Thoughts on Design

Keeping up with Design

Filed under: Graphic Design, Web Design — Douglas T @ 4:23 pm

Somebody asked me a good question today. To paraphrase, it was “what websites do you use to keep up with what’s going on in the industry?”. Here’s the list:

While I don’t write about blogging, I do follow what’s going on with that industry. It’s too much of a factor in the web design business not to.

Mostly I like to read about Art and Design. You’ll notice that a number of these these sites aren’t web or graphic design related. Web design needs to be inspired by all arts, not just other web design.

Inspiration can come from all kinds of interesting stuff.

I’m particularly fond of Search Feeds. Most people don’t realize that a lot of search engines allow you to subscribe to the search. So you can be notified of anything new on the subject of your choice.

I also subscribe to a number of Technical Feeds. While some of these sites write about things outside of design, it’s important to keep up on these too. The more I know about all aspects of my job, the better I can do my job. This might include how my computer and software work, how to improve them or how to fix them, and what’s new in the industry .

I keep track of my subscriptions with the Sage feed reader for Firefox. I have posted elsewhere about other Firefox resources I regularly use.

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PhotoShop Pattern Maker

Filed under: Graphic Design, PhotoShop — Douglas T @ 6:35 am

I’ve been a fan of the PhotoShop Pattern Maker, but after that tutorial, I might have to give it a try. The use of it with the photo was interesting, but I loved the text pattern they created. I can see using some variation of this in print work.

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The Design View Show

Filed under: Graphic Design, Web Design — Douglas T @ 6:52 am

Andy Rutledge is now doing a design podcast called The Design View Show.

As with his website, his subject is the fundamentals of design and communication. If you’re not familiar with him, he has an incite full viewpoint on design.

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Need an Adobe Illustrator Touchup?

Filed under: Graphic Design — Douglas T @ 12:35 pm

Adobe Illustrator - Tips, Tricks and Tutorials

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CMYK and RGB

Filed under: Graphic Design — Douglas T @ 6:08 am

Here’s a great explanation of CMYK for those who do RGB.

Rule Number One, above all else in print, is that what you see on paper will not look like what you have on screen.

This doesn’t just apply to professional printers. Do you use a color laser printer? You probably already print in CMYK. Depending on your print driver, your print job may be sent to the printer in RGB, but the ink you’re using is probably Cyan Magenta Yellow and Key (black). If you’re doing design work, switching your print driver to allow for printing in CMYK may give you more reliable and controllable color. This might also improve other aspects of your printing as well. The postscript drivers that allow for CMYK printing can also improve the sharpness of vector graphics in your printing.

Go take a look at the article at Mezzoblue

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Design Advice

Filed under: Graphic Design — Douglas T @ 6:45 am

Andrew Crow at Adaptive Path has Some Good Advice.

It’s all my fault.
Blame no-one, but your self, if you have touched something accept total responsibility for that piece of work. If you accept responsibility you are in the position to do something about it.

Draw with different pen.
Magic markers and Pentels are not the only ways to make marks on paper. Change your tools, it may free your thinking.

I’d never really thought about it before, but when I want to start something new, or make a dramatic change on a product, I often change pens. I find using a new pen helps me shed the old ideas, and look at a project with a fresh perspective.

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Five Hats

Filed under: Graphic Design — Douglas T @ 8:50 am

David Airey, guest blogging at Liz Strauss’ blog, writes a fascinating post on The 5 Hats of Graphic Designers.

Before computers entered the mix, the production of print material was firmly in the hands of graphic designers and printers. It took a very clued-in client to have any idea about the print-production process. Therefore, people were mentally prepared to pay substantial amounts for their logo designs, brochures and annual reports.

The problem solving hat that he describes can be an important hat. One that too often is overlooked. A good problem solver can really smooth out problems in a design and production workflow. Work out those problems, and productivity and morale can be noticeably improved.

h/t to David Airey at his own site.

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Quiet

Filed under: Graphic Design, Web Design — Douglas T @ 7:33 am

Andy Rutledge has a fascinating article on quiet structure

Quiet structure is achieved when you de–emphasize the structural elements; the containing boxes, structural lines, bullets, structural color elements, etc… and bring a rhythmical consistency to the layout.

I’ve recently been involved with several projects that involved this principle, though I’ve never heard this described quite so well.

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Design Guidelines

Filed under: Graphic Design — Douglas T @ 11:58 am

Michael Surtees has some design guidelines that you should read.

1. Keep an open mind, don’t be that expert that isn’t open to new ways of doing things.

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About Classic Color Choices

Filed under: Graphic Design, Web Design — Douglas T @ 6:46 am

Here is a website dedicated to color inspiration from the masters of painting. It clarifies master paintings down into a five color palette.

A significant amount of the emotional nature of the painting is reflected in the choice of color. What do you want your work to say? Did you choose the right colors to do that? These aren’t hard and fast rules of course. Just because Monet used a color palette to paint something serene, doesn’t mean you can’t use the same palette to show excitement. It is a good spot for inspiration however. See how someone else worked, and build upon the inspiration you find there.

h/t Basement.org

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