GRAPHIC DESIGNERS FROM OUR DESIGN COMMUNITY
 |
By Norman Williams
The stop sign on the corner, the golden arches at McDonalds, the light house on Netscape, the flying horse in Pegasus are all icons. Icons are images, graphics, symbols, trademarks, gif, jpegs and Adobe PDF files. An icon is an image that tells a story in an instant. It is a picture that is worth a thousand words.
|
|
||||
 |
 |
 |
||
 |
 |
 |
||
Almost
every publication, magazines, newspapers, and television
all use icons to get attention. A cartoon, a flash of
color, a bit of action, and a unique expression catches
the eye. On the highway signs tell us of danger ahead,
curves, stop, go, caution, slow, bumps and detours.
These graphic symbols are everywhere. The computer has
Yahoo, Ebay, Netscape, Apple and hundreds of other symbols
to show us the way to go. Yes we all know K-mart, Sears,
Avis, Prudential, Ford, Buick, Chevy, Coke, Pepsi, Good
Year, Firestone, NBC, IBM and CBS. These trademark names
are so familiar I do not have to tell you what products
they sell because already know. You have been brainwashed
with thousands of impressions. These names are like
old friends that you know and trust.
The best graphic icons are an expressive face, a picture,
an animal, a bell, a horse or an abstract design. A
page of long dull copy will not be read unless it has
some kind of attention getter. The trend in webpages
is to use small graphics that download quickly. People
will not wait long for a webpage to load.
All kinds of tricks are used to get attention. Action graphics, flashy symbols, crazy cartoons, fast action, sounds, all get noticed. However most graphic art is static, dull and unattractive. This kind of graphic will not get much attention.
====================
I
am Norm Williams, artist and designer.
I do unique trademarks, action cartoons and
brilliant graphics symbols. The best graphics
tell a story, provide a quick glimpse, a human
expression, or expressive action. I can design a
trademark, an icon, a cartoon, a caricature, a
website, a symbol or a sign. If your copy
needs some attention getters let me know
and I will send some sample sketches.
Send an E-mail to Norm Williams, mcheck@cityisp.net with "icon" in the subject. You can subscribe
to my newsletter BIG MONEY PUBLISHING with "subscribe"
in the subject to cknorm@ij.net
RECENT ARTICLES from Graphic Design BloG
Business Cards: Ideas and Inspiration, Part II
Today we continue looking at business cards that stand out, and here’s hoping you get some inspiration and ideas! After all, you only get one first impression, so your business card should be something that showcases the best of your design abilities. On Wednesday we looked at the use of interesting shapes, 3D business cards, [...]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Business Cards: Ideas and Inspiration, Part I
As a graphic designer, your business card should do more than let people know how to contact you. If you’re interested in truly making a good first impression, the business card has got to stand out. Whether through color, design, die cutting, unique materials, 3D shapes, or actual samples of your work, a stand-out business [...]
Collaborating and Negotiating: Part II
Today, we’re looking at the collaboration side of negotiation and collaboration in graphic design. Because your work is ultimately for the client, at times you as the designer must be willing to compromise to reach a mutually agreeable goal. Here are some tips to help you collaborate with clients.
Ways to Collaborate
Listen. On page 28 [...]
Collaborating and Negotiating: Part I
It’s there in the design brief: the problem your client wants you to solve. But whether your objective is to create an advertisement, exhibition or public announcement, sometimes you and the client aren’t quite on the same page about what exactly the best design solution is. OC Photographer asked a great question about the collaborating [...]
When Things Go Bad: 5 Tips for Firing Clients
Most graphic designers will be in a similar situation at some point: the client will not pay, the client is never satisfied with your work yet won’t collaborate to fix it, or you simply realize that you and the client are not meshing. Regardless of when and why you need to fire a client, everyone [...]
Tips for Working with Clients: Approaching the Relationship
Whether you’re looking for design classes, design degree programs, internships or first jobs, it’s important to choose an option that will help you learn clear communication, especially when it comes to designer/client relationships. Knowing how to work with clients should always be part of a successful graphic design education. The following tips can help you [...]
Working for Good: Pro Bono Design, Part II
If you’re interested in doing pro bono graphic design work, it’s important to educate yourself about smart ways to do it. Once you’ve got some guidelines, you can approach your pro bono work with creativity; unless your client specifically requests it, you don’t need to limit yourself to a brochure. Consider these ideas for pro [...]
All Graphic Design Resources is a Directory Full of Tools for Graphic Designers
All Graphic Design Portal is a Graphic Design education directory with resources & articles for Graphic Designers & Web Designers including a Design forum, blog, graphics software tips, graphic design jobs, advice for new designers about design schools and education as well as tips for freelance graphic design business owners, and much more.
