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Originality In Logo Designing

Posted: Sunday, May 30, 2010

Originality in logo designing can really set new trends for others to follow. Originality is the mantra of success but its path is not overtly embedded with roses, especially when one takes into account the innumerable logo designs surrounding us.

Herein arises the issue of logo theft. Logo theft takes place when one organization blatantly copies the logo design of another organization (probably a famous one). Once the copied logo is out in the market, people will instantly compare it to the erstwhile logo design and a negative impression of the new organization would be effected. There is yet another obstacle to original logo design creation. Logo designers often tend to repeat subconsciously some of their previous designs or might even recreate a design that they had seen somewhere.

An inverted swoosh might remind us of the Nike logo, while a straight yellow line reminds us of a famous Credit Card company. On a larger perspective, lacs and lacs of minds can be thinking of the same design, which they deem original during the time of inception. An established business firm might be thinking to launch its 'original' logo but that logo design might be owned by a small business organization.

This perspective can work wonders to create an innovative and original logo design as it makes the designer strive harder to touch new horizons of creativity. Designers should always keep in store some variations of their logo designs. An original logo design creation is thus, by no means, an easy task, especially when so many designs are already in vogue. There is no formula to a successful original logo design creation. Simplicity and an urge to strive towards originality can be cited as the two watchwords for a successful business or logo design.

A. Why Your Company Needs a Logo
Not only logos can be used by any company to represent its name, but they are designed artistically to provide an image of the business. Only a glance at the logo is enough to tell the customer what business that specific logo represents. A logo is a fancy graphic design that helps to attract more clients and customers, and at the same time it is also a representative of your business philosophy and ideals, your attitude towards your clients as well as your business. In short, a company logo is the sum total of a company's corporate existence.

A company logo that is at once descriptive, unique and colorful becomes memorable and people keep in mind the logo for future references too. This makes logo designing an ultimate challenge and a competitive business. Only a logo designing firm with the right combination of aesthetic sense, knowledge and graphic expertise can help design your company logo, to give it a corporate identity and build your company image.

Your logo can help people recognize your company just by an image. To facilitate you in this task of utmost importance, there are a large number of logo design firms that offer custom designed logos, pre-made or pre-designed logos or logo templates and offer you an unlimited variety of descriptive, colorful and unique logos to choose for your company.

B. Choosing Custom Logo Design Software
You must spend good amount of time and effort in logos designing as your logos will appear on almost everywhere along with your company name like website, internet, letterheads, business envelopes, office stationery etc. A professionally designed logo will assure you about increasing your brands awareness. For getting your logos you can either hire the services of a logo designing expert of try custom logo design software.

1) Logo software price: Though price is the major deciding factor don't let it be alone reason while choosing your logo maker software. Simply choose the software that gives you quality logo creation ability within your budget. Go for software with a proven track record of generating quality logos.

2) Logo samples and templates: Check the logo design samples and sample
logo templates available, sample logos can help you easily judge the quality of the software. All the best in choosing the software for designing logos.



Ideas For Interior Design

Posted: Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Ideas for interior design are a dime a dozen these days. In fact, you can likely watch one hour of television dedicated to the subject and come away with enough information to design an entire home. The problem with the tv-to life application of ideas for interior design is that, to begin with, they are difficult to document. Also, success with any interior design project is planning, planning, planning.

Television is not the only resource for information and ideas for interior design. Books are a great helper to designers of any background or experience levels. The content found in books is often much more thought-out and explanative material then that of a tv show. This is so because many books entail much more basic material and information then a normal television show can include in a short segment of time. If a book seems too labor intensive or time consuming, you might consider magazine articles as a source for ideas for interior design.

In magazines, you have the additional benefit of visual representations of design concepts that you can actually hold onto for an extended period of time. Many interior design professionals take advantage of this benefit by collecting large quantities of these articles or pictures and placing them into a format that is easily accessible to them. The terminology used by designers is fairly self-describing although people that are not exposed to the jargon might not understand certain concepts or phrases used in defining ideas for interior design.

There is no reason to feel inadequate if these phrases are unfamiliar to you, just understand that the learning process takes time and is exactly as described, a process. If you are comfortable with your own level of creativity, browse as many magazines as possible to put together a unique style or design code of your own and work within those guidelines and ideas for interior design applications.

If you are a little less comfortable with your own sense of style and find it easier to point to a traditional design category, gather all the information possible related to that category and stick to the general guidelines presented in the information you have assembled. The best way to assimilate information offering you ideas for interior design is to take a little information from each of the above suggested sources and compile it into a creative archive of sorts that you can access again at a later time in order to compare and contrast with your own ideas and vision.

A. Learning Interior Design
Learning interior design can be a simple or complicated task depending on a wide variety of factors including exposure, ability, creativity, and willingness to learn. This article is dedicated to explaining the basic elements that interior design is based upon so that you will have the ability to go out and research these elements on your own in order to advance you ability and perspective of the interior design world.

A good beginning point for all of those interior design newbies would be television shows dedicated to the subject, books, magazines, other interior design professionals, ect. Your eyes are wonderful tools for learning interior design and successful application of it. They are such terrific tools because eyes are the ears of the interior design symphony. They possess the ability to look upon any element of design and transmit information to your brain concerning the colors indicated in the design, textures, layout, and whether or not the overall effect is pleasing.

If you can master the ability of viewing a particular setting or scenario and delving from it the key elements of its visual success, you are enormous steps forward in your journey of learning interior design.

Close your eyes. The first item that your eyes focused upon is considered to be your focal point. One person might gaze intently at the fireplace due to the warmth and secure nature of that design element. The point is, is that the focal point of a room is the area of the room that demands your attention upon arrival in it and generally you base your placement of activities that take place in that room on the location the that focal point.

This is the reason why so much strategic planning is normally based on the focal points of a room when designing the creative outlay of the room. This is why your fundamental understanding of the focal points of a room is dramatically instrumental in learning interior design.

Throughout your journey of learning interior design, you will come to understand the importance of balancing the understanding of architecture focal points, and living ones. Certain people are naturally going to elevate towards different activities and objects in a room. This is why a basic understanding of both the human element and the architectural one are a keystone to successful interior design.

Once you have a basic to medium understanding of focal points and placement of items in and around those places, the other key feature of learning interior design is visual representation of objects. Color, texture, and shape are the fundamentals in this category. Shape is the basic makeup of the object reflected visually. The correct combination of these characteristics results in a visually harmonious atmosphere.

Let’s imagine a few terms you hear when associated with design. ‘Simple’ would generally refer to the use of light, neutral color schemes in combination with small interjections of light texture and straight lined shapes. Simple, in my opinion is the basic ingredient to a successful recipe of design. To wind things up, the road to learning interior design is filled with information and visual perspectives that will open both your eyes and your mind to an entirely different world. Observation is the key to better understanding this world.

B. Home Interior Design Tips on Decorating Your Space With Wall Art
How to Decorate your Space with Wall Pictures
If a room in your house lacks character, by simply placing some fine art prints on the walls can actually make quite an impact. Wall pictures are a necessary accessory in your home and are great to tie in with the room's style and color accent. Here is a home interior design guide on how to decorate your space with wall art.

Shop for Wall Art by Room
Deciding on a style for your room should be determined by the lifestyle you choose and not by what's the latest home interior design trend.
Once you have decided what you want to use the room for, you can now choose a color theme to suit the function of the room. For example, mellow greens and neutrals for your 'quiet retreat room', lively yellow for the kids room, or pale tranquil blue for your office space. bright colorful cartoon pictures for the kids room mellow pastel floral pictures for your quiet retreat area, or tranquil landscape and scenic pictures for your office space

Choose your Style
Like paint color, artwork can immediately establish or change a room's mood. traditional & classic modern contemporary fun & entertaining casual romantic. The style of the room is totally dependent on your own personal taste and this is the time when you can inject your own personality into the room through artwork and textured accessories.

Suggested art picture styles:
Fun & Entertaining: Pictures can include bright colors both in the print and on the frame. Fun and entertaining pictures can include kittens and puppies, or comedian actors such as the

Three Stooges or Laurel & Hardy.
Modern: With the strong black accents in the framed iron-work and the tapestries, striking black and white photos are a natural choice for a modern and sophisticated look.
Calm Retreat: To reinforce the mood of a nestled, cozy retreat, use artwork with neutral, earthy colors and a horizontal landscape subject.
You can even mix and match different styles to create a unique style of your own. For example, frame traditional black and white photo prints in a modern black iron frame.

Arranging and Hanging your Pictures
Modern Gallery Look: To create a modern art gallery feel, particularly nice in hallways, lobbies and stairwells, give each piece ample breathing room. Above a Sofa: When placing art above furniture such as a sofa, you need to hang the picture about six to nine inches above the sofa, or at eye level.
Cluster Arrangements: Tightly group an even number of pictures together to give a statement or a focal point. This works on either large or small wall spaces, depending on the look you want.
In a row: By placing an odd number of pictures in a horizontal line to each other gives balance and the sense of space. When you have decided on the room's function, color and style, you are in a much better position to go shopping for wall pictures that fit in with the overall theme.

Summary
Wall pictures are an underestimated home interior design accessory. Before you go hanging up your pictures make sure you plan ahead what you want to get out of that room. Decide on the function, style and color of the room first before you buy your artwork. By doing this you are in a much better position to buy the right type of art picture to fit in with the theme and color accent of your room.



Search Engine Friendly Web Design Advice

Posted: Saturday, May 22, 2010

This article reveals several important web design elements you must consider during website optimization process.
1. CSS Stylesheet
You should use external CSS stylesheet so that your HTML coding becomes consise, and mainly compose of your website content.

2. Content Management Software (CMS)
It gives you flexibility in optimizing website content.
a. Allows you to define Title and Meta tags for different web pages. Again, it gives you flexibility in optimizing every web page.
b. Allows you to generate static HTML pages instead of dynamic pages. Search engines are not good at reading dynamic web page. If your web pages cannot get indexed, you definitely get no rankings no matter how many SEO effort you make.

3. HTML Code Compliance
As a good web design practice, make sure your HTML coding is compliant to some well recognized HTML standards such as W3C standard. Some search engine optimizers reported that non-compliant web design could cause difficulties for search engines to index and analyze your website. It hinders your website to get top search engine ranking.

4. Multiple-level Navigation Menu
Many websites use multiple-level navigation menu in Javascript. I recommend seperate Javascrpt from HTML coding by using external Javascript file. For example, Marketshare - an Asia consumer market research firm, found that their website cannot get indexed properly by several search engines.

5. Bad Web Design
To make your web design search engine friendly, you must consider avoiding:
Search engines have difficulties to index all your frameset. For some reasons, web designers may make some re-direct pages or adopt Javascript re-direct techniques and re-direct visitors from one page to another content pages. Since search engine spammers usually use this technique, search engines could penalize your website.

6. Flash
Web designers may sell you to build a flash website or make a flash intro page as your home page. Their point is that flash makes your website more appealing and it would improve effectiveness of your website. Flash sometimes could make your website slow and require visitors to install plugins before they can see your website. In terms of SEO, simply speaking, search engines treat flash as a graphic and cannot analyze content inside a flash file. The implication means a flash website is hard to get top search engine ranking.

A. How Web Design Can Affect Search Engine Rankings
Uniquely built web sites can create unique issues when being promoted on the search engines. From a basic 3 page brochure site to a corporate site with hundreds of dynamically generated pages, every web site needs to have certain design aspects in order to achieve the full effects of an SEO campaign. Below are a few points to take into consideration when building or updating your web site.

1. Size Matters.
The size of a web site can have a huge impact on search engine rankings. Search engines love content, so if you have only a few pages to your site and your competitors have dozens, it's difficult to see a top page ranking for your site. It will help in broadening the scope of your web site (which search engines like) as well as keep visitors on your site longer, possibly resulting in more sales.

2. Graphics-Based Web Sites.
While web sites that offer the visitor a more esthetically-pleasing experience may seem like the best choice for someone searching for your product, they are the most difficult to optimize. Since search engine robots cannot read text within graphics or animation, what they see may be just a small amount of text. And if we learned anything from point #1, small amounts of content will not result in top rankings. If you really must offer the visitor a graphics-heavy or Flash* web site, consider creating an HTML-based side of your site that is also available to visitors. This site will be much easier to promote on the search engines and your new found visitors will also have the option to jump over to the nicer looking part of your site.
* Author update - As of July 2008 Google has updated their algorithm to take advantage of Adobe's searchable SWF library, enabling the indexing of Flash content for the first time.

3. Dynamic Web Pages.
If most of your web site is generated by a large database (such as a large book dealer with stock that is changing by the minute) you may find that some of your pages do not get indexed by major search engines. One way to combat this problem is to offer a search engine friendly site map listing all your static pages just to let them know that you do have permanent content on your site. If search engines see links going to and from these dynamic pages within a good internal linking system, this may also lead to the pages getting indexed.

4. Proper Use of HTML.
The more efficiently written web sites usually achieve higher rankings. Our choice for web design software is Adobe Dreamweaver, as it is an industry standard. It also makes using CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) a breeze, which can drastically cut down on the amount of text formatting in HTML code. Hand-coding HTML to design sites is also a good method if you are proficient enough.

5. Choosing a Domain Name.
The golden rule to web development of any kind is to keep your visitors in mind above all else - even search engine optimization. When choosing a domain name, one should pick either your business name (if you have a high-profile business name such as Chapters or Coca-Cola) or a brief description of your products. Domain names can always help with search engine optimization, as it is another area of your web site that important keywords can appear. It allows you to keep your existing rankings for your old domain name, while forwarding visitors to your new web site instantly.

6. Using Frames.
Don't use frames. The search engines that are able to index your site through frames will most likely frown upon them. Bookmarking of individual pages within a frame becomes difficult without lengthy scripts being written.

7. Update Your Information.
Web sites that continuously update and grow their web sites usually experience higher rankings than stagnant sites when dealing with an industry that experiences a high rate of growth or change. While the age of a web page is looked at as part of a search engine algorithm, it has no bearing on searches for items recently in the news. Consider creating a section of your site devoted to news within your organization, or have a constantly updated blog.

Many shortfalls of web sites can easily be attributed to designers who just don't keep the user or search engines in mind. Search engine algorithms are quickly improving to try and list the most user-friendly sites higher, given that the content and link popularity are there to back it up. So first and foremost, know your target market and make your web site work for them before focusing on search engine optimization.

B. What Kind of Web Design Software Should You Use? A Web Editors Or Site Builder?
Do you want to build a web site for your home business but find web design complicated? You can find many web design tools online to help you design your own web site quickly and inexpensively. They range from web editors, web site builders, web site templates, to hosting, autoresponders and shopping carts. If you want to design your first web site yourself, you probably want to use a WYSIWYG web editor or site builder.

A web editor is software that creates the HTML code for you. Web editors and site builders help you quickly create simple web sites without the need to know HTML programming and without having to buy expensive web design software.

A WYSIWYG editor helps you design your web site using a "What You See Is What You Get" interface. Some of the many good free WYSIWYG web editors that are available on the web include KompoZer, HTML-Kit, SeaMonkey Composer (Mozilla), Amaya and Trellian.

Even when using a web editor, it helps to learn the basics of HTML to solve some design problems and make changes. Paid editors will give you more powerful features. Dreamweaver is the most popular professional web editor today but has a steep learning curve. FrontPage is popular for non-professional users. Site Builders help you design your site from pre-packaged templates. Using a site builder is an easy way to get your first web site up fast.

Advantages of site builders include: no HTML web design knowledge is required; they typically include pre-designed web site templates; you can upload the site easily without the need of an FTP program to upload your pages; they usually come with an image library where you can download free images, templates, backgrounds and web site headers; you can upload your own images.

Free site builders usually have restrictions that may include a limited amount of pages, you may not be allowed to include custom HTML, and you have less options for customizing your template and page layout than you have with commercial site builders.

Free web site builders include 1&1 Website Builder, Office Live Small Business, Site2you and website Wizard. Many hosting companies offer template-based site builders and wizards that will guide you through setting up your web pages. Using those makes it easy to start creating web pages. Wizards allow you to create web sites easily through point and click design. Typically, they work like this: You can choose a layout from their library of web site templates. If you want to design your own web site, try some of the options above.



Freelance Graphic Designers

Posted: Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Freelance graphic designers are the ones who are their own boss and can work from anywhere. To become a successful graphic designer, pick a name that stands out from the lot. Avoid using the word freelance in your name, and get your name registered to prevent others from using it.

Make sure you have a dedicated place to work from. Office space is okay, but most freelance graphic designers work from home. If you work from home, try to get a room dedicated to your business, without the interference of kids. Keep the place clean and organized. Have enough room for a large desk, a filing cabinet, and a phone.

Doing freelance graphic designing without having your own website is suicide. Pick a reliable website host, upload the site, and keep the site updated to convey professionalism in your work. Create a catchy and short domain name, and get it registered. As a freelance graphic designer, you are responsible for graphic designing, along with accounting, bookkeeping, janitorial duties, and marketing. Act and look like a professional at all times.

When meeting clients, dress in formals or wear a clean dress. Advertise your services in newspapers, forums, news groups and the Internet. Be very organized; if you lose a client’s file, you will only get a bad name. Remember that you will get bad clients from time to time; be ready for them. It may take some time to get established as a freelance graphic designer, but it’s better to be armed and ready for it.

A. How to Hire a Freelance Graphic Designer
Graphic design is an important part of both traditional and online business. A good marketing campaign is well planned and well designed, both strategically and creatively. There are many avenues to meeting your graphic design needs. One very popular method is hiring a freelance graphic designer. Freelancers offer services at either a set rate or by a set price per project, which can vary depending on what type of design you need, whether it is simply a logo or a complete marketing campaign.

What ever your needs are, a qualified freelancer can provide that service without the overhead costs a traditional employee carries. Of course "freelancer" is a very broad term, so it is important to remember that the focus of this discussion is "graphic design freelancers".

Not all freelancers are created equal, not every designer can "do it all". Some specialize in advertisements or logos or brochures, etc. etc. Don't be afraid to ask for references, current or former clients who can provide insight into the talents and professionalism of the designer. Any freelancer who is not willing to provide these items when trying to win your business is probably not worth hiring.

If you consider hiring a junior designer make every effort to feel out the designer first, ask to see some school project examples and even ask for a professor's e-mail address for a reference. Not only can you possibly find a great resource for your design needs, you will be able to get great deals and value from the right designer. Graphic design can be expensive and if you are planning on having printing as well, that is an additional cost on top of the actual design service.

Most experienced designers can provide you with a printer whom they prefer to work, so if you do not have one of your own it may be a good idea to ask up front about printing. Remember that most freelancers, unlike design houses do not carry a large amount of overhead and therefore will probably require payment to secure printing up front, if this is a service you are requesting from the designer.

As I stated in tip #3 graphic design is not a cheap service. Professional and experienced freelancers can and will charge more than less experienced or unprofessional designers. Although price should never be the only deciding factor, you should consider all of your needs when hiring, sometimes that younger, less experienced designer is just what you need and you can get a better deal in the end, but expect that a less experienced designer will most likely need more attention and direction from you during the design process, it's a trade.

I suggest building a lasting relationship with a freelance designer. Not that every freelancer is worthy of that coveted relationship but if you are happy with the job they have performed on that first contract, continue to work with that designer in the future. It will not only boost the designers reputation in the community and provide them with a healthy career but it will benefit your business as well by having a designer on hand and on call that knows at least a little about your business and your expectations as a client.

B. Become a Graphic Designer
Graphic designers are responsible for creating visual communications across a variety of media platforms (print, electronic, and film). They utilize a large array of techniques which can involve varying combinations of illustration, animation, photography, print, and layout design. Their work may appear in publications (e.g., magazines, newspapers, journals), signs, packaging, corporate logos, promotional displays, and/or marketing brochures.

The design process begins when a graphic designer illustrates his/her vision for the design by preparing sketches either by hand or with the aid of specialized computer software packages. The designer will then select the visual elements which comprise the design (e.g., colors, artwork, photography, animation) and arrange them onto the visual media. Depending on their employers, clients, or specific projects, graphic designers may have relatively stable working conditions or widely fluctuating ones. About 25% of designers are self-employed.

Education, Certification, Licensing In today's world, a college degree is usually required for a job as a graphic designer. There are some entry-level technical positions that only require an associate degree; however, a bachelor's degree is required for most entry-level and advanced graphic design positions. There are hundreds of accredited schools which award degrees in graphic design.

An aspiring graphic designer should select one that includes training in current graphics-related computer technology because a quality graphic designer today needs a good working knowledge of different desktop publishing tools and computer graphics/design software. A graphic designer can start building a portfolio before graduating from school by accepting different freelance jobs. The portfolio should be constructed to showcase only the designer's highest-quality work.


What Is Graphic Design?

Posted: Friday, May 14, 2010

Graphic Design refers to a specialized area of the Visual Arts. It involves the enhancing of a product, service or information by designing a pleasing visual or set of visuals.
Traditionally, this field has included both the creative preparation and execution of materials in the areas of: Logo Design, Corporate Identity, Brochure Design, Photo Retouching, Charts/Graphs/Diagrams, and other printed materials. Graphic Design can also include the preparation of 35mm Slide Presentations, Television Advertisements, Multi-Media Presentations, and other Visual Aids.

Today, the term Graphic Design also includes the rapidly expanded Web Design market. While a Designer may certainly specialize in one area, it is common to find designers with applicable knowledge is more than one discipline. An artist may be expected to design entire websites, edit photos for both print and web use, and design printed materials which also have web applications.

Many of the web sites you visit involve the efforts of a Graphic Designer. Advertising Agencies employ many them to prepare the ads you see on television. In the past, a Graphic Designer could rely on predominately right- brain tendencies of being a "Creative" type. One must not only be "Creative," but also possess the "Logic" skills to pilot numerous software programs, trouble shoot computing issues, etc.

Graphic Design is a highly rewarding career. This profession is also a great Work At Home opportunity. Once one is established (education, contacts, etc.), a Home Office can be the perfect option. Incomes vary and are dependent on a number of factors, including: area(s) of expertise, years of experience, business contacts, etc.

A. How to Get Job in Graphic Design
Most of them, even after having a graphic design degree, are unable to get a good job in graphic designing. However, good jobs are out in the open, waiting for you to grab them in a proper way and start earning big time as a lot of design firms and advertising companies require graphic designers for their progress. Here are some useful tips that can help you get a job with good money.

Tips for Getting a Good Job
• If you are very talented and have some extraordinary working skills, it's possible for you to enter this field even without a degree. You can earn an online graphic design degree or a regular one, whatever suits you. But for professionals, online graphic designing degree is easy to earn as it does not require an individual to attend regular class lectures and campus studies.
• While you are pursuing your online graphic design degree, you must keep practicing on different projects.
• Besides, work experience counts when you are on an interview for an attractive job. So, try to do internship jobs along with your degree to get used to practical work environment and strategies.
• Work on a few personal projects and include them in your resume, which must also be designed by you, to increase the chances of your selection.
• Upload your resume on the internet and also make its copy in a CD as some companies prefer receiving resumes via regular email instead of electronic email.
• Research and apply for graphic design jobs on different websites, online forums, and also in market areas including advertising agencies, marketing departments and design groups.

Moreover, you also need to pay attention to freelance jobs if you come to find any of them. Moreover, you can keep enhancing your skills by pursuing advanced online design degrees, which will not only increase your salary but also give you more opportunities to avail for a better future.

B. Graphic Design Outsourcing Tips That You Should Know
Graphic design is a well known process in the field of business. To enjoy the creativity one can appoint a graphic designer as his employee but the frequent need of graphic design would not occur. The way to satisfy the need of a company on graphic design they can outsource the graphic design through some familiar concerns.

When we depute the graphic design for outsourcing, the person taking contract to do the graphic design will certainly workout the nature, prospects and advantages, theme and sources of the company or concern. Complete study over the company will help the outsourced graphic designer to create something impressive advertisements, postures, television display, and web designing and so on. The entire responsibilities are deputed through outsourcing of graphic designs. As such quality in graphic design can be expected with confident.

Marketing a product need lot of technical support from advertising agencies and that too from graphic designers. So much the impression created in the graphic design that much customers will step into the organization from which the graphic design is delivered. The moment the graphic designs attracts people, the concern get enquiries and sales. Outsourcing in the field of animation is gradually increased.

The most advantage of outsourcing graphic design is that the cost spent is reduced and expected quality is achieved. The outsourcing process in graphic design has increased tremendously. Especially in US, East Asia and well developed countries have started outsourcing the graphic designs in large numbers.

In communication wing, yellow page makers set their task of graphic designs to outsourcing. The main object of the companies or manufacture is to cut the cost of labor by outsourcing its process to some familiar outsourcing companies. Graphic design outsourcing is globally needed as the market strategies urges lowering the cost of production and other expenses related to that. The only source is from graphic designs. Now in internet we can see so many companies opting themselves for taking contract in outsourcing of graphic designs.



How Do You Define a Good Logo Design?

Posted: Monday, May 10, 2010

Everyone wants his company logo to be the best but how good is good? How do we define a good logo? Can a simple design work as a good logo? Now to define a good logo design we first need to understand the purpose of having a logo. A corporate logo is one of the most essential branding elements for your company. It should be instrumental in building your corporate identity and should successfully exude the company’s attitude.

The viewers must have some idea about the disposition, character, or fundamental values of your company through your logo. The functionality of a logo does not end here, I have not yet mentioned the most important function of a corporate logo. Your logo should be able to build a positive, strong and long lasting impression on existing and prospective customers. The very moment a person views your logo, even a part of it, he should think of your company.

How do you get your logo to leave such a strong long lasting impression? The simpler your logo is, the easier it is to remember and so it leaves a stronger impression on the people.
You also need to think of all the possible mediums where you are going to use your logo. You should also check if your logo looks good in Black and White, because tomorrow if you need to get a document in black and white with your logo on it, it should be very easily compatible to that as well.

In the beginning of this article, I have mentioned, that your logo can successfully convey the character and nature of your business to its viewers. There are a host of factors that are considered before designing a logo. When you place an order for a logo design, as a client it is your responsibility to give a clear brief of your company profile, the industry you are in and the nature of logo that you are looking for, to the designers.

If you are not sure about the nature of logo that suits your company, let the logo design firm decide on that. There are many logo design companies who are experienced and they will be much better equipped to suggest you the correct type of logos. Any good logo design firm would conduct a market research about the different types of logos used in your industry by your competitors and their impact on the people. If you have any corporate colors, as we have red for McDonalds’, it will be wise to suggest the designers to use that color in your logo-any good designer would anyhow do that.

You might be the best in your industry but they know their job better than you, so if you want to get a good result, try to depend on your logo design company. I do understand that there are certain logo design companies that charge exorbitant rate to create a logo design but the industry is changing. These days there are companies that offer excellent logos for nominal charges.

So before you decide to place your order for your logo design, check the portfolio of the company and then check the price tag. You can definitely find some professional logo designs at affordable rates.

A. Corporate Logo Designer - Online Logo Designers
What benefit can a corporate logo designer offer your company? There definitely is a need for such a designer if you have nothing for a logo to represent your business to the world with. Let's say for example that you've opened a brand new business without a recognizable mark to put your company's message out into the world with. A corporate logo designer can proclaim your mission statement to the entire world with just a mere symbol. A well planned, thought out and designed logo is what your business needs to establish recognition in the world today.

Crafting a corporate logo for your business requires an expert designer who is talented at this art, which uses the language of symbolism to speak to the world about all your business offers at a mere glance. It should be able to communicate everything about what your company stands for and offers along the lines of service within the very moment that potential clients can see your logo image.

Have you seen the logo of a red plus sign in front of a white background? What are the first things that pop into your head when you see it? Most of us (if not all of us) immediately imagine ambulances, giving blood, hospitals and other related such like things. How many billions of people the world over are very familiar with Burger King's symbol of choice? It's exceedingly simple indeed, but it more than efficiently sums it all up, correct? Do you see what I mean? To present volumes of information to the world's eye, in a tiny, uncomplicated symbol is the prowess of the corporate logo designer.

Let's also consider all of the many different military insignia that are among the armed forces for another good example. They speak volumes of information about their respective branch, division and specialty merely by looking at them. Furthermore, they do this even if the one you're looking at is one you've never seen before - even more interesting yet, is that once you've seen it, it's pretty much locked into your memory. If you ever see it again, you can recognize it right away. Hop online to find a corporate logo designer who can create such a symbol for your business, and soon you will be a recognizable icon in today's business world.

B. The Best Source For Your Logo Project - The Right Graphic Designer
Thousands of people use search engines daily to find logo designers, and they get thousands of search results of individuals and companies claiming to be the best Logo Designers available there. Logo designing is a skill which gets developed with time and involves both technical and artistic expertise. You can find people ready to deliver a logo for five bucks only. In such cases, even a price conscious client will understand there's a catch with such offers.

No doubts there are many capable freelance designers, design companies and studios that really stand out from the crowd. So, it's essential to understand how to find the right choice for your logos creation project. You will agree that an educated client will always be a happy client.

So, here are some suggestions which can help you in your quest for selecting the right logo designer or a firm that will give your company a new mark and identity.
First things first, experience is crucial for the logos designer... Ask the design firm if they have a gallery of logo designs to show. See if they have some REAL logos they have created for other clients and not just some dummy samples. Anyone can claim to be a perfect logo designer but it is not easy to create an effective and appropriate logo design that suits the client's need and their business as well. An experienced designer need not tell you why the logo he created is fantastic or what a color/shape used in the logo means.

Cheap logo may give cheap results.
Ever wonder why these big corporate companies spend loads of money on their logo design? Because they know how important and artistic the logo design process is. A good quality logo design will need ample time, a good logos designer, few latest software and thorough knowledge of the standards going around in the industries these days. Ideally, logo designing can cost you a few hundred dollars to a few thousand.

Effective logo design needs time - don't choose a hurried up job, have patience... You may find many logo designers ready to deliver a logo to you in a day or two. It is as simple as that, Quality design needs Time. Graphic design firms need time to research your business/company, your market/clients, and your basic requirements. And not to mention the logo designer need time to create an original work to take care trademark and/or copyright issues. Communication is supreme...


7 Steps To Find The Right Web Design Company

Posted: Thursday, May 6, 2010

After working with web design companies, agencies and firms, I have found the following 7 steps will lead you to a much happier and fruitful relationship with your next web designer:
Never shop on price. You almost never get what you expect if you aren't willing to pay properly for it.

Pay careful attention to the portfolio of the website designer. Avoid web design companies that still use flash introductions on their own website. Give a small project first. If you plan to spend a lot of money with the company, try giving them a small project first. If their service and quality of product is what you expect, they will deliver on their promises and you can move onto bigger things with that company. If they don't deliver, then you haven't wasted huge sums of money.

ALWAYS define exactly what you need before the project begins. Like it or not, a project plan with specifications is going to save a lot of trouble later on, both for you and the design company. A good project manager should be able to convey your requirements to the team properly, but good project managers are uncommon.

Due diligence. If you are getting them to do a $250 online greeting card, getting 10 references, having 4 prior meetings and asking for a 100 page specification is likely going to cause you to be tossed aside in favour of a client that is worth the trouble. On the other hand, if you are having them build the next major shopping portal for you group of 185 country-wide chain of stores and plan to have it intergrate with the services of several large companies, be absolutely sure the web design company knows what they are doing and has experience doing it. You don't want a company that is learning the ropes by using you as a guinea pig.

I hope that armed with this information you will be able to make an informed choice on which web design company, agency or firm you will use on your next project.

A. Web Design - Tips to Find a Good Web Design Agency
If you intend to create a website, you are at the right place. In this article, I will share with you some tips to choose the right web design agency to create your website. There are my web design agencies that can fulfill your needs. To look for the right web design agency for your needs, you must conduct a thorough research first. The internet is a great place to do your research. Search engines, forums, directory listings, and blogs are great places to look for suitable web design agencies. Other than online, you can also look up your local directory such as Yellow pages.

A good design agency can translate your business needs onto your website. A good designer will look into your business objective and design a website that will fulfill your needs.
Next, you want to get a web design agency that is willing to spend the time to understand your needs. If an agency offers you solutions before listening to you, you should be careful. Also, many agencies claim that they offer customized solutions and designs. Also, you want a company that has experience and expertise to fulfill your needs. Do you like what they design for their clients?

Once you have shortlisted a few web design agencies, is time to contact them and ask for quotes. Upon completion of the work, you will be required to pay the remaining 50%.
Do not expect the right web design agency to find you. If you want a good agency to design your website, you must look for them. A good business website is very important to your company.

B. Top Questions to Ask a Web Design Agency
Choosing a web design agency to create and develop your website is a massive decision which requires a lot of trust on your behalf. Unfortunately there are many disreputable companies out there who may try to take advantage of you particularly if you're new to promoting your business online. There also are many great companies out there who will be only too happy to create a stunning website tailored to your business requirements and online image.

If you speak to a website design company who are already familiar with the industry you work in then this can be a huge advantage as they will be aware of your target audience. Some website companies do a lot of work in specific industries or specialise in certain types of websites such as the health industry or ecommerce websites. When you approach a design company they should ask you plenty of questions about your business so they can decide what they can offer you and if they can fulfil your requirements.

• Who will maintain the website?
Some design companies create content management systems which allow you to change content or images to keep your website fresh. Other designers will maintain the website for you and will usually charge for this service. Ask to see examples of past websites they've completed - most designers have links to completed projects on their website. See how versatile and unique the designs are and if you like their style. Some designers will be more artistic than others so decide which style is right for your website. A good catalogue of previous work can also increase the trustworthiness of a website company as they'll be well established with plenty of satisfied customers.

• Can you work to my budget?
It's likely that you'll have a specific budget to create your website. If you have a smaller budget then it might not stretch to hand drawn images or interactive features for example. Once you agree on a budget and a design then make sure you stick to it and don't be tempted to agree to extra features which could increase the total price of the website.
Also note how available they are to speak to and if they return your messages.


Latest Trends in Fashion

Posted: Sunday, May 2, 2010

Fashion is an incredibly fickle, but fashionistas of all ages still love it! If you find yourself wondering what’s in and what’s out, you should be properly schooled in the latest trends in fashion. By far, the best resource for finding the latest fashion trends are the plethora of available fashion magazines! Take time to flip through the fashion mags to see what’s in, what’s out, who’s wearing what, and what you shouldn’t be wearing at all!

In order to keep up with the latest trends in fashion, consider building your wardrobe around staple items that are sure to be in style regardless of the season. These basic pieces serve as the foundation for your wardrobe, allowing you to spend a minimal amount each season on stylish extras that may only last a single season. By keeping the large pieces of your wardrobe capable of shifting from season to season, you will be able to work on any budget and stay as stylish as ever!

Invest in a couple pieces of trendy items for each season. Consider shopping at discount stores or buying more inexpensive items, regardless of their quality. You know the ones…with the outrageous elephant leg bell bottoms, electric colored tops, fingerless gloves, and even—eek—leg warmers! Just because super huge hoop earrings, splashy faux flower corsages, and cowboy boots are all the rage this season, you by no means should wear them all at once! Limit yourself to only one or two tremendously trendy items per wardrobe in order to be fashion fabulous instead of a fashion victim!

A. Starting a Fashion Label in 5 Easy Steps
As Yoda says you either make a fashion label or you don’t, it’s up to you which way this goes. The hardest part breaking into the fashion scene is first of all thinking to yourself “do I really want to work in this industry?” The next few steps may seem very easy but it is funny how people’s minds can be clouded. It is fear of the unknown that freezes our progress but as you will see there is nothing to fear.

Step 1: Now you have to begin with what you want to design, whether these be tees, jeans, dresses, shoes, hats.
Step 2: Next comes the question of “who am I aiming these clothes at?” Again this could be 18-25 year olds, 30-50 year olds or even every living soul. For the sake of argument let’s say you have now chosen to make hats for 18-30 year olds.
Step 3: The label you have you must decide what kind of spin you are going with e.g. Punk, funky, simple etc. This is an important aspect of your label as this will define your market and also your identity. In this instance let’s say it’s a funky style. A great example of a culture is our flash website “www.impclothing.com.au”.
Step 4: Ok to recap, already we have a label that makes funky hats made for 18-30 year olds. Now you can put these ideas down on paper.
Step 5: So you have your label culture, designs and all you need now is a name and logo.
This is very exciting as you get to name your creation. Write down words that you would link with your label e.g. Peace, groove, bass, music, hip, revolution, hats, head etc.

Now let’s make a name, “Groove Revolution”, now this may not be the best name but you get the idea.

Next comes a logo and easy one for this could simply be GR or maybe a little picture of a music note.

Step back and see what you have:
• Label: Groove Revolution
• Age group: 18-30
• Style: Funky
• Logo: Music Note with GR
• Designs: The sketches drawn on paper

It will happen by you going down to your local council and registering the business name of “Groove Revolution”. Trust me the motivation kicks in.
You now officially have a business, plus a direction and from here hence, the world is your oyster.

B. Are Fashion Magazines Really Necessary And Are They Worth The Money We Spend On Them?
If you are one of us, which I am sure you are then you probably have purchased fashion magazines at some point in your life. A large number of you purchase fashion magazines each month and some of you on occasion will purchase these weekly. It could be because these marvelous little jewels are chalked full of beauty tips, fashion advice and tips. So I suppose you are asking yourself should I be purchasing these Fashion Magazines.

Now if you are on a budget then that would be one of those considerations, however, fashion magazines are pretty affordable, yet the cost could add up. As with the latest fashion trends it could also add up keeping up with the trends in the fashion magazines.

Now another consideration in buying Fashion Magazines is to determine if you have the internet. Well if so, a large number of these fashion magazines can be found online. So what types of fashion are you most interested in learning more about? Well if you are not sure, there are modern fashion trends, 80s trends, gothic, and so forth. Unfortunately, most printed fashion magazines only focus on one or two types of fashions and they are often the ones that are most popular at the moment. If you are looking for fashion tips, advice, and information on trends from other eras, aside from today, you may actually not find what you are looking for in a fashion magazine. To determine if so, you may want to think about at least skimming through a fashion magazine before buying it.

There are many of you that purchase and even keep your fashion magazines around to review over and over and then again, others read them and discard them or toss them aside. Now these magazines are so affordable really but they can add up on you quickly so be selective and remember you can save yourself money by finding the same information online.

We spoke about how fashion magazines are a great source for learning about today’s fashion trends, but there are other sources out there. Yes the internet is one source to finding that perfect fashion magazine that suits you best, but also the television is a popular source as well.



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