Graphic Design posts

I got my professional start in the world of design at a specialty magazine publisher. Magazine layout and design is, therefore, very close to my heart.

A lot of principles of magazine design and layout are easily transferred to the world of web design. Some of these are pretty obvious, while you may have overlooked others. But really, it’s all about good design transcending medium.

Here I’ve covered some of my favorite lessons from magazine design, and how they can apply to web design. But the most important thing I hope you can take away from this article is that you can take design ideas and conventions...

Even if you haven’t seen the show, you’ve almost certainly heard of HBO’s hit Girls, created by and starring Lena Dunham.

The show follows four 20-something women living in Brooklyn and all that that entails. Because it’s aired on premium cable, Girls doesn’t pull any punches, and has a lot of adult content. But at the same time, it also has some great lessons for designers and developers.

Here are ten of the best lessons...

I’m a huge fan of punk rock, particularly punk bands from the 70s and 80s. And I think it’s safe to say that most designers (myself definitely included) appreciate Swiss modernism, even if it’s not their own style preference.

Designer Mike Joyce, of Stereotype Design in New York City, has started the Swissted project. It’s a collection of re-imagined posters he’s designed for punk concerts that actually happened, from the 70s, 80s, and 90s, except in Swiss modern style.

The posters are phenomenal, capturing both the essence of the bands and the eras,...

Recently, I ran into a client that wanted to redesign their company’s website. It was made using Flash, and of course wasn’t viewable on many smartphones. The site also lacked a central focus and could use a total overhaul; a redesign here was a no-brainer.

Unfortunately, it’s not so cut and dry in all circumstances. To help me with the direction of the design, the client pointed me towards their business card and logo. I cannot begin to tell you how awful it was. The images were pixelated, the logo was cheesy and it just all around sucked. So, of course being the designer I am, I offered to create something that looked better.

It all made sense to me, but after approaching the client, I couldn’t come up with a great reason as to why the company needed a better look. Yes, I could make it look better, but why fix it if it ain’t broke?

We have all thumbed through blogs, articles and expert accounts telling us when it’s time, and how...

If you’re a fan of the show Mad Men or have seen the opening, then you’ve seen a motion graphic.

Motion graphics were all the rage in the 1960s (hence the look for the Mad Men series set in the advertising field of the 1960s) and were popular in movies, TV show openings and commercials.

You’ve seen plenty of them, now that you’ve put the graphic with the term. They’re once again on TV, commercials, movies, web sites and any other visual medium.

Is it that they are retro? Do they bring back a feeling of simpler days? Are they just visually pleasing and that’s why they have been discovered again? Some people will say that they...

When it comes to printing, whether business cards, posters, greeting cards or invitations, you will invariably be presented with a multitude of mind-boggling options.

You can opt for digital, die cut, thermography, lithography — the possibilities are endless!

But what about letterpress printing? And what exactly is letterpress printing anyway?

For those that don’t already know, letterpress printing is a process of ‘relief’...

Being a business owner, entrepreneur or even just a freelancer can sometimes have its slower moments. When things get a little dry or you want to really increase your business, you’ve got to do some networking.

Networking often leads to creating relationships. Making relationships with the right people almost always guarantees increases in business. See, even if you are just a freelance designer, I’m sure you can attest to the fact that the majority of your business has come from previous relationships or relationships that you cultivated.

Networking can be tough. If you’re anything like me, networking can be a little out of your comfort zone. But meeting someone face to face and explaining to them your benefits is something...

I started my career as an illustrator until a motorcycle accident took my career. My smashed hand, arm, and spirit never recovered to the point I could handle a drawing tool again. I always tried to reach for impact…shock…lasting impressions…some said nightmares.

Luckily, my hand could hold a computer mouse very nicely and, with a lot of study and experience, I moved into the design field and became an art director, sitting across the desk from illustrators as my vendors.

There was a great difference between the people I use to service as clients and myself—I allowed greater freedom to the artist and encouraged them to go a step or two farther with the visual impact. I argued the points with editors to publish art that...

I’m old enough to remember working with Exacto blades and poisonous chemicals to create layouts for printing. I’m old enough to remember printing. I’m young enough to be considered an expert at computer programs, so there’s a bright side to this story and the memories are the truth…except I’m too old to be sure they are the correct memories, but not old enough to accidentally wear my underwear outside of my pants. Where was I? Oh, yes…the short and weird history of the days before computers were in every design studio, home, car, video game, and smart phone.

Fun fact: The computers in your cell phone and car are more powerful than the computers that were aboard Apollo 11. For the young out there, Apollo 11 was the space flight that landed on the moon in 1969…and it wasn’t fake…the moon is real!

When I first went to art school, a required course was Paste Up and Mechanicals.

We’ve just released ZeroBundle.com It’s a brand new website, brought to you by WDD and MightyDeals.com, where we offer fantastic freebies for designers for a limited time only.

The bundle includes hundreds of professional and exclusive resources such as PSDs, vectors, brushes, icons, textures, UI elements and a bunch more. The files are provided by professional designers and are available for both personal and commercial uses.

Why the name ZeroBundle you may wonder…. well, it’s because it’s 100% free, with ‘zero’...

Whether you are self-taught, fresh out of school, or a design veteran, continuing education has invaluable long-term effects on your ability to stay competitive and business savvy.

The immediate benefits are also abundant. Emerging techniques you learn today can be applied to a client project tomorrow for added value, or to set your work apart from the mainstream.

There was never a point at which successful designers have learned enough. The secret to being cutting edge is to stay sharp. Aside from your local library or book store, and in lieu of returning to college full-time, the internet offers you an infinite number of outlets and resources for learning.

With so many blogs, e-books and forums offering...