designaustria’s Post

I’m a graphic designer and, therefore, very simple. When I started out, around fifty years ago, things were simple. We sat at a drawing board and drew things out by hand. On the surface of it, you can’t get simpler than that. But, whereas some aspects of the industry have developed in a way that, back then, we couldn’t have imagined, there are some things that haven’t changed. I’ve always thought that the best approach, from a graphic design point of view, is the direct hit. Go straight for the bullseye. A slam dunk. A home run. After all, what are we trying to do. We’re delivering a message in the most economic and immediate way we can. We owe it to our customers and ourselves. It’s not complicated. I ran a design and marketing consultancy for over thirty years, and we kept things simple. Nobody ever complained that we hadn’t made things far more complicated than they needed to be. It is my view that you can trust the right designer to know instinctively what style suits the project. They’ll consider what’s gone before and don’t necessarily need a book of rules, for example, on how to do a job. A job where a certain amount of freedom goes with the territory. Did I say freedom? I get corporate guidelines passed on to me to ‘adhere to’ when I undertake the small amount of consultancy I do now. I recently worked on a project where the rules dictated that I could use 5 main colours, supported by 12 secondary colours (why not go for the 16 million), a main font that had 20 variations (which, by the way, was supported by another font equally wide ranging) and a number of suggestions for page layout and display material, none of which could be used with the actual content I was dealing with. And there was also all the other stuff about what you can’t do, what you can do, types of photographs, types of messages, distances between this and that. And to top it all, the guideline document was 54 pages long, so for an old hand like me, how was that going to work. It doesn’t pass the ‘divide by four’ test! I’m being facetious, I know, but an experienced graphic designer should have the clarity of thought, the artistic ability and the straightforward freedom to create an appropriate solution that conforms to a client’s brand and overall look, without the need to refer to a set of, very often, unusable rules and regulations. Go for it, straight off the bat and into the stand. If designers lose some of their freedom and spend too much time looking at what the guidelines will allow, they may well miss the chance of creating something really different. Simple! Screamprint is the outlet for my current work which includes off-the-wall images and artworks to go on the wall. screamprint.co.uk

Graphic designing ! There is a misconception among people working in non-creative industries that creative jobs such as design, photography, illustration, film making, etc. must be 'easy' or always enjoyable - because after all, you're being paid to do what you love, right? However, for the privilege of being paid to do what you love, professional designers have to accept the obligations and restrictions that come along with it, for example; Realising that you're not just coming up with a cool design, but providing solutions to a client's problems. Professional designers shouldn't just think about what they like, but about what will work for their client and/or their client's customers. Sometimes this means you have to design something that's not to your personal taste - and if you're getting paid for it, you just need to suck it up! Running the risk that hours of hard thinking and hard working won't be rewarded. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder as they say - what constitutes good design is quite subjective. Professional designers have to be prepared for the occasions where clients don't like or just don't understand their work - and accept it with good grace. Constantly explaining oneself. You know how frustrating it is when an older relative asks you for advice about technology, and are unable to retain anything you tell them while being utterly convinced that they know what they're doing? Multiply that feeling by 365 days and replace 'elderly relative' with 'client with Microsoft Word', and you have a year in the life of a professional designer. All the stuff that does the job. Being an expert in at least three pieces of software, knowing about printing methods, typesetting, layout, designing for web - the amount of knowledge required just to get a piece of design on paper can be exhausting AND expensive. And it's expanding all the time. All the stuff that comes with the job. The administration, the dealing with panicky/rude/bewildered clients, negotiating deadlines, figuring out how this will be printed and when and where and for how much, chasing your fees, chasing the brief, chasing your tail when the 10th round of revisions come in, becoming a strange combination of designer, counsellor and 8th grade English teacher to your clients, and keeping all that in your head while trying to make something look like it took no effort at all. Now, a designer won't necessarily encounter all of the challenges above on every job. Sometimes (and just sometimes) you are lucky enough to get the client that asks no stupid questions, gives a great brief, loves everything you do and pays on time. When you get that client, then yes, the job is easy. The other 95% of the time? Then no. Being a graphic designer is not easy! #art #designing #illustrator #videoediting #content #copywriting #contentwriting #photography #videography #designer #graphicdesigner #videographer #editing #photoshop #lightroom #creativity #creativejob #management #socilamedia

For #TodaysSocialMediaTip, let's talk about graphic design! Ideally every team has a full time person dedicated to graphic design, but let's be real, this usually isn't the case so social media teams (often teams-of-one) are stuck trying to struggle through creating imagery to accompany their posts. Sure, Canva has made it much easier to create a graphic, but does that mean it's a GOOD one? Not really. So let's review a few tips that will make your content sizzle instead of fizzle out: 1. Keep your brand in mind. Stick to your brand's official primary colors, white, and black. This will ensure you are visually on brand, and hopefully the colors were developed with things like accessibility and color coordination in mind. 2. Limit fonts. Don't use more than your brand's official font. You'll be tempted to use more but unless you know how to define typography, kerning, x-height, tracking, and vertex (just for starters), just use the one official font. You're going to want to use more. Don't. 3. Don't violate copyright. Don't use watermarked images, don't save something off a website just because you think it looks cool, don't grab a funny cartoon you came across and want to use in your design. There are reasons that sites like Shutterstock and iStock exist. Spend a little money now and save yourself a lot of money down the line. 4. Use high quality images. Going back to the previously mentioned sites, you want to likely pay for images. While some free sites do exist, the quality and variety of images is limited, and you run a risk of using the same images as others in your field. Ideally you will use your own images, but we know that's often not the case, so nobody is going to throw shade for buying stock photos. 5. Keep it simple. All designs should be done with simplicity in mind. Your audience needs to be able to understand your message at a glance. Don't clutter the imagery with extras such as unnecessary elements, extra text, or unrelated images. 6. Visual heirarchy is important. This is what guides a viewer's eye through the content. A simple example is that people read from left to right, so you'd type your words in starting from the left and going to the right. But it's so much more! Some easy examples are that your highest priority words should be in a larger, bolder font so they catch the eye. If you are posting an image that has "An easy way to make money at home" you may want to put emphasis on MAKE MONEY to catch the eye. 7. (This should have been tip #3!) Use the rule of thirds! It's a fundamental of design that involves dividing your design into a grid of three rows and three columns (so image nine boxes). Where these boxes/lines intersect are places that the eye is naturally drawn so they are good places to put important information for a balanced image. You'll still want to move things around until they look "good," but this is the best place to start. Find these tips helpful? Share if you did and follow for more tips! 💙

Discover the Best Free Illustration Websites for Your Design Projects! Hey fellow designers! As a designer, I know how important it is to have access to high-quality illustrations that fit your project's style and budget. That's why I've curated a list of the top 15 free illustration websites you can use for your next design project. Here are my top picks: 1. Pixabay - Over 2.7 million free stock images, videos, and illustrations that are royalty-free and can be used for commercial purposes. 2. Freepik - Thousands of free vector images including templates, mockups, backgrounds, and more. 3. unDraw - 1,000+ free customizable illustrations in SVG format suitable for websites, apps, presentations, and more. 4. Noun Project - Over 5 million free icons and photos. Illustrations range from minimalist to intricate designs. 5. Absurd Illustrations - Quirky, absurd illustrations free for commercial use. Offers a free library plus 9 paid libraries with 10 credits per month. 6. Flaticon - Over 2 million free vector icons that are fully customizable. Offers premium plans for more features. 7. Storyset by Freepik - Free illustrated concepts by Freepik that can be customized and animated. 8. Ouch by Icons8 - Free illustrations in PNG format, paid options in SVG. 9. Humaaans - Multiple free libraries of mix-and-match illustrations in PNG and SVG. 10. Illu-station - Around 500 free PNG and SVG illustrations with a free commercial use license. 11. Open Doodles - Free sketchy illustrations in SVG, PNG and animated GIF formats. 12. Iconscout Illustrations - Illustrations are available as part of Iconscout's free plan. 13. Vivid.js - 90+ free icon illustrations in SVG format. 14. Freebie Supply - Aggregator site with thousands of free resources including illustrations. 15. Interfacer - Another aggregator site with over 300 sources for free illustrations. And many more! These websites are a great resource for designers, and I'm excited to share them with you. Whether you're working on a personal or client project, you'll find something that fits your needs. Happy designing! Feel free to share your favourite free illustration websites in the comments below. Follow me for more design tips and resources! #FreeIllustrations #WebsiteDesign #IllustrationDesign #DesignResources #GraphicDesign #WebDesign #DesignInspiration #FreeDesignAssets #IllustrationWebsites #DesignCommunity #DesignTools #IllustrationsForWebsites #FreeDesignResources #DesignInspirationWebsites

I want to share a warning about problems I'm encountering more and more often, regarding DIY graphic design apps. I frequently do freelance work for a local sign company–replicating logos and other signage graphics, because many small businesses don't have the vector art necessary to produce signs and other large format graphics. Most of the time, I'll receive a low-resolution .jpg which requires tracing an illustration and/or font replacement. Until recently, this has been relatively run-of-the-mill work, and I've been able to turn it around in a matter of an hour or so. But that trend seems to be shifting, because unfortunately, the convenience of DIY graphic design is leading to more and more poorly designed artwork–especially logos. Here's the big problem...it can be impossible to match the fonts, especially when the user has chosen something decorative, and then added shadows and multiple gradients. (Most recently, I was asked to magically create vector art for a logo that contained an elaborate illustration which was created using AI. Care to guess how much that would cost?) Ultimately, these businesses end up paying for hours of re-design and worst of all, their signage doesn't match their business card, which doesn't match their t-shirts and banners, their blurry social media profile pic, etc. You get the picture. So, if you MUST use a DIY graphic design app, my best advice is to remember this very wise adage...K.I.S.S. Keep It Simple, Silly. No really, my advice is to hire a graphic designer. You will thank yourself later.

Placing Text on a Road in Photoshop Creating compelling visuals by placing text on a road can enhance your designs significantly. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to do it effectively: 1. Open Your Image     Launch Photoshop and open the image of the road where you want to place the text. 2. Select the Text Tool     Choose the Text Tool (T) from the toolbar. 3. Create Your Text     - Click on the area where you want to add text.     - Type your desired message.     - Adjust the font, size, and color in the options bar to match the road environment. 4. Position the Text     Use the Move Tool (V) to position the text exactly where you want it on the road. 5. Convert Text to Shape (Optional)     Right-click the text layer in the Layers panel and select Convert to Shape for more control over the text. 6. Warp the Text (Optional)     - With the text shape selected, go to Edit > Transform > Warp.     - Choose a warp style that fits the curvature of the road (e.g., "Bend" or "Arc") and adjust the sliders for a natural look. 7. Add Layer Style     - Right-click the text layer and choose Blending Options.     - Select Drop Shadow and adjust the angle, distance, and size to create depth. 8. Create a Mask (Optional)     - Click on the text layer and then click the Add Layer Mask icon in the Layers panel.     - Use a soft brush with black color to paint on the mask, hiding parts of the text that overlap with the road’s texture. 9. Adjust Opacity     If the text appears too bold, reduce the layer's opacity in the Layers panel for a more natural blend. 10. Final Adjustments     Make any final tweaks to the text and background, such as color correction or additional effects to enhance the overall image. Saving Your Work   Once satisfied with the text placement, save your work in the desired format (File > Save As). Tips   - Experiment with different fonts and styles to complement the road image.   - Consider using textures or patterns on the text to match the road surface better. By following these steps, you can effectively place text onto a road in Photoshop, creating a visually appealing composition! #Photoshop #PhotoEditing #GraphicDesign #TextEffect #Typography #DigitalArt #PhotoshopTutorial #DesignTips #VisualEffects #ImageManipulation #CreativeDesign #PhotoshopTricks #RoadPhotography #TextOnImage #DesignInspiration #ArtisticEdit #LayerStyles #BlendingModes #Texturing #PhotoshopSkills

🎬Movies About Design and Inspiration In the world of creativity and innovation, movies can serve as a powerful source of inspiration. They allow us to delve into the minds of designers, artists, and creative thinkers, offering a glimpse into the process of creating something unique and impactful. 📌Helvetica (2007)   An independent documentary on the subject of typography and graphic design.   "Helvetica" offers a new perspective on everyday things around us, showing how fonts can have a profound impact on our perception and communication. The film reveals the world of professional type designers, who share the secrets of font creation and development, and reflect on their significance in the modern world. 📌Objectified (2009)   The film explores and examines the phenomenon of object design that surrounds us in everyday life.   "Objectified" not only demonstrates the aesthetic appeal of design but also delves into its impact on our lives. The film raises questions about how design influences our perception, behavior, and way of thinking. It encourages us to consider how the objects we use affect our moods, habits, and even our self-identity. 📌Art & Copy (2009)   "Art & Copy" reveals the world of advertising and the creative process behind the scenes.   The film features conversations with renowned advertising creatives and agency heads who share their ideas, highlight their successful projects, and discuss the creative process of creating effective advertising campaigns. They examine the importance of the marketing message, the use of the power of words and visual impact, and the pursuit of innovation and bold ideas. 📌Why Are We Creative? (2018)   This film explores the nature of creativity and reveals the secrets of what makes us creative.   The film presents interviews with prominent artists, scientists, and creative thinkers who share their research and thoughts on the nature of creativity. They highlight various aspects of the creative process, including intuition, imagination, connections between different fields of knowledge, and challenges that drive the search for new solutions. 📌Chasing Banksy (2020)   An attempt to unravel the mystery of the world’s most famous street artist.   The film dives into the world of street art and graffiti, where Banksy gained popularity with his poignant and provocative works. It explores Banksy’s journey from an anonymous artist to global fame, as well as his contentious relationships with the establishment and authority.  😍 For even more useful information, check out our social media! • Instagram - wop_geeks_world: https://lnkd.in/gg_3N6bb • Telegram - WOP geeks: https://lnkd.in/gwyuUnb4 #uiux #design #films

In the early 1970s, graphic design was still a bit of a work in progress. To some, you were a commercial artist, a creative mind ready to prostitute themselves by entering the shady world of persuading the gullible. To others, it was an exciting new industry that provided opportunities. What persuaded me it was the latter? When I was young, around 7 or 8, and wondering what I could do with my life, I got a book out if the library featuring different professions. I remember that each chapter began with a highly graphic image of the profession concerned. The image was strong, direct and almost photographic in appearance. How was this done, how could something be so appealing in its simplicity? And it made use of the only colour, black, that was used throughout the rest of the book. This blew my mind. I wanted to be the guy that created that image. In that image was the reality that the usual chocolate box illustrations and cartoons of the early 1960s put to one side. I had to know how it was done. I’ll ask my dad, he’ll know. “How is this done?” I asked, fully confident of an in-depth explanation. “Haven’t got a clue” he said. That’s that then. Fifteen years later, I’ve been through art college and I’m a junior graphic designer at one of the very few design and advertising consultancies in South Wales at the time. An advert I was working on required a particular type of treatment which had to be sent out to a specialist. “You’ll need to get a lith made of that photograph”, they said. That was it! A lith, more specifically, a lithographic print made from a photograph. What I’d been desperate to find out since I was young finally revealed itself to me. A lith. Sure, you had to specify the levels of contrast and had a choice of effects, but essentially this was how the pictures in that book from the library were done. I’ve realised now that my development as a ‘visual person’ was probably (and unconsciously) influenced by the simplicity and directness of that lithographic image from years back. I am drawn to simple stuff, the paintings of Mondrian and Matisse, the screenprints of Warhol and Caulfield. Photographs of the ordinary and mundane. Posters that tell you just what you need to know, but in a way that demands attention. Obviously, now it’s far easier for anyone to generate images that, back then, needed an imagination that could see beyond the ‘normal’. So, you could say things have come full circle, from a young kid being knocked out by an image created by messing about with a photograph, to knocking out images created by messing about with a photograph. Screamprint is the outlet for my current work which includes off-the-wall images and artworks to go on the wall. screamprint.co.uk #graphicdesign #creativity #colour #images #framedimages #galleries #artgalleries #photography #blackandwhitephotos #vintage #vintagephotos #gifts #prints #photos #posters #visual #giclee

Get the Font Fundamentals to Boost Your Site's Readability Achieving excellent typography goes beyond just font selection. Implement these best practices to make your content truly reader-friendly and inclusive: The Importance of Typographic Best Practices 📖 Improves Readability - Well-formatted text ensures ease of reading by establishing clear visual hierarchy and flow. 📖 Enhances Accessibility - Proper styling, spacing, sizing makes content consumable for all readers regardless of disabilities/assistive devices. 📖 Elevates Design Quality - Carefully considered type creates visual harmony and reflects the sophistication of your brand. Strategies for Typographic Excellence 🔠 Choose Quality Fonts Select easy-to-read, versatile font combinations Rely on sites like Google Fonts for variety Use different fonts for headlines vs body 🔠 Format Text Properly Break up long form writing into short paragraphs Use lists and headers to organize information Link key phrases to other pages 🔠 Ensure Sufficient Contrast Dark text on light background is best Don't sacrifice legibility for style Meet minimum contrast ratios 🔠 Accommodate Text Resizing Use relative units like EM or REM Allow 200% zoom without breaking Flexible containers adapt to resized text The Cost of Poor Typography 🚫 Frustrated Readers - Squinting due to tiny/insufficient fonts or low contrast causes fatigue. 🚫 Loss of Credibility - Amateurish type gives unrefined, sloppy impressions damaging trustworthiness. 🚫 Limited Accessibility - Small, decorative fonts prevent those using assistive devices from consuming content. Benefits of Typographic Best Practices 🚀 Increased Time on Site - Making your content easy to read keeps visitors engaged longer. 🚀 Stronger Brand Identity - A highly readable, distinct visual style strengthens recognition. 🚀 More Conversions - Lower bounce rates thanks to simplified scanning and consumption of information. Level up your website's typography for smarter information design. Since you desire to see results, take action now and book a free 1-on-1 consultation to improve readability and inclusion! ============================================ Then click this blue name Folawe Matthew and stay updated Don't forget to click the BELL 🔔 icon on my profile so as not to miss my next post The posting time is 7:30 am I will be dishing out amazing content this week. ======================================== --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- REPOST If this post is valuable -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- What if a website could increase your sales, trust, credibility, brand, visibility, and accessibility? DM "WEBSITE" to get started hashtag #ceo #solopreneur #entrepreneurs #responsivewebdesign