Graphic Design Blog & Graphic Design News: Graphic design articles to quench your thirst for graphic design and web design topics. : Graphic Design Blog & Graphics News Blog

Great Ideas for Package Designs - Part I

October 29, 2009 – 2:00 am

See, Learn, and Get Inspired
Designing a package can be quite challenging when trying to think of unique ways to present a product. The following examples show how graphic designers think outside the packaging box by using creative techniques that are novel in approach, and also quite functional by design.

Otokoyama Sake

A simple design can be more eye-catching then a busy one. In this example, the ideas of using different fonts and placing the text off-center is all that is needed to create a functional, and elegant motif.
.
Fixa

Here are good examples of how form follows function. In this case we are talking about humble kitchen accessories such as knives, cheese shavers, and vegetable peelers. These package designs have taken the phrase, “One picture is worth a thousand words” quite literally.
.
Waitrose Infused Olive Oil

Foodies are quite familiar with infused oils–oils that have a hint of flavor from foods, herbs or spices. In this design the artist presents the idea so clearly through the graphic that there is no need for additional text describing the infused essence.
.
Pet Food

Taking an approach of cute or whimsy in the design of a package can sometimes score a bullseye for the graphic designer, and client. These designs immediately bring a smile to your face, while also showing the purpose of the contents quite effectively.

Next Time
We’ll have some more examples of creative packaging designs and see what can be done when design and function work hand-in-hand with each other. Until then, keep on designing!

By admin Posted in Adobe Photoshop, Best of the Best Designs, Best of the Best Designs, Design Careers, Design Education, Design News, Design Project Management, Design Tools & Utilities, Drawing and Sketching, Graphic Design, Graphic Design 101, Graphic Design Resources, Graphic Design Tutorials 2 Comments

Graphic Design Education and Your Career

October 23, 2009 – 6:36 pm

Talent + Education = Graphic Designer
Talent is always a big consideration for employers who are seeking individuals to fill positions, but the world of graphics, illustration, and art has changed dramatically with the use of computer design software and computer hardware.

Publishing houses, graphic design firms and other related businesses need people who are up-to-date in the latest graphic design methods and technology.

For entry level work and some higher-level design positions, design firms usually require a minimum of a bachelor’s degree.

Typical courses for a graphic design degree cover topics such as design principles, computer design software, layout and design, and graphics.

Associate’s degrees and certificates in graphic design are available at two-year community colleges, junior colleges, and graphic design colleges.

The curriculum for an associate or certificate in graphic design usually concentrates on the technical aspects of design work. Positions available for this level of education qualify you for some entry level jobs in graphic design or as an assistant to a graphic designer.

What Else Is Required?
Individuals who want to work as graphic designers should have good communication skills, the ability to multitask effectively, work effectively under pressure, and have a good eye for design, and detail.

Because the world of design is in constant change, companies who hire graphic designers need people who understand the current trends of design and where it may lead to in the future.

Where Do You Start?
Graphic design colleges are specifically geared toward education in the liberal arts and can help students to learn and use many of the tools required to enter this job field.

If you are considering a career as a graphic designer or want to increase your skills in this field of work, graphic design schools are available to help you achieve these goals.

By admin Posted in Design Education 9 Comments

Camera Tricks for Non-Photographers - Part II

October 22, 2009 – 2:39 am

Make Your Own Filters and Special Effects
In our last camera tricks session we covered some basic techniques related to camera operation, lens usage, and camera settings to achieve different image effects without the use of Photoshop.

This time around we will still achieve in-camera effects but with the use of homemade lens filters and accessories that you can use at a moment’s notice.

Some of the following images show the final effect, while others represent the typical effect that can be realized.

Bluer Skies

An easy solution is to use a pair of polarized sunglasses. Merely place one of the sun glass lenses in front of the camera lens. Look through the camera viewfinder or LCD display while rotating your sunglasses. The sky’s color will gradually change to a deeper blue. Once you see the level of saturation you are satisfied with, snap your picture and you’re done.
.
Get Hosed with a Pantyhose Diffusion Filter

Ask your girlfriend or female acquaintance for any pantyhose they are planning to dispose of. Once you get a pair, simply cut a swatch out that is large enough in size to wrap itself around and in front of a camera lens. The result is an unusually soft diffusion effect. Using different colored pantyhose modifies the image according to the hue used.
.
Wire Mesh Star Filter

Go to your local hardware store or garden supply house and ask a sales rep to cut and sell you one square foot of wire mesh screen. Use a soup can or other round object to trace a circle large enough to cover the front of your lens. Any specular highlights or bright light sources will be surrounded by a four point star effect.
.
Clear Focus Diffusion Effect

For this effect to work, all you need to do is to smear some Vaseline jelly in a donut shaped pattern around your clear filter lens or piece of glass. The middle is clear while the rest of the “donut” shape is covered with a thin film of the lubricant. To increase the effect of diffusion, use more petroleum jelly or make the clear center area smaller.
.
Experiment and Have Fun
Photoshop and other image manipulation programs are great at enhancing, transforming or augmenting photos. But the use of in-camera effects has its place in helping graphic artists and designers to achieve unique special effects that are simple and quick to implement.

The bottom line is to have fun with these effects and keep them in mind on your next photo shoot. You may find them to be very helpful for that special mood that you are trying to achieve.

By admin Posted in Best of the Best Designs, Design Careers, Design Project Management, Design Tools & Utilities, Graphic Design, Graphic Design 101, Graphic Design Effects, Graphic Design Resources, Graphic Design Tutorials 1 Comment

Really Cool Photoshop Effects Part III

October 16, 2009 – 4:22 am

In our hat of magic Photoshop tricks, we’ve pulled out a few more items that we thought you might be interested in.

These effects and their related tutorials (click on the bold text or the image) are really fun to try out. They incorporate functions of Photoshop such as layering, transparency, blending, and other methods.

It will be hard to put some of these tutorials down after you see the rendered images. You’ll want to experiment with these techniques to see what else you can create.

Have fun!

Mosaic: Photo with Lots of Photos Effect
This really nice effect isn’t obvious upon first inspection. It looks like a photo that has been processed with a simple Photoshop mosaic effect.

But if you look closely, you’ll find that the mosaic pattern is comprised of a matrix of many smaller photos.

This is a great idea for portraits. You can emphasize different aspects of the person such as family, friends, or hobbies.

Energy Sphere Effect
Let’s face it, anyone who has ever played the video game Street Fighter has secretly wished for the power to throw a couple of energy spheres at unsuspecting bad guys.

Or perhaps even more importantly — to show off in front of your friends.

However, unless you are Ryu, you won’t be able to.

But this neat effect can make you the envy at your workplace or school when you show them your awesome powers with the help of this Photoshop technique.

The energy sphere effect may come in handy one day on future projects too…but using it to transform yourself into a superhero is more fun.

Reflective Bubble Effect
Here’s another sphere effect but with a different purpose altogether.

In this PS trick, you can place an image of the subject on the reflection of a bubble.

Or if you are really ambitious, you can place them on a series of bubbles.

This effect may be a nice one to use for an advertisement or poster project.

Old School Photo Collage
Remember when you were in elementary school and you had to make a photo collage during arts and crafts time?

It was fun, but here’s a PS effect that takes collage to the next several levels.

In this tutorial you’ll use blend modes, layering techniques, transparency, and filters.

The various ideas you can produce out of this effect are virtually limitless.

It can be used in a variety of ways from commercial applications to personal projects…and you don’t have to use glue and scissors!

Sin City Graphic Novel Effect
Fans of Sin City or those who want to produce an edgy graphic novel styled image can turn to this tutorial.

The speech bubble really seals the deal on this concept.

Throw in a little Pulp Fiction music and you’re all set to try this effect.

By admin Posted in Adobe Photoshop, Best of the Best Designs, Best of the Best Designs, Design Careers, Design Project Management, Graphic Design, Graphic Design 101, Graphic Design Effects, Graphic Design Resources, Graphic Design Tutorials 1 Comment

Camera Tricks for Non-Photographers Part I

October 14, 2009 – 5:49 pm

1986 B.P. (Before Photoshop)
Photoshop is a fun program and can be used to turn plain photographs into unusual or improved versions. But before Photoshop arrived, photographers were using in-camera effects to put some pop into their images.

What Is an In-Camera Effect?
This means the manipulation of a photographic image through the use of special lighting, shutter speeds, depth of field, lenses, filters, colored gels, props, or materials while the picture is being shot.
.
Why Use In-Camera Effects?
In some cases, you simply don’t have the time to use Photoshop to alter the image, especially if you are under a tight deadline.

Other times, believe it or not, an in-camera effect is easier to produce than using Photoshop. This means you can experiment with various set ups while taking the photos. At the end of the session, you just pick the best one.

Another reason to use in-camera effects is to familiarize yourself with the operation and different settings of your camera.

The knowledge you gain from using in-camera effects helps you to be a better photographer, which means less time fixing mistakes after shooting photos.

The Tricks
The following methods are easy to do and with a little practice you’ll be producing some pretty good images for your next graphic design project.

These in-camera techniques work with most cameras, but some digital cameras won’t allow you to manually override your shutter speeds, f-stops, and other settings.

If this is the case, you can either find a camera that lets you do this, or just skip these effects until you can find a camera that is more flexible.

So here we go.

Depth of Field
This is one of the simplest tricks to add drama or interest to a photograph. Depth of field refers to the amount of sharpness or focus that is available in a scene.

Generally speaking, when you use the zoom feature of your camera for close ups, the specific area that you are focusing on will remain sharp, while the background and/or foreground is thrown out of focus.

Manually changing your f-stop or lens aperture has the same effect. The smaller the f-stop number is, the shallower your focus will be. So a setting of f/2.0 will have less depth of focus of a scene than a setting of f/16. The photo below was shot with an f-stop of 5.6 while doing a close up.

…………………
…………..…..The background is out of focus while maintaining focus of the foreground image

Panning Your Camera for Action Shots
This is somewhat similar to the depth of field trick except that motion is used to accentuate a subject instead of using focus.

Let’s say you want to take a photograph of a person riding a bicycle. You snap the picture and the scene is frozen in time. It’s ok, but it could be better. To enhance the photo, you can pan your camera or follow your subject while it is traveling across from you.

The first step is to adjust your shutter speed to 1/60 or 1/125 of a second. As the subject moves past you, follow and match the subject’s motion by panning your camera. As you do this, snap the picture.

This results in the subject being in focus while the background is blurred. The effect gives a sense of motion to the photograph and can be used in any situation when motion needs to be accentuated or demonstrated.

The photographer panned his camera along with the biker. A nice motion effect

Silhouette Effect
This in-camera effect is all about exposure. You’ve seen this trick in many movies and photographs, but just how did they do it? The technique is simplicity itself. The trick is to take a photo of a subject against a brightly lit background and expose for the background.

The huge difference in light ratio will make the subject go completely dark while the background is exposed properly. This will produce a nice silhouette of the subject. Just make sure that your source of lighting is from behind your subject and not in front of it.

This may take a few shots to get it just right by experimenting with the exposure, but the effect can be stunning if done correctly.

……………………
…………..Make sure your source of lighting is from behind the subject for the best effect

Next week we’ll show you how to make the sky bluer, produce nice diffused images, and more. See you then!

By admin Posted in Adobe Photoshop, Best of the Best Designs, Best of the Best Designs, Design Careers, Design Project Management, Design Tools & Utilities, Graphic Design, Graphic Design 101, Graphic Design Resources, Graphic Design Tutorials, Photos & Clip Art 1 Comment

Really Cool Photoshop Effects Part II

October 11, 2009 – 11:19 pm

Last time around we selected five cool Photoshop techniques to enhance and transform your images into another reality.

Some were simple and direct, while others needed some expertise and Photoshop skills.

For our second round of PS effects, we’ve selected some that can be used “as is” or as the basis for creating new ones. Each of the following effects is explained through a tutorial.

To see them, click on the bold text or on the image.

Rock Star Silhouette Effect
Let’s face it; many of us have secretly daydreamed about being a rock star or being a member of a band. Come on now, you know it’s true.

Well, the prospects of this happening may be slim, but the next best thing you can do is to make a cool rock star poster of yourself.

After this Photoshop trick, you can hang the finished image on your wall and have your friends admire your work. You may even autograph a picture or two.
.

.
Plasma Fantasy Art Effect
Are you a big fan of fantasy novels? Or are you just a big fan of fantasy art?

Here’s some Photoshop magic that will literally light up any image you use by encircling the subject in glowing rings.

The technique for this effect is easy to understand and can transform any portrait into an image of wonderment and fantasy.

Alien Invasion Effect
If you’d like to change a dull or uninspired photo of a city into a dramatic apocalyptic scene, look no further than this tutorial written by Craig Henry.

With a few images of common objects, you can Photoshop them into an alien spaceship.

In the case of Craig, he used the front of a car and part of a camera lens to make his spacecraft. Yes, he really did. Use your imagination to see what things you can use for this special effect.
.

Watercolor Effect
This effect is quite nice and can turn any photo into a watercolor painting. In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to use the median filter, blend mode, and layering to achieve the final result.

It’s quick and easy and you’ll be able to create instant pieces of watercolor for your personal enjoyment or for your next art project.
.
.

Big Pixel / Halftone Effect
Here’s a classic looking effect from the days of Pop Art guru Andy Warhol.

This effect is done by simply making a custom mosaic pattern and overlaying it onto an existing image.

You can experiment with the cell sizes to see which ones work the best for your image.

By admin Posted in Adobe Photoshop, Graphic Design Effects, Graphic Design Resources, Graphic Design Tutorials 3 Comments

Really Cool Photoshop Effects Part 1

October 8, 2009 – 7:28 pm

Photoshop is like a magic hat. Inside it you’ll find and discover all sorts of tricks that allow you to manipulate and transform images to another state of being.
.
Photoshop can be a little tricky sometimes because of the depth of all its features. But this shouldn’t scare anyone away from using this great program. In fact, with a few tricks of the trade, you’ll be able to produce some really great images.
.
The following are some of our picks for cool Photoshop effects. Each one has a tutorial that takes you step-by-step on how to perform the magic. Try some of them out and be amused and amazed at what can be done. A big thanks to our friends at hongkiat.com for doing all the leg work in rounding up a lot of these effects.
.
To see the tutorials, click on the bold text or images below.
.

Force Field / Mental Wave
There are lots of steps in this one, and it’s obvious that there is a simpler way by just using layering and transparency.
.
But the method this person uses is interesting and is a good exercise in using the various tools in PS to achieve this effect.
.
Now you can do a force field effect of yourself and send it to all your friends.
.
.

.
Water Reflection
This is a cool little trick and can be useful for turning a standard looking photograph into an artsy looking one.
.
The first part, you already figured out. Copy, flip, and paste. So far so good.
.
The rest of the tips in this tutorial show you how to turn that mirror image into a water-like reflection.
.
This is a very nice effect.

.

.
Retro Comic Book Effect
Here’s a pretty easy one to do. After you use the techniques in this trick, you’ll be able to think up lots of ideas for jokes or novel ideas for making unusual portraits.
.
Get a couple of friends to pose for you and after you render the image and effect, you can turn your buddies into superheroes.
.
.
.

Rainbow Effect
You’ve taken an awesome outdoors shot of nature.
.
The sun is shinning, the flowers are in full bloom, the scenery is stunning, and there are great puffs of cotton candy clouds in the sky.
.
But it would have been perfect if there was a rainbow in the sky. Not to worry.
.
Now you can with this Photoshop trick. Just don’t over do it. People will get suspicious.
.

Dramatic Lighting
There’s nothing like a cloudy or overcast day to shoot good portraits or product shots. The sky acts like a gigantic light tent and provides nice, even lighting all around.
.
But if you’re taking shots of big structures, the flat lighting makes the image look dull. If you ever need to punch up the lighting in a flat photo, here’s the way to do it.
.

For the more ambitious, there are graphic design schools and graphic design colleges that can provide professional training in Photoshop.

Next week, we’ll show off some more Photoshop tricks so stay tuned. See you then!

.
.

By admin Posted in Adobe Photoshop, Best of the Best Designs, Best of the Best Designs, Design Careers, Design Project Management, Design Tools & Utilities, Graphic Design, Graphic Design 101, Graphic Design Effects, Graphic Design Resources, Graphic Design Tutorials 1 Comment

Quick and Easy Logos, Clip Art, and Graphics

October 7, 2009 – 7:25 pm

Graphic designers are collectors of tools. It can be clip art, vector graphics, illustrations, fonts, or website apps. All these little tidbits create a nice library of things that can be used in projects or work.

Freebies Aren’t Always Free
One thing that you’ll always see on the Internet are the so-called free graphics tools.

The problem is that the tools or downloads aren’t really free and are merely a ruse to get you to go to the website.

Then you suddenly realize, “Hey, this isn’t for free. I actually have to pay if I want to download or use the program! #@@!$%#!” (Censors have prevented the preceding word from appearing to sensitive eyes).

Or other times, the sites are a little more honest and say, “Free download!” Which is actually true, but they don’t tell you that while the download is indeed free, you have to pay in order to use the software or feature.

Quick and Dirty and Really Free
But here are a few places that offer services and helps that really are free with no strings attached. These sites provide quick and not so dirty results for making text logos, clip art, rendered .psd and .il logos, and a few other things without charge.

The next time you’re under the gun in trying to think up a logo, a font, or a design, you might want to visit a few of these sites. Just click on the logos or bold text to go visit them.

LogoEase is a simple to use online design tool that offers users a clean and easy to use interface to design a logo with text really fast.

If you are in a rush or just want to experiment with a few ideas to get your thinking cap going, this is the site to go to.

Registration is required but there is no charge to use the website.

CoolText offers some nice text logos that are simple to use and make.

You’ll be out of there in under five minutes after your first design.

No frills. No bogus programs. Just straightforward text entry, selection of style, font and color, and you’re done.

AllFreeLogo: Looking for company logos to use in your next project such as Lays, Trekk bicycles, or some other corporation or business? You need look no further than here.

You can download hundreds of corporate logos. Or maybe you just like to collect logos to view and admire. If so, this is the place to be.

Logo Instant: Graphic artists upload their logo designs for all to see and use. You can download them and alter them to suit your personal needs.

This is a really cool site for just browsing for ideas and inspiration. And if you see something you like, it’s a totally free download with no strings or restrictions for use.

Flaming Text: With a title like this, how could you not take a look? This site is the epitome of simplicity and function if you want to turn plain text into a stylized format.

Type in your words and the site does the rest for you. In addition, you’ll have a big selection of clip art, webmaster tools, buttons, and web art at your disposal.

A few of these websites ask for voluntary donations, and if you like what you see or use, feel free to donate a couple of dollars or other currency to show your appreciation of their work.

By admin Posted in Design Software, Drawing and Sketching, Fonts, Free Design Stuff, Graphic Design, Web Design 1 Comment

Web-Based Photo Editors: Fast, Fun, and Mostly Free

October 2, 2009 – 4:43 pm

It may seem odd but using a web-based photo editor is sometimes perferable to firing up Photoshop or some other computer software based photo editor. These little gems are easy to use, fast, and come in a variety of configurations.
.
Some of the programs are surprisingly full-featured, while others do really simple tasks such as cropping your images.
.
Now, without further delay, here is a small sampling:
.
Photoshop.com - A good mix of special effects, editing, and all-around good freebie. Even if you haven’t used Photoshop before, this web-based program is very easy to use and straightforward. You don’t even need a manual to use it!

.
Splashup.com - The main page says, “Jump right in,” and this is a very suiting description. This program loads pretty quickly, and there are a great deal of effects, filters, and tools to use. It even has layering, pixel-level control, and a more simple version for those who don’t need all th bells and whistles called Splashup Light. Good deal!

.
.
Picnik.com - Editing photo images isn’t always a picnic, but if you use this program, it can be. This is a simple to use program that has basic features to edit, crop, re-size, rotate, adjust colors, and add minor special effects. It uses a tab system that clearly displays all the functions and incorporates one-click ease in using the features.
.

.
Aviary.com - What can we say, except that this program really flies. This is another extremely user-friendly photo editor that is geared towards simplicity and speed of use. You click buttons that correspond to different editing actions. This is your basic plain-Jane photo editor.

.
Snipshot.com - This program brings extremely basic photo editing features for those who aren’t familiar with editing software. The learning curve is virtually zero and you can hit the ground running the first time you use it. The one downside is that you actually have to pay to use these basic features.

.
Easycropper.com - The guys who made this program have a sense of humor, so it gets a spot here. They state, ” It’s a free tool, so use it at your own risk. Then again, you’re just cropping images so what’s the worst that could happen?” Click once, enter your dimensions, hit enter, and you’re done. Only one thing though…

.
Pixlr.com - Here’s a very “Photoshopy” looking photo editor that has practically everything you need to properly edit your photos. It features layering, adjustment tools, filters, image sizing, a good range of special effects, and more. A very nice program.

.
And there you have it; a sampling of what’s out there. There are lots of them on the Internet so there may be a perfect match for your particular needs.

By admin Posted in Adobe Photoshop, Design Project Management, Design Software, Design Tools & Utilities, Drawing and Sketching, Graphic Design Resources, Web Design No Comments

Printed Paper and Storyboard Templates Galore

October 2, 2009 – 12:00 pm

People sort of take paper for granted. It’s everywhere and has become such a common commodity that it is rarely given a second thought.

.
But for anyone in graphic arts, illustration or design, paper is useful in producing the end results.
.
Sometimes there is a need for the use of certain types of utility paper such as graph paper, lined paper, dot paper, and more as they say in those late-night infomercials.
.
Maybe you dabble in music composition as a hobby. You could go out and buy a pack of staff paper for five dollars or more, but why bother when you can print your own?
.
Here are a couple of sites that have various templates for you to print your own utility paper. One particular site, called Printable Paper, has templates that allow you to print all sorts of design paper that can be useful. They’re all free, so there’s nothing to lose.
………….

.
Some of the templates for printing your own are:
.
• Graph Paper
• Lined Paper

• Logarithmic Graph Paper
• Polar Graph Paper
• Isometric Graph Paper
• Hexagon Graph Paper
• Octagon Graph Paper
• Music Paper
• Columnar Pad Paper
• Dot Paper
• Penmanship Paper
• Note Paper
• Perspective Grid
• Calligraphy Paper
• Knitting Graph
• Cartesian Graph Paper
• Printable List
• Printable Calendars
• Printable Teacher Resources
• Printable Games
• Printable Budgets
• Score Sheets
• Storyboard Template
• Letter Paper
• Legal Paper
• Ledger Paper
.
One particular type of printed paper that is quite helpful for jotting down ideas, design concepts, video scenes, or blocking out animation is the humble storyboard template. These little squares of wonder can help any designer. Storyboards are so simple but so useful.
………………………………………..

The mother of all storyboard template sites is Karen J Lloyd’s Storyboarding Tips and Advice. Here you will find one big fan of the storyboard. There are a good variety of storyboards that can fill virtually any need.

If you sign up with Karen’s blog, she’ll send you some freebies for, well, for free, and a monthly newsletter that informs her followers of her interesting adventures, design tips, product discounts, and videos that don’t normally appear on her website.
.
If anything, she’s enthusiastic about what she does, and her blog is a fun read. She also has other resources and articles on her website that are helpful too.
.
Now that you know where to get all these cool free printable paper templates, you’ll never stay awake at nights in your bed again wondering, “Gee, where am I going to get some columnar graph paper at this time of night?”
.
Don’t ask me what that is, I don’t know either…;D

By admin Posted in Adobe Photoshop, Blogging, Design Tools & Utilities, Drawing and Sketching, Free Design Stuff, Graphic Design, Web Design No Comments