created, it is vital that I, as the designer, have all the information so I can familiarize myself with the company, the company’s mission, the target demographic, their competitors and the client’s personal preferences. All these things will aid me in producing a design that they will really love as well as a design that will embody the company’s message, product or service in a way that will be successful for that company. It is only after this that the work really starts.

First, after studying the completed logo questionnaire and the logo samples that the client supplies (if they already have some ideas, many do), I will do some research on the client’s profession (looking for strengths and weakness in their or their competitor’s brand) and perform a preliminary visual scan for trademarked logos that we may want to avoid being too similar to. Of course, once the logo has been completed, a Lawyer would have to do a proper trademark search if they intend to TM/SM (state level) or ® (national level) the logo.

Now The Fun Starts

Next, I sketch out thumbnails….ideas on paper that I draft very quickly. This is faster than doing all the preliminary work in a design software and allows me to make changes and follow my thoughts as fast as they come. Also, it’s an easy and time effective way for me to get as many ideas out in a short amount of time as possible (esp. since I charge by the hour). I am able at this point to build off of the sketches and ideas until I get something that is worthy of conceptualizing digitally.

Third, I will re-create the chosen sketches in Adobe Illustrator. The client often receives only 2-4 preliminary designs as I will only proof them on the best ones and not waste their time with designs that simply don’t (or won’t) work. These choices will be based upon the 5 elements that make an iconic logo:

1. Describable
2. Memorable
3. Effective without color
4. Scalable (i.e. will work at 1″x1″ as well as it would work at 3′ x 3′)
5. Relevant (to the industry in question)

Describable and Memorable really go together because how will you be able to remember it and tell your friends about this great product or service if you can’t describe what the logo looks like?

Being effective without color is important because if the mark doesn’t work in black alone, color will not make it any better. A bad design is a bad design with or without color. As I have posted before, color plays a vital role in the emotional response to the logo and the company it represents. A really great design can be nixed by the client if he/she isn’t attracted to the color it’s presented in so to help the client really look at the designs themselves, I always proof in B&W.

A scalable mark is critical for collateral, such as office letterhead, business cards, return address labels etc.—these little applications can often be overlooked by the inexperienced designer and the client alike.

Being relevant is important as the design must be suitable for the business it represents. This is achieved through research, studying the logo questionnaire, knowing how color will play a role, and talking with the client. It also helps to differentiate the client from their competitors.

Proofing Begins

Once I present the initial designs to the client, they might be immediately attracted to one of the proposed designs and we can move forward with tweaking, adding color and finalizing the logo. OR they might want to combine two of the proposed designs until we have one design to work from. It is important to ask the right questions during this step to gain as much insight as possible why a particular design wasn’t liked by the client. By listening closely to the client’s explanations and suggestions, you can make the necessary modifications to the designs (being sure that any modifications will move the design in the right direction).

As mentioned above, I continue proofing in only all black or all white (on black background) as this aids in being able to focus on the design itself and not be influenced by color. What’s important at this stage is the mark’s shape, form and the idea it represents. This is the part in the process that often takes the most time.

Final Touches

Only when the final design has been chosen, will we start working with color. The proofing process starts all over and will be in the same manner as the black/white versions but with color this time. I use the science of how colors effect our emotions to help choose the right hue to gain the most appropriate emotional response from the customer. This process also fits into point five of the five points to a successful logo since I would likely not use pastels in a Law Firm’s logo just as I wouldn’t use bright red (the color of anger, emergency and danger) for a Nursing Home. In this case, the brandmark was going to work best in solid black (or white for reversed use) given that the overall brand aesthetic would be black, white and grey with warm (yellow/orange/red) accent colors for various applications.

After

After the colors are decided upon and the design is approved, I will get to work finalizing the logo for both print and web, making sure that the logo is easy for the client to use as well as ensuring that it can be used across many platforms and applications.

I know the logo design process can be a little intimidating for the client as well as the designer. But if you know what’s coming in the process and what steps to take (and in what order), the whole affair will go much smoother for both parties. This will make for a pleasurable experience for the customer and help the designer maintain control throughout the creative process. If you are a company or individual looking for the right designer to create your logo, be sure to do your homework to be certain that you and your designer are going to work well together towards achieving the same goal. If you’d like to see some of the logos that Breakaway Graphics has designed, we’ve included a few below. To see more, please visit the Portfolio section of the Home Page.

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Basic Design Terms

Sheana — Sun, 03 Oct 2010 20:34:24 +0000

There are an innumerable amount of design terms involved in the process of getting idea from the abstract to the concrete. Graphic design, printing processes, color spaces, file extensions, typography and production all have a vernacular specific to their role in the process. And although many of the roles are separate, it is important to have a basic understanding of the process that comes before and after your part in the process. I have compiled a short list of (very) basic terms all graphic designers, publishers, printers and advertising agencies should have a preliminary understanding of. Here they are:

Page Layout And Setup

Live Area: The live area is the area within an ad space where all important text, pictures and information must be contained.

Trim/Page Size: the trim size is the dimension at which the printer will cut the page. No text should be within 0.375″ of this size.

Margins: Margins are the space from the trim size to the live area. Usually, margins are0.375 – 0.5 inches all the way around a page. Bad margins will separate the amateurs from the professionals.

Bleed: The bleed is the part of the page that will get trimmed off in the printing process. If an ad is a full-page bleed, the graphics and art must extend 0.125 inches from the trim size on all sides.

Gutter: The gutter is the space created by the binding of a book or magazine. Depending on how large (how many pages) the book or magazine will have, the gutter will be larger or smaller to account for the parts of the page that will descend into the bind. Gutters are particularly important when working with spreads that cross the bind.

Slug: The slug is an optional space that a designer can add to a document that can be displayed but is not intended to be printed. Slugs can be a very good tool for a designer in the print business as it can be used for notes, suggestions, copyright information, and/or an infinite number of other things while proofing clients or supplying additional information to printers.

Color & DPI

Resolution: In simple terms, resolution is how clearly a picture, graphic or text will appear. Standard print resolution is 300dpi (some publications and printers will even demand 350dpi for the sharpest results). Screen resolution is usually 96dpi or 144dpi.

CMYK/RGB: These are the 2 basic types of color space used in design. CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, black) is the standard for most traditional printing processes resulting in a tangible piece. RGB (red,green,blue) is how your computer and TV display color.

Resample: This is a function accessible in image editing programs which allows the user to change the resolution of the image while keeping its pixel count in tact. It is especially important when up-sizing a 72dpi image to a printable 300dpi image to NOT resample the image. By not resampling, you are permitting the program to adjust the final size of an image in accordance to the radio you are increasing the resolution. This ensures that the re-sized image will not print pixilated.

Typesetting

Kerning: Kerning is a typography process by which the space between the characters of text are squeezed or stretched. To kern something -10 would shrink the space between each letter. Conversely, kerning something +10 would create more space between each letter.

Leading: Leading is similar to kerning but in the opposite direction. Leading doesn’t effect the space between letters but instead controls the spacing between lines of text. So to lead something -10 would bring each line of text closer to the lines above and below it. Leading +10 would space the lines further apart.

Alignment: Alignment is the positioning/arrangement of lines of text or an image. Alignment can be left, right, centered or justified.

Printing

Offset Printing: Also called Lithography, this is the most common printing process. It involves the transfer of ink from a plate to a blanket to paper instead of directly from plate to paper.

Digital Printing: This is often a cheaper alternative to offset printing and is essentially printing directly from a digital file to the page by skipping the plate making step.

Screen Printing: A design is burned onto a screen through an emulsion and exposure process. Ink is then pressed through the resulting ‘negative’ image left on the mesh, transferring it to the material of your choice.

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Email & Social Media Etiquette

Sheana — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 20:54:49 +0000

(STOP THE JUNK, ALREADY)

I am sure you’ve noticed, as I have, that every person, business and place has a website, email and Social Media page. While I am by no means discounting the need for such marketing tools as Facebook (Breakaway Graphics has one), I have noticed that many people are committing some very serious social no-no’s in an effort to get their business on the top of everyone’s think-list. Let me start by revealing a very important tip about marketing:telling everybody everything about your company or product is NOT an effective form of advertising, knowing and targeting your market is. Although there is much validity to the concept of Brand Awareness, being a constant annoyance to your Facebook fans or every person who’s email address is in your address book achieves Brand Awareness…but not in a good way. Which leads me to our recommendations for proper Email and Social Media Etiquette:

1. Do not hold hostage people’s email addresses. In my line of work, I send hundreds of emails including proofs, proposals and questionnaires every day. Many times, I am sending proofs to advertisers on behalf of the magazines I work for, other times I am sending out a design questionnaire for a prospective client. In either case I am not soliciting the services or products of the email recipient, I am simply doing my job. Yet by virtue of my having sent an email (even just one email), I am now on that recipient’s Email Marketing list. This is the World Wide Web equivalent of the junk mail that arrives in the mailbox outside your house. What to you do with that junk mail? You toss it out without even a glance. For me, the same is true with unsolicited and unwanted ‘junk email’. Email provides us with a certain amount of anonymity, let’s keep it that way. Don’t add anyone and everyone to your e-marketing list, it’s unprofessional.

2. Resist the urge to ‘spray and pray’. Maybe I’m ‘old school’ but Facebook is for reconnecting with friends and family first and brand awareness second. Facebook has quickly become a welcome addition to small businesses whose marketing budget is small and has made it to the top of marketing plans, but it should not be used to bombard your ‘friends’ and ‘fans’ with useless information. A Facebook page for your business is now as important as having a website, however people who are in search of your product or service, actively seek out your website or go to your store front. On Facebook, it’s the other way around and posting ‘updates’ ten times a day can have an opposite effect than the one you are intending. When I log onto Facebook and see twenty-one posts in a row featuring every house a Real Estate Agent has for sale (this actually happened!), I either ‘dislike’, ‘de-friend’, or ‘hide’ that person. It’s just annoying. Keep your business updates to a maximum of two or three a day, no more or you risk alienating potential customers.

3. Keep it relevant. If you have successfully implemented the above guidelines to your email and Social marketing, it’s time to think about what you’re putting out there and when. Once a customer has realized that you are not sending out updates and emails everyday (and have stopped associating your name with ‘spam’ or ‘junk’), they are more likely to pay attention to the emails and updates you do send. Make sure that the update you’re posting or the email you’re sending is current and relevant. Are you having a 50% off sale this weekend? Great, but don’t send it out on the Monday before. People are busy and will forget about your sale by the end of the day. Email an announcement on Friday morning, then post that announcement throughout the day for your Facebook friends (remember, no more than three times! Maybe in the morning, around lunchtime, and in the evening…TOPS!). Then post it again the day-of but change it up with adding something new like ‘What a turn out! Stop by now before all the good stuff is gone!’. Any more than that and you’re that friend that calls your phone four times in a row without leaving a message, you know the one.

4. Have a purpose and solicit a response. If we break it down to basics, what is the reason for placing an ad, sending out a marketing email or posting on Facebook: what is the response you want? If you find yourself sending out those mass email updates, make sure you have a clear reason for doing so. Is it to get people into your store? To generate more business with a discount? Perhaps it’s to give your customers some relevant news or tips. Whatever the reason, make sure it’s clear and simple. This goes back to guideline #2: no one wants to know every item you carry in inventory or every little service you do. Just pick one or two things to feature and run with it. Remember, less is more.

5. Utilize the science of advertising. All of the above suggestions bring me to what you should do with email marketing and social media. Facebook has a wonderful way to advertise your business on a budget. Their advertising options make it easy to really target your market and get your product right in front of the people who are interested in it. Think of it like this: if you were a pediatric dentist, would you advertise in a photography magazine? Or would it be a better use of advertising dollars to place an ad with a parenting magazine? The same is true for Facebook. Rather than committing social crimes #1 and #2, why not spend a little bit of money and have them place your ad in front of all the right people? As for your mass marketing emails, instead of assuming everyone who sends you an email must want to get your updates, ask them if they are interested or have a sign up sheet in your store front. Please don’t put that person in a position where they will have to spend their time trying to get removed from a list for something they were not interested in in the first place.

I know that we’re just a little design firm in Austin, TX and are not likely to change the bad habits of an entire generation. I do believe that I can, at the very least, reach the people reading this blog. With any luck, some people will agree with this post and feel the need to join the movement by re-posting (yes, on Facebook) or linking to this site. Who knows, maybe just one person really can correct the crimes of many…

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