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Graphics Compression Tips for Print Design Projects

June 23, 2009 – 8:21 am

Graphics Compression Tips for Print Design Projects
Photo by Dot D

Although compressing images isn't as essential for print design as it is for web design, being able to compress graphics certainly comes in handy on some occasions. Hopefully the following article will help you with tips for print design compression.

Digital data for graphics for print design projects can be compressed three ways:

JPEG - Short for Joint Photographic Experts Group, and pronounced jay-peg. JPEG is a lossy compression technique for color images. Although it can reduce files sizes to about 5% of their normal size, some detail is lost in the compression."The name JPEG stands for Joint Photographic Experts Group, the name of the committee that created the standard." according to Wikipedia.

PDF - Short for Portable Document Format, a file format developed by Adobe Systems. PDF captures formatting information from a variety of desktop publishing applications, making it possible to send formatted documents and have them appear on the recipient's monitor or printer as they were intended. To view a file in PDF format, you need Adobe Reader, a free application distributed by Adobe Systems.

Zip or Stuffit - A Zipped file is a file that contains one or more files that have been compressed into the ZIP format. Also called a "ZIP archive," "zipped file" or "zipped archive," the ZIP algorithm is the most popular compression method in use. Usually, the files in a zip file are compressed so that they take up less space in storage or take less time to send to someone. Some software that you might know about for zipping or stuffing are PKZIP, , WinZip, Netzip for Windows, MacZip, Zip, UnZip, and Stuffit. After a user receives a zipped file, then they will have to extract and decompress this file by using the same kind of tool that was used to zip the original file.

JPEGs

A JPEG or JPG is an image file. It is cross-platform compatible and is the most widely used image file format. It can only be used with images. Text must be converted to an image file in order to use the JPG compressions.

JPEGS can reduce a file size by as much as 75 percent, possibly more, depending on the original file size and complexity. Most programs which create JPEG files have a default setting that generates a jpeg file at around medium compression. Advanced image manipulation programs, like Photoshop, allow the user to control the amount of compression. With the available compression rates through Adobe Photoshop, The highest rate, 12, produces the best final image, but it is a larger file. The lowest rate, 0, produces the smallest file but the lowest quality image.

A JPEG in Photoshop with 100% Quality

This is The original Photo with 100% Quality and No Data Loss - This is the best quality JPEG available, but it has the largest file size.

A JPEG in Photoshop with 50% Quality

50% Quality - This quality of this JPEG is still pretty good.

A JPEG in Photoshop with 20% Quality

20% Quality - This photo is starting to show the loss of quality, but at least the file size is much smaller.

photojpeg-0

A JPEG in Photoshop with 0% Quality - This is the worst quality JPEG available, but it has the smallest file size.

toon - This clip of an image shows the lossy compression distortion in the fuzz, clouds or gray specks in the image which should not be there

The problem with jpeg compression is an image can get dust, scatter or noise (the term varies) especially at the highest compression rates. This is called lossy compression, meaning that some visual quality is lost in the process. This clip of an image shows the lossy compression distortion in the fuzz, clouds or gray specks in the image which should not be there

Noise is a reason a completed graphic design project generally should not be converted to a jpeg for file reduction purposes.

PDFs

PDF is a licensed file type of the Adobe family of software. The PDF reader program is a free download. The full version of Adobe Acrobat must be purchased. PDF files are cross-platform and include some high desirable advantages.

1) With the full version of Acrobat, a PDF can be left completely open to another user can modify it, or it can be locked in various stages, allowing a user various permissions such as filling out forms, copying or modifying certain parts. It can also be completely locked so that another user cannot modify or even print the PDF without the password.

2) Fonts, provided the font is licensed for embedding, can be included in the document. If the PDF is not locked, or the password is sent along, changes can be made to the document with the font even if the user does not have the font in his system. Note - The font cannot be removed from the document to be installed in another user's computer.

3) It reduces file size. How much depends on the size requested. Maximum compatibility, which allows users with older versions of Reader to look at the document, will be a larger file than Minimum File Size, which requires users to have at least the same version or later of Reader as the Acrobat program which created the PDF.

4) Most pagination programs will create a PDF with a Save As or Export As option. The drawback of this is the PDF file may or may not be locked and you have no choice over this. Also, some programs can temporarily overwrite font embedding restrictions, making you believe the font is embedded when it is actually not. For that reason, if you create a PDF with some other program, always check it with Acrobat before sending it off.

quarkpdf - Most pagination programs will create a PDF with a Save As or Export As option.

5) A PDF file can be imported into a pagination file and then re-saved as a PDF without losing any image or document quality. This can be done repeatedly without fear of losing image and document appearance quality.

6) The best part is the files are cross platform and cross program compatible. A PDF file created on a PC in Pagemaker, can be opened on a Mac even if the Mac does not have Pagemaker. A Mac user can save an Illustrator file as a PDF and a PC can open it even without having Illustrator.

Zipping Files

Zip (PC) or StuffIt (Mac) are two compression programs that can compress any kind of electronic document. Updated versions of Zip and StuffIt will open files created by the other program. Once a file is compressed this way, it must be uncompressed in order to use it. Files can be compressed and uncompressed repeatedly without worry. The reader programs are free. Limited use of Zip and StuffIt is sometimes permitted without buying the full program, depending on the programs creating a file which needs to be Zipped or Stuffed.

The drawback is files are not innately cross-platform compatible. Further, the user receiving the document must have a program which can read the file. In other words, if a Pagemaker file made on a Mac is Stuffed and sent to a PC, the PC must have Pagemaker installed (high-end pagination programs can read files from cross-platform computers). If a QuarkXpress file on a PC is Zipped and sent to a Mac, if that Mac user does not have Quark, the file will decompress, but not open.

Nothing is embedded in Zip and Stuffit files. Special fonts and images must be included with the files, if the other user does not have access to these.

Technorati Tags: graphics compression, graphic compression, smaller images, smaller files, zipping files, stuffing files, compression, images, graphics, image compression, jpegs, jpgs, jpeg compression, lossless compression, pdf compression, pdfs, pdf

By admin Posted in Graphic Design, Graphic Design 101, Graphic Design Tutorials 5 Comments

A Guide to Binding Multi-Page Documents for Graphic Designers

June 11, 2009 – 9:48 pm

A Guide to Binding Multi-Page Documents for Graphic Designers
Photo by Nate Steiner

A Guide to Binding Multi-Page Documents for Graphic Designers

Binding is mostly an issue where multi-page documents are concerned, like magazines, books and multi-page event programs. Most multi-page event programs are center-stapled (saddle stitch), as are most magazines. Only a few high-end magazines, like National Geographic, take the extra expense of having a glued binding. Briefly, here's a list of the most common kinds of binding.

Comb Binding:

comb_binding

A flexible plastic binder is poked through holes punched in the edge of a paper.

Double Loop Wire:

doubleloop_binding_Double Loop Wire

Similar to spiral bound, but uses a double loop of wire instead of a single strand of wire.

Lay Flat Bind: A kind of Perfect Binding (See below), which allows a project to lay on a flat surface and the pages to be spread out. Also known as Lay Flat Perfect Binding

Perfect Binding:

layflatperfectbound-Perfect Binding

Pages bounds with glue at the spine with a cover wrapped around the pages and also attached to the spine with glue. A strip of gauze to assist with the attaching process may or may not be included in the spine. This is most commonly seen in paperback books. Also called adhesive bind, cut-back bind, glue bind, paper bind, patent bind, perfecting bind, soft bind and soft cover. Standard paperback books use this type of binding.

Post Binding

Post Binding
Source Stanford.edu

Pages held with a screw and post. The pages have punched holes to allow the post. Most commonly seen in ledger books.

Round Back Binding:

Round Back Binding Casebinding
Source Northwestern University

To casebind with a rounded spine, instead of a flat spine.

Saddle Stitches:

saddlestitches-Saddle Stitches
Source Montana.edu

Saddle-Stitching is a method of securing loose printed pages with staples down the middle of a folded sheaf of papers. Many booklets are saddled-stitched. Side-stitching is a similar method where the pages are stapled about 1/4" from the spine.

Side Stitch:

sidestitches - Side Stitch

Source Montana.edu

When the document is too large for saddle-stitching it may be side-stitched or side stapled. The staples are placed about 1/4" or so from the edge. A cover may be glued on. Side-stitched books can't be opened flat and extra allowance is needed in the inner margin.

Spiral Bind

spiralbindingcoilbinding-Spiral Bind
Source Bound to Impress

Pages bound with a wire or plastic which is looped through holes. Also called coil bind. Commonly seen in spiral-bound notebooks.

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By admin Posted in Commercial Printing Process, Graphic Design, Graphic Design 101, Graphic Design Tutorials, Lists, Prepress 3 Comments

Numbering Pages in a Single-Fold Layout Graphic Design Project

June 2, 2009 – 10:44 pm

Numbering Pages in a Single-Fold Layout Graphic Design Project
Photo by Fragmented

Numbering Pages in a Single-Fold Layout Graphic Design Project

Numbering a multi-page single-fold document is anti-intuitive to many people. It does not make sense to most people if they just glance at the numbering pattern. A single fold layout is a piece of paper which is folded once in order to make 4 pages. Take a sheet of paper. Fold it down the middle. Now, instead of a front and back, you have a front and a back and an inside 2 pages.

Numbering Pages in a Single-Fold Layout Design Project 1

Do this. Get 5 sheets of paper. Imagine each page being folded (see example at above.) This will give you 20 pages. Without folding them, number each page with a large number. in the order you think they should be in. Now, fold the pages. Are they in actual order? If not, here’s the correct numbering scheme is at the bottom of the page. This may not make sense until it is applied to paper. Numbering single fold pages is important when you do projects like programs for special events which will be printed on single-fold sheets.

Now, take 5 sheets of paper. Fold them once. Now, number them like you would pages in a book. Take the pages apart and see which numbers are on each page. You’ll see the even number pages are all on the left and the odd number pages are all on the right.

If you do a project which will be singlefold sheets, turning 2 pages into four, you can lay this out by doing 2 pages on a single file.

Numbering Pages in a Single-Fold Layout Design Project 2

This example above is a scaled down 8x10 page turned 90 degrees. The dotted line represents the fold, which creates two pages to a side. The bottom example is the other side.

20	1
2	19
18	3
4	17
16	5
6	15
14	7
8	13
12	9
10	11

Those 5 pages you numbered after folding them, when you take the pages apart will be numbered like this.

Numbering Pages in a Single-Fold Layout Design Project 3

How many single-fold sheets can be fit into one program or book? That depends on the printer’s capabilities, so you must ask the printer first. In things like high school programs, local talent shot programs, the printer is likely to be local copy machines and people standing around folding pages, putting them together and stapling them. Many small job printers also work this way because sorting and stapling machines don’t generate enough revnue to offset the cost.

Numbering Pages in a Single-Fold Layout Design Project 4

When numbering single-fold projects, the easy way to know which pages are where is to start two columns, like above. See how the numbering scheme goes.

Regardless of how many pages are in your single-fold document, Page 1 will be on the top of the left column and the last page will be on the top of the right column. Page 2 will be the next number in the left column. The bottom number in each column will always be the middle pages.

Another way is to get some paper and cut it down to small sheets equal to the number of sheets in your project. Stack the sheets together. Fold them once. Now, number them like a book. When you take the sheets apart, you’ll know the numbering sequence.

Technorati Tags: graphic design, design, layouts, numbering layouts, numbering, single-fold layouts, single-fold designs, graphic design tutorials, graphic design tips, graphic design lessons, print design, print design tutorials

By admin Posted in Design Project Management, Graphic Design, Graphic Design 101, Graphic Design Tutorials 4 Comments

Prepress Checklist : Use on Graphic Design Projects Sending Out to Printers

May 28, 2009 – 9:40 pm

Prepress Checklist : Use on Graphic Design Projects Sending Out to Printers
Photo by MisterSnappy

Prepress Checklist : Use on Graphic Design Projects Sending Out to Printers

Your project is camera ready and you are ready to ship it out the door. Here's a quick list that you can use on almost any project you send out for printing. Print one of these and check off each one as you verify things for each project you do.

___ The files are camera ready

HARD COPY (mark through if not needed)

___ Desktop printed files are done according to the printer's instructions

___ Files are in order

___ Files are complete

___ Separations (if color)

___ Registration marks (if color)

___ Everything aligned

___ Headlines spelled correctly

ELECTRONIC COPY (mark through if not needed)

___ Everything aligned

___ Headlines spelled correctly

___ Fonts embedded (PDF)

___ Art files included (for Non-PDF documents)

___ Proof copy for the press is supplied (if necessary)

___ The files are all on disk OR

___ Special instructions are included

___ The printer is standing by to receive the files (if electronic)

___ The files were received (whether mailed, hand delivered or emailed)

___ The printer verified the files are complete and ready

___ The printer has no additional questions

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Don’t Go Broke at the Printers - How to Save Money at the Print Shop

May 18, 2009 – 12:58 pm

Don't Go Broke at the Printers - How to Save Money at the Printers
Photo by Phoney Nickle

Don't Go Broke at the Printers - How to Save Money at the Print Shop

Find out ways to save yourself money the next time you go on over to the print shop to get one of your graphic design projects printed out. The more you can do in house before sending a project to a printer, the more money you can save on the printing cost. Below I have shared some secret tips with you to save some of your precious money at the commercial printers.

1) Complete the project. In other words, get the project camera-ready so all the printer has to do is shoot a negative, burn a plate, load the press and print. (See Chapter Printing Problems for an explanation of these.) If the printer has to make any adjustments to your file, you can expect to pay for these.

2) Shoot your own negatives. Not everyone has the huge camera needed to make printing negatives. Still if you plan to make a living doing graphic design, investing in a graphic arts large-frame camera and darkroom could be a wise idea. By large-frame camera, I mean one capable of holding a negative about a yard long. You’ll also have to have a darkroom, chemicals and developing trays.

3) Burn your own plates. (See Chapter Printing Problems for definition of burning plates). However, you’ll need to be sure your plate is the size the printer needs. If the plate is too big, it can be trimmed. If the plate is too small, it will have to be junked. Also, if you burn your own plates, leave them completely flat. Let the printer make his own crimps in the plate to attach it to the press. Come plates can be burned on a large-frame camera. Some plates require a specialized plates-only camera because of lighting requirements.

4) Use standard-stock paper. This generally means white paper cut to letter or legal size in the US or country-standard size elsewhere on the globe. Use standard envelopes, postcards, business card stock for these projects. Every time you order a special color of paper, you increase the price. Every time you order a different trim on the paper, say 7 inches by 9 inches, you increase the price because the printer will have to cut these sheets. Understand also that the thicker a paper is, the more it will cost per sheet.

5) Limit colors as much as possible. The more inks a printer has to use, the more expense he has to go to. This will be passed along to you. More inks also mean more spoils (See Chapter Printing Problems for spoils definition) because the press must be aligned properly to make sure each different color ink plate is lined up properly. This cost too will be passed along.

6) Buy bulk. If you know you have a lot of projects coming which will use a non-standard grade of paper, ask the printer if he will stock up. He may ask for some purchase guarantees from you to insure his cost will be covered. But, the printer should realize some savings in buying in large quantities and you are within your rights to ask for some savings as well.

7) Supply your own paper. If you have a project that calls for a REALLY oddball paper, consider buying the paper yourself and supplying it to the printer. In general supplying paper to a printer is not a good idea because it cuts into his profit margin (which is typically slim just on the cost of paper). But the printer may appreciate you supplying the paper in extremely unusual circumstances. Just be sure to ask ahead of time to make sure the printer is capable of handling the paper you supply. Stationery or special events are be a common situations where unusual paper is needed, especially where an unusual or irregular trim is needed. Invitations are great examples of this. Say you have a customer planning an open house for a new industry and wants 5000 identical letters to mail to announce the open house. You can order 5000 sheets of paper cut in the shape of the building or the company logo. Then, develop the letter to go on the sheets. Send the custom-cut paper and your design to the printer, after making sure the printer can use the unusual-shaped sheets. Many times brochures are often cut to unusual shapes to
get more attention.

Get an annual contract. If you know you will have X amount of printing in a year’s time, approach a printer and explain this. Tell the printer you will guarantee him X amount of business in exchange for a discount on the total printing bill.

9) Pay immediately instead of Net-30. Many businesses offer a small discount for customers who pay up front or immediately upon receiving the merchandise. That’s because they avoid the expense of sending customers a bill.

10) Shop around. If you have more than one print shop in your local area, ask for bids for the the print job.

11) If possible, look online for a printer out of town. But, while this can be cheaper, you do lose some control over the project and you will have to pay shipping costs.

12) Deliver your project yourself and pick up the finished product yourself. In addition to saving some shipping and handling fees, you can probably charge your client a delivery fee if you deliver it to them.

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Easy Guide to Commercial Printers for Designers Who Always Get Lost

May 17, 2009 – 1:14 pm

Easy Guide to Commercial Printers for Graphic Designers Needing to Know about Printing Process
Photo by Leeni!

Easy Guide to Commercial Printers for Designers Who Always Get Lost in the Printing Process & Common Printer Problems

The most common issue printers face with graphic artists and designers are deadlines. Some graphic designers think that when they hand the design project over to a printer, that they should get the final project back within 30 minutes. While that may be possible on small-scale projects done at quick-copy establishments such as Kinkos, it is not going to happen with a commercial printing press printer. First, understand that getting the project off your computer and turned into the final product has several steps.

The Commercial Printing Process

commercialprintingpress - The Commercial Printing Process

1) The printer must get your project onto the press. Although many printers now have new digital methods, for many commercial printers this means, typically, shooting negatives, stripping them if needed and burning a plate from the negatives. This will take a few minutes.

Quick Fact: In printer's jargon, the process of getting a negative ready to make a printing plate is called "stripping." Using that negative to make an image on a chemical-coated aluminum plate for printing is called "burning a plate."

Quick Fact: Putting printing plates on the press is called "Putting it to bed" because part of the printing press is called a bed.

2) The press must be loaded. Even if the press has the color ink you want, the plate must be installed correctly.

Quick Fact: The first sheets off a press are usually discarded. This is called "spoil."

3) The printer must run a few alignment and test sheets to make sure everything is working.

Quick Fact: High speed presses running a single-sheet project can run an exact number of copies. Multiple-sheet projects generally will not turn in an exact number of copies. In fact, projects like books will have contracts that specify a 10 percent over-run or over-run. The customer is expected to pay for over-runs and will be credited with under-runs.

4) The printing then begins. If it is a multiple page project and the printer is a small shop, presses may have to be cleaned and reloaded with the other plates. Then, on a multiple copy project, the sheets must be collated and bound if desired.

Quick Fact: Each paper stock weight in the United States is based on 500 sheets of paper cut to the specified size. If your copier paper is "20lb bond," then 500 sheets of it, if cut to 17"x22", would weigh 20 pounds. If cut to 25"x38", it would be called "book paper" or "text paper," and it would weigh 50 pounds. Paper stock for posters, catalog covers and other items which require rigidity is measured differently. Point size and Weight. Point Size: Designates the thickness of a sheet in thousandths of an inch, so .010 would be 10pt as well as .012 would be 12pt. Weight: Using the standard US pound (#), weight is determined as the weight of 500, 20” X “26” sheets. (Source www.theprintingguide.com)

5) Your project may be on a list of projects the printer has. It could be that your project is a little way down on the list, so the printer won't be able to begin work immediately. Understand also that if you request an urgent print schedule, someone else may have requested a rush job ahead of you.

Common Problems That Occur During the Commercial Printing Process

pullingmyhairout2 - Common Problems That Occur During the Commercial Printing Process
photograph by bcymet

Common problem: Incompatible formats.

incompatibleformats-Common problem: Incompatible formats.
Photograph by Kaptain Kobold

This should never be a problem thanks to Adobe Acrobat. With Adobe Acrobat you can create a project on any computer platform in any kind of application. Then, convert the project into a .PDF (Portable Document Format). PDFs can be opened on all the common personal computer platforms with the free Acrobat. Acrobat is available for Windows, Mac and Linux. Visit <www.adobe.com> for more information and free Acrobat Reader downloads and updates. If you decide to not make a PDF file, then check to see what file formats the printer can use. If you send a file his system won't open, then you, not the printer, have delayed the printing process. Not everyone has the very latest software updates. Not everyone can open every kind of file. If you create a project in Adobe Illustrator on a Mac and save it as an Illustrator file for a Mac, do not be surprised if the printer cannot open it.

Common problem: Special printing requirements.

specialprintingrequirements - Common problem: Special printing requirements.
Photograph by DuneChaser

If your customer wants a particular grade of paper, color paper or color of ink, call ahead and make sure the printer has it. If the printer does have it, ask if it can be ordered and what the turnaround time will be. WIth the huge variety of papers and inks available today, most job print shops will not have everything you can imagine. If you want a specific kind of trim on the paper, it may have to be cut. If the printer has to cut the paper, this is an additional step in the printing process and will cost extras. Be prepared to pay for this extra work
Common problem: No proof sheet

Common problem: No proof sheet
Photography by Nate Hofer

A proof sheet shows the printer what the final project should look like. It insures that your borders, margins, bleeds, art and text are all aligned properly. When the printer generates the image that will be loaded on the press, he can use the proof sheet to make sure everything is lined up properly. If something is off, the printer should call you and tell you the problem. Then the two of you work it out. If you supply a proof sheet and the project prints incorrectly, then you have a case to go back to the printer for redress. If you do not supply a proof sheet, then you have little recourse unless it is such an obvious error that anyone could have caught it. If there is no proof sheet, the printer is on his own and must use his own judgement to decide if the project is printing correctly. A proof sheet, especially on color projects, lets the printer know what the final product color scheme should be. The printer can and does make minute adjustments to the press ink wells while a project is coming off the press.

Common problem: Contact information

lostandfound - common problem: Contact information
Photograph by LightSoutFilms

Simple courtesy means you don't just drop off a project with instructions. Be sure you leave a phone number where the printer can reach you during business hours. If there's a problem, you might be able to solve it over the phone. If the printer can't reach you, your project will likely be set aside until the printer can find you and address the problems.

Common problem: Not listening

notlistening - Common problem: Not listening
Photograph by Meredith Farmer

One sure way to infuriate a printer is to not listen to him when he says something. You may be the graphic artist with project, but most likely thep-rinter has extensive experience in graphic design as well. Furthermore, the printer knows his printing equipment and what it is capable of. You are hiring the printer to do a job, so listen to what he says. In addition to learning something about his printing operation, which will help you down the road, you may pick up some additional design tips.

Pro’s Tip It never hurts to ask.

Photograph by Kygp

Once you delivered the project, given all your instructions and answered any questions the printer has, ask this last question, “Is there anything else I might need to know or might need to tell you about this project?”

Technorati Tags: printing process, commercial printing process, commercial printers, commercial printing, printers for designers, printing for designers, printing process for designers, graphic design, design tips, graphic design tips, printing tips, common printing problems, printing problems

By admin Posted in Commercial Printing Process, Lists, Prepress 10 Comments

Advice for Graphic Design Students - Characteristics of Top Design Students

May 13, 2009 – 9:51 pm

Graphic Design Students - What Makes a Good Graphic Design Student
Photo by: Musescore

Characteristics of a Great and Mediocre Graphic Design Students : How to Be the Best Student Graphic Designer and Hang Out with the Successful and Talented Designers

Article Written by Kearan Emrith of Twentyfive Eight Design Solutions

Graphic design is one of the most under-estimated, under paid, yet most important career paths in the world. Design influences and effects everything in and around us. It aggravates our intelligence, beautifies our emotions and gratifies our senses. Yet the average person thinks if you slap together some primary colors and a photo of their favorite singer in Photoshop, save it as a .jpeg AND a .psd file, that they are now graphic designers. It’s not as easy as “common knowledge” may lead you to believe. Yes graphic designers use Adobe Creative Suite which does include Photoshop and other tools, but to become a successful graphic artist is much like becoming an athlete. Having all the right equipment isn’t even half the battle. It takes a lot of conditioning and training to get to that level that you need to get to. You will have to train your brain to speak the language of form, function, line, shape, positive and negative space and so forth. Your thought process will be so engrossed within graphic design that you will be able to visualize mind maps, brain storming, and futurist visualization within your head. You will only need to be put these ideas on paper to convey your ideas to the less fortunate. Mathematicians do calculus in their heads, designers should do creative brainstorming in theirs. The truth of the matter is that not all designers will be successful. Some will fail, most will remain mediocre, and the select few who are gifted all around will get exactly what they deserve ... Everything.

Believe it or not amongst all the bull we have been fed throughout our lives there is some underlying truth. One of these truths is that education is the key. In graphic design the learning never stops. The industry is ever-changing and expanding to accommodate everyone in all different fields. The one thing they do not stress enough in the graphic design curriculum is to continue to READ. I know it sounds asinine and childish but the only way to stay informed and aware of the design world around you and your peers from across the globe is to follow the industry closely. Starting this as a student will not only get you in the habit for the rest of your career but it will also make you a better designer while in school. Designers feed off each others work and experiences more so than Hollywood musicals feed off of Broadway shows. We facilitate each other.

This might not be evident the first year of your graphic design program but it will become more and more obvious as the program goes on. When my first year began, all of us seemed more concerned with making friends than making art. As the year progressed we all had our comfortable niche of students we worked with. Even if it was an individual assignment we would sit together in the library and feed off each others creative energy. Fuel each other to be the best we possibly could. In the first semester of the program I was in we were divided in half. Graphic design A (GRA-A) and graphic design B (GRA-B). We had the exact same classes, lectures and assignments but we were separated from the other group. I was in GRA-B and by the time first semester had ended I could tell who was going to be successful and who was going to fail after graduation. In second semester they inter-grated group A and B. In a way this was good but it started the weeding out the weak process all over again. This time was easier because I knew what characteristics to look for in students to classify them as mediocre.

Characteristics of Mediocre Graphic Design Students

Students who are consistent. By consistent I don’t mean in quality I mean in ideas. The students that do the same thing for every assignment just slight variations aren’t creative. They will never strengthen themselves as a designer if all they do is remain in their strong areas.

Students Who Don't Strive for Excellence. Steer clear of the students who get below 80% and are happy with their mark. The student that tries his hardest and gets 72% will be more successful than the student who never tries and gets a 80%. The 72% student has drive, ambition and work ethic. All of which are important to any career especially one design related. This student is also a great person to work with and work around because even though they may not be the most creative they are still inspiring you to put more of an effort.

Students Who Can't Handle Presentations. The students that are really shy and cannot handle class presentations. Graphic design is an industry where public speaking is very important. If you can’t convey your ideas and thought process behind your work to the client they won’t buy into it. Even though it is an art based industry, your art is your product and if you can’t sell that product accordingly you won’t make it far. Although not being able to present your designs doesn't mean that you are a lousy graphic designer, however, a shy graphic design student probably won't be able to help YOU grow as a graphic design student since they won't be vocal about what they know.

Even though the students that fall into these categories may not be good designers that doesn’t mean they aren’t good people. My advice is to talk to everyone and get some type of contact information. If you happen to become friends with them so be it. Just don’t look to them to draw new habits and inspiration. The most used cliché in the world holds true in this scenario. Don’t mix business with pleasure. This is a business and it may not be morally correct but it isn’t your job to help them succeed. The talented should remain talented and the less talented should work on themselves to get there. That being said, there are students who you should surround yourself with.

Characteristics of Talented Graphic Design Students : Surround Yourself with Them

Loud, Vocal, Humorous Students. Usually the loudest, arrogant, humorous students are the ones to be around. They are either really creative, smoke a lot of ganja or both. So if you can’t draw from their creative energy you can at-least get something else from them.

Students Living in the Library. The students who live in the library are the most submerged in design. These are the students that are always on design blogs, taking out design books and when they aren’t reading about others designs that they are designing themselves.

Design Students Who Talk A Lot About Graphic Design. Graphic designers talk about graphic design. It’s that simple of a concept. You can never have a conversation on what font was used in a movie or on a brand of clothing with anyone else. You can never talk about live traced adverts, vector images on coke cans and in most modern product packaging unless its with a graphic design peer. These students who are completely design savvy are the best for this. They understand what you know and make you understand what you don’t know. I said it before and will say it again, design is a language and like any other language it has to be learned and understood before it can be spoken.

Design Students Who Have Already Starting Freelance Designing. Another student to look for are the ones who have already started freelance designing. This is a very important step especially in first year. It shows that these students are already thinking about building their portfolio and making money. This is a very good step especially for a first year student to take. At the same time don’t lose focus of your priorities. School is first, freelance comes after. It’s also a great way to get the feel of working within a clients guidelines. Not to mention you are starting your client database before you even work a day in the field.

Should You Purchase a Web Site Template or Hire a Web Designer

Looking for an appropriate Web Template to use for your business or hobby site is not an easy thing to do. Most of the templates you find (especially the free or low cost templates) are going to be stale, look unprofessional, or have already been cloned all over the web. If you decide to go with something pricier, there is a better chance of getting something that will be decent but then you really need to do your homework to make sure it was worth the money. Also, if you are going to spend a pocket full of dollars on a better template, then should you go with a web designer instead?

When you are looking for a good web site template, you need to first keep in mind the things that make any web site good and then look at the specific limitations of a template and see how they will effect you and your site. We'll look at both.
1. Is the site coded to current standards?
The web is always changing and you want your new website to be web browser compliant to reduce the errors people will encounter when viewing your pages. If the site is going to be very small and simple, you can probably get away with a static HTML template. If you are going to actually be using and updating your site regularly and it is more than a single page then you want the template to be coded using CSS.

Why use CSS? CSS is about separating the design from your content. This becomes especially important when using a template, because once you start using it you don't want to be concerned with the look anymore. You want to concentrate on the content of your site. By using CSS you can keep the look of everything consistent from page to page. Without it, you risk everything looking very uncoordinated and unprofessional. Using CSS will also make the coding on the pages generally more efficient increasing the speed that your pages load.

2. Are there good navigation tools?
People are going to need to get around your site. Exactly how they do this has a lot to do with the purpose of your site and you need to consider what these requirements are going to be before choosing a template. Is your site content based chronologically (Like blogs often are)? You'll want a simple interface that is date based. Is your site full of content that might not be easily interconnected? You may need a thorough menu based system or at the least a search box on the page.

3. Is the look of the template clean?
When the web first started it was all about fitting as much on a page as possible. Turns out, that without at least a bit of white space sites turn into jumbled messes. Make sure the template allows you to add your content and still leaves room for that content to breath a little.

4. Does the template fit your purpose?
There are lots of reasons people need sites, and different reasons lend them selves to different styles of design. If your site is informational you want the design to focus the readers view on that information. If you are selling a product you may want the initial view to fall on a picture of the product or maybe on the testimonials or your logo. Whatever it is, make sure the template is bringing the eyes where they need to go. This isn't just about your content either, if you are planning on ad based revenue, you need to make sure the template leaves space for your ads so they aren't being stuffed in awkwardly at the end breaking the look of your page.

5. Does the template fit your audience?

Put a lot of thought into the capabilities of your target audience and how they are accessing your site. If the audience is on faster connections (younger/tech savvy group) than you might be able to get away with something more image based, but if they are coming to your site off slower connections you want something more static and text based. Also keep in mind that some templates will be better for static content and others for more dynamic content. You don't want ever changing content to leave giant gaps on your page or longer content to over run the pages.

6. Make sure the template is search engine friendly.

Most people rely on search engines to bring in a large chunk of their sites traffic. If you are using a template, you want to make sure it doesn't bring in a lot of flash or a splash page since both can damage search engine ranking. Also make sure it is easy to ad tags to the template for different content areas. Even though tags and meta data supposedly don't directly effect rankings any more, it can effect the text that shows up in the search engines and you want this to be effective to draw others in. Also, make sure the template is accessible to people of different ages and abilities.

7. Make sure it isn't being used everywhere.

If you tweak the template a bit to ad some creativity this won't be as much of an issue, but look around (especially at sites on similar subjects to your own) and make sure you are not seeing this template being used elsewhere. Just because you are using a template, doesn't mean you want to look like a cookie cut-out of every other site around you, especially other sites you are competing with.

Only you can decide if your new site needs to be template based or if you should take the time and money to have it professionally designed. Generally speaking, your use of a template should be inversely proportionate to the importance of the site to your business. If your whole business is about the design and the site don't be penny wise and pound foolish hire someone to do the job right.

Logo Design Inspiration - Best of Cool Logos Part III

May 8, 2009 – 8:28 pm

accqua - best logos - cool logo designs

Logo Design Inspiration - Best of Cool Logos Part III

This is part III of a multiple part series of the coolest logo designs. You can see part one of the logo design inspiration series here - Logo Design Inspiration Part I and Logo Design Inspiration Part II. You can use this list as a source of logo inspiration or just look at it because it is fun to do. Either way, enjoy the following list of beautiful / cool logo designs. You can take a look at more logos on the Logo Design Inspiration Section of Design Sites Up.

Logo Design Articles on All Graphic Design Resources

Logo Design Inspiration Part I

Logo Design Inspiration Part II

Best Logo Design Books for Your Graphic Design Library - Here are a few books you should consider for your logo design book collection.

Logo Design Process of Inspirational Graphic Designer Jon Sandruck - Do you want to learn about the logo design process from a logo designer who is going to have two of his logos to be included in the inspirational Logo Lounge 5? Then please welcome the very talented Jon Sandruck.

Logo Design Creation Process from Start to Finish by Expert Graphic Designer - Jose Soto

Logo Design Process from Start to Finish Logo Design Creation Process from Start to Finish by Expert Graphic Designer : Mark Misenheimer - This article was written by the very talented, Mark Misenheimer of Misenheimer Creative, Inc. Mark is an expert freelance graphic designer who has been in the design business for years. He has documented the design of a logo from start to finish in order to help other graphic designers. I know that you will learn something from this tremendous logo design article.

logo design process from start to finish - kick Logo Design Creation Process from Start to Finish by Expert Graphic Designer : Angela Ferraro-Fanning - We are very excited to have Angela Ferraro-Fanning guest write for us this week. Many of you will find that she is a graphic designer that is very talented and experienced. She wrote this article to guide you through her own creative logo design process, from start to finish.

A Roundup of the Best Photoshop Logo Design Tutorials Online - I have collected the top Photoshop Logo Design tutorials online and listed them for you below. There are also plenty of Web 2.0 Logo Design tutorials as well.

Logo Design Articles, Tips, and Resources

Logo Design Inspiration Sites and Galleries