How to Design an Awesome Flyer (Even if You’re Not a Designer)
This article will walk your through the process and logic of designing a basic but attractive flyer. We’ll look at how you can plan your content, find and implement some quality images and handle the alignment of a significant amount of content while not sacrificing too much of the visual appeal.
Getting Started: Plan Your Content
The first step in any design project is to organize your information. What is required? What are your goals? Since this is an imaginary project I’ll be using some filler text but we’ll try to keep it realistic with the content.
Any good concert flyer needs to say, at minimum, where and when the concert is, who’s playing and how much it costs. I’ve designed plenty of real concert flyers using only this information, but to make it a little more difficult, let’s assume there are a couple of paragraphs of copy to include as well.
“Your goal then should be to pare down all of the necessary information into easily-digestible chunks.”
Though flyers can and should have way more information that your average presentation slide, that doesn’t mean you should go crazy with the content. The same basic rules apply here: less is more. If you create a flyer that is primarily made up of large chunks of text, very few people are going to glance at it for more than a half of a second. They’ll only see that it looks like a lot of work to sort through and move on.
Your goal then should be to pare down all of the necessary information into easily-digestible chunks. Throw out anything that you don’t really need and look for ways to make what you do need more concise.
Bullet Point Fever
Making your information concise doesn’t mean you should fill the flyer with fifty-seven bullet points. Bullets are great, and we’ll be using them today, but amateur designers are quite prone to going nuts with them. If you’re using bullet points as an easy-to-read and understand way to distribute your information, you’re on the right track. If you’re using them as a crutch because you don’t know how else to design a flyer, you need to rethink your strategy.
Finding Images
Non-designers really get intimidated when it comes to adding in imagery. Many of them know that clipart is pretty cheesy and often completely horrid, but don’t know of any other options. Fortunately, the web is a wonderland of free resources if you know where to look.
Flickr Creative Commons is a great place to start but today we’re going to use Stock.xchng, a free stock photography website. Typically, I’m not too excited by the results from this site but today I lucked out with some great images that will really make for an awesome concert flyer (Image Credit: Josiah Norton and Angus Wurth).
Step 1: Combine the Images
Set up your document to match your desired flyer size: 5″ by 7″, 17″ by 11″, etc. It doesn’t really matter, just make sure you’re going with a vertical orientation.
Once you’ve got your document set up, toss in the two images from above, allowing them to take up your entire canvas. Stack the bass player on the top of the crowd image, eating up a good portion of the available space. It’s difficult to sacrifice space in a crowded design but we really want to make this an eye-catching flyer.
At this point you’re probably thinking that these images are way too busy and that we can’t possibly put any text in, but don’t worry, we’ll take care of that in the next step.
Step 2: Fill In the Bottom
As I just mentioned, our flyer in its current condition isn’t very conducive to text overlays so let’s see if we can simplify things a bit.
To make sure our colors all look good together, it’s always a good idea to use colors that already appear in the image. With this in mind, sample the color from the top left of the bass player image. If the application you’re using doesn’t have an eyedropper tool, you’ll have to eyeball it.
Once you’ve got your solid color rectangle over your photo, reduce its opacity to around 84%. Most applications with graphics allow you to reduce an object’s opacity, if not, you’ll just have to use a solid color.
As you can see, this gives us a background that’s more interesting than a solid color but a lot easier to place text over than our original photo. Plus, introducing the color overlay makes our two very different images look really great together.
Step 3: Add a Headline
Every good flyer needs a headline, so let’s take care of this next. Remember that the headline doesn’t necessarily have to be at the top of the page. We’re going to place ours near the bottom of the bass player image.
To do this, I repeated the same basic process as in the last step. I drew a black box coming from the right side of the flyer, then reduce the opacity just enough to let the photo start to show through. This helps make the text more readable over that busy background.
For the font, I used Six Caps from Font Squirrel. The condensed, all-caps nature of the font is perfect for the look we’re trying to achieve.
Step 4: Who, Where and When
Since we addressed the price point in our headline, we’re down to three other important pieces of information: who, where and when. We can break these out into three bullets with exactly those headers.
There are a couple of important things to note about this. First, I didn’t like the readability of the Six Caps font over lots of text so I switched to Futura Condensed for this portion. Furthermore, notice how I’ve structured the hierarchy of information very carefully. The headers are the largest and colored differently to stand out. Once again I grabbed this color from the bass player image. I’ve also given some size differentiation to the headliner band.
The main takeaway here is that some pieces of information that will be more important than others and you need to take care to give those special attention. This gives your work visual variety and makes it easier to browse.
Step 5: Add the Paragraphs
Dividing the bottom portion into two main columns will give us plenty of room for content. We just created the first column and left it quite narrow, which is fine for the content that it holds. This allows us to have an even wider column for our paragraphs, which wouldn’t look right if they were too narrow.
Notice that I used the same basic conventions as on the previous step, with some subtle changes. I didn’t repeat the colored headers so as not to detract from the primary information points on the left. With the same goal in mind, the paragraph headers are smaller than those on the left.
Finishing Up
With that, we’re all done! Our flyer says everything it needs to and is quite attractive to boot. The page layout work here was really minimal and most of the aesthetics were provided by the third-party images. Almost anyone can make this flyer! Click the image below for a larger preview.
Notes About Alignment
Make sure that as you’re building your flyer, you don’t just casually throw your objects on the page. There are some very strict and intentional alignments in place in my design:
Notice how everything lines up nicely on both vertical and horizontal planes. Also notice how much distance is placed between the edge of the page and the content. Always give your content plenty of breathing room, just like the margins on a Word document.
Notes About Printing
If you plan on designing and printing your own flyers, there’s a lot to keep in mind. First, your file layout may need to account for bleed and trim if you’re working with a commercial printing service, often templates are provided to make this easy. However, for these kinds of jobs you really should possess some sort of professional graphics software as the templates provided by the printer will likely be for Illustrator, InDesign or Photoshop.
If you’re printing these from the office printer, full bleed will be harder to come by and may not even be possible with your model. In this case, don’t sweat it. This design looks great with a white border around the edge. In fact, it helps give it that “flyer” look.
Finally, you really need to watch out for the quality of print you’re getting. This design features white type over a dark background, if your flyer size is too small, this quickly becomes problematic and the result may be an unreadable print. Make sure your fonts are a decent size, then run a test print. If it doesn’t work well you may have to change fonts, increase the size or rethink the design so that the bottom is white with black or gray text.
Conclusion
If you’re not a designer, projects like this can be quite intimidating. However, with the tricks I showed you above, you can really blow away your bandmates, coworkers and/or friends with your mad design skills.
Leave a comment below and let us know what other types of design projects you struggle with and how we can help out!
Creative Party and Club Flyers
Digital or physical, flyers are an important promotional element for your entertainment venue. Letting people know about an upcoming event is essential. Having low attendance and selling less tickets will hurt your bottom line, so being stingy on advertising is never a good idea. Flyer printing isn’t very expensive either. You can get 1,000 full color (front & back) 4″ x 6″ flyers for about $85.
Designing flyers can be a challenging task. If I receive a half-assed flyer, I will throw it in the trash right away. Today we’ve compiled some amazing and well-designed flyers for your inspiration. The following examples will give you an idea of what attractive and effective flyers look like.
Also before you scroll down, let me give you a small tip from my experience.
Let’s say you’re giving out flyers for Avicii’s dj set this coming Friday at a local club. Prior to handing out flyers to random people, ask them what genre they like. This is so blatant, but people who give out flyers don’t even think about it. They just hold out a piece of paper like a zombie and expect results.
Instead, ask the person walking by what kind of music they like. You’ll have way more conversions and save money on printing if you simply spark up a friendly conversation. Every humans has a built in spam folder, so treat others with respect and kindness.
Also before you scroll down, let me give you a small tip from my experience.
Let’s say you’re giving out flyers for Avicii’s dj set this coming Friday at a local club. Prior to handing out flyers to random people, ask them what genre they like. This is so blatant, but people who give out flyers don’t even think about it. They just hold out a piece of paper like a zombie and expect results.
Instead, ask the person walking by what kind of music they like. You’ll have way more conversions and save money on printing if you simply spark up a friendly conversation. Every humans has a built in spam folder, so treat others with respect and kindness.
Vintage Poster
Hideout launch party flyer
The Bunker
Mark Flash
Grunge Poster
Machinedrum
Midnight Madness
Alternative Rock Night
Shake it Out
Retro Turntable Experience
Chromeo Flyer
Electro Flyer
Mikro Club Flyer
Club Flyer Template
Machine Phase
Rodeo Sessions #1/ Dietrich
Alternative Flyer
Estereo Mental Flyer
Minimal Essence
Hardstyle Hooligans
Top TEN Traffic Sources
We already know how vital website traffic is to your website. We have said countless times that traffic is a pain in the neck. Although you have read many tips and tricks to get traffic, you still couldn’t figure out how to get them because you have no idea with the right sources. Of course, if an online marketer could figure out the best sources of traffic, then it would not be that hard for him to find his website traffic. For every marketer, they should have a list of their top 10 traffic sources.
Traffic can be different, based on your website’s niche, demographics and category. And with that, it is not easy to get traffic, especially when you have those factors to consider. It is a great challenge for any website marketer to hunt and gather their website traffic. It takes more than a simple knowledge in both business and marketing to get the traffic that your website needs. And with that, you must have your list of top 10 web traffic sources so that you could easily get the traffic that you want.
So if you still have no list of your top 10 traffic sources, then here’s a starter list for you to develop.
- Traffic Suppliers – Last but not the least. Traffic suppliers or buying traffic are one of the fastest way to generate traffic. This will let you get the traffic that you need in days! These are great for promoting a certain page within a certain period since it drives traffic to your site with minimal effort. You just need to send the URL, target category and country to your provider and Presto! – Traffic for your site. You don’t need to have a big budget in running a traffic campaign, just be sure to know the right traffic provider for quality and value.
- Social media sites – First and foremost, a good list should start with something possible and obvious. Social media sites, such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Google + are the places where most of the people who surf the web, hang out and stay. Invest in these sites to get a lot of traffic. But be careful, once you are on these sites, you must inform your viewers and not directly sell your brand.
- Offline Advertising Sources – So you didn’t expect this in your top 10 traffic sources? Offline advertising is one of the proven (for its longest existence) source of traffic. With your basic business cards, word of mouth, and even a great that great experience your possible viewers had in your online advocacy talk, your website could be getting more traffic than you are expecting on this gold-mine.
- Guest Blogging – Guest blogging is like sharing your blessings to others. By volunteering to write for other websites, you are not only building up your reputation, but you are also educating other traffic as well. Submitting blog contents to other websites is a win-win situation for both you and your “partner” websites.
- Answer Sites – Yahoo Answers is just one of the best answer sites available on the internet. This is a great “ego boost” for your website as well. Just pick out questions that fall under your niche, answer them as accurately as possible, give great resources, build your reputation and include your domain link as well. If things get well, then rest assured you’ll be getting the ample traffic.
- Forums and Threads – Who says traffic can’t be from forums? Because forums offer a more “specific” environment, this is considered as one of the best traffic sources available. Just join any niche related forum, contribute, and build your existence and wait till your traffic analytics boost in traffic.
- Infographics – Infographics are images which inform, entertain and advertise at the same time. Creating an infographic may take a lot of talent and time, but once it goes viral, you’ll have the best wave of traffic ever.
- Reddit – When you want traffic attention, then the best website you can use is the “front page of the whole internet”. Reddit offers more than anything and anything under the sun. Just gather upvotes from redditors, follow their rules and regulations in posting, and you will as many traffic as you can have.
- Blogging – Since you’ve got yourself into guest blogging, why not create your own blog as well. This is because blogging is an extensive part of your website and because blogs are included in the next item as well.
- Search Engines (SEO) – Search engines can still be considered as the best source of traffic. Because SEO’s effects are kind of “permanent”, their lifespan is almost unmatched compared to other forms of “ad”
These are your top 10 traffic sources! Get your website running and try out these sources for your traffic needs!
How to Overcome Communication Problem in the Workplace
When you are working in a design company, you have to deal with your co-workers and bosses so that things would be fine and in order. But there are instances when some problems arises which causes conflict in the workplace. There are times when a communication problem in the workplace takes place due to little misunderstandings and misinterpretations. This is due to the fact that each and every one of us is different and has different view on things. Also, problems might occur due to a very stressful environment at work. But you can overcome communication problem in the workplace.
There are different nature and consequences for every communication problem. But whatever that is, you have to find a way to get away from it for it can only cause workplace strife and interpersonal difficulties. This can even affect your projects and designs and you might no longer be efficient and effective as a designer. Hence, here are some tips on how you can overcome communication problem in the workplace. Read now so you can free yourself from stress.
1. Speak to them.
Image: shutterstock
If you think that there are problems with a certain co-worker, talk to that person. This way, you will be able to determine the root of the gap of communication. It is always important to hear the voices of every person. That is why, conducting regular meetings is vital in order give each one a chance to open up their ideas and thoughts.
2. Let them speak and you listen.
Image: shutterstock
If you want things to be good, then, you have to listen to that person. Do not speak while he is speaking. Aside from looking for ways to convey information, there should also be ways to let them express their own thoughts. You should pay heed to what other people will say and respond to them in a respectful manner. This can make things a lot easier for everyone knowing that each one has the chance to talk and be listened to. It is always vital for you to learn how to listen.
3. Have a mediator.
Image: shutterstock
If you think that the problem cannot be settled if you are the only ones working on it, you might consider a mediator. If the other party does not listen to your words and might even make up stories which worsen the situation, then call someone to help you both understand the situation. This could be a great help.
4. Do not make it too personal.
Image: shutterstock
When you are faced with a conflict in the workplace due to misunderstanding, do not treat in a manner that you will ruin not just your work relationship but yourself as well. Look at it as a problem between the persons involved and the situation, not as a problem between you and the other person. Bear in mind that both of you are just victims of misunderstanding. Settle it in a good way and do not take things personally.
5. Be open-minded.
Image: shutterstock
When you are open-minded, you have the ability to look at things in a wider perspective. This makes things a lot easier for you. You can see angles that other people are not able to see. This way, you will realize that what is happening is not really a big problem. Communication problems can be solved by good communication. When you have good communication, you need an open mind so that you will be able to listen to other people’s thoughts.
6. Be specific in your words.
Image: shutterstock
A good way to get rid of communication problems is by saying things in a clear and specific manner. When you say something, do not allow any misinterpretations by making it direct and understandable. Do not leave messages that have double meanings. Make sure that you will say exactly what you want to say. Also, do not generalize things. Just be specific with what you are trying to tell someone. This can greatly contribute to easy communication.
7. Do not generalize.
Image: shutterstock
When you are voicing out complaints or speaking about your thoughts, make sure that you are only pointing towards a specific conflict. Also, do not involve other people to it and do not pinpoint other aspects of a person’s character. Despite one misunderstanding, you still have to keep a good relationship with co-workers. So, deal with it in a good manner without making matters big.
8. Do not be involved in other’s problems.
Image: shutterstock
If you have co-workers who are having problems, let them deal with it. You do not have to join them. If you are not directly involved to it, then keep quiet. Also, do not talk about it with other co-workers. Just leave them alone and let them settle the problem themselves.
9. Have proper place and time for confrontation.
Image: shutterstock
If you want to discuss a problem with your co-worker, set a time and place to do that. Do not confront that person while he or she is still working in the office. That would be inapt and unprofessional. Do not discuss in front of many people who are not part of the problem. This will only cause gossip in the office.
10. Communicate regularly.
Image: shutterstock
Due to the advancement of technology, it leads to the fast processes of things. People become even busier with work because of this. But it doesn’t mean that you will stop communicating with each other in the workplace. Some design companies made it a point that they find a manner of communication for each one of them. They do this by using some applications for chatting online while in the office. This is very convenient for it is time and energy saving. One doesn’t have to go to the other’s working are just to speak with him. Regular meetings are also held so that each one is given the chance to share their ideas.
It’s Your Turn Now
Communication problem in the workplace can actually be easily settled only if both parties are willing to fix it. Also, you should think first before you start speaking in order to do away with hurting words that will make matter worse. How about you? Have you encountered a communication problem in your workplace? How did you deal with it? Would you like to share it to us?
12 top packaging design resources
You’ll get tons of advice and inspiration on the subject of packaging design from these free resources.
The web is a wonderful thing, brimming with resources and tutorials for people interested in packaging design. But, sometimes, too much choice can be confusing, so we’ve picked out the top resources to help you really get to grips with it.
01. CreateID
This brilliant blog captures the best of package design, news and articles from around the globe. It’s not updated that regularly, but everything that’s posted here is definitely worth a look.
02. Lovely Package
If, like us, you can’t resist a lovely package, then you should definitely check out this cool blog. Lovely Package showcases some leading design work in the packaging world, covering eveything from wine and beer bottles to toothpaste and kitchenware. The site features work from both professionals and students alike, and with over 300 pages of projects to browse through, you’re sure to find some inspiration here.
03. Package Design
In operation for almost a decade now, Package Design Magazine is a fantastic resource for all things package design. The site features work from designers all around globe, the latest industry news, upcoming talent in the field, a resources section and much more. What more could you possibly need?
04. Packaging design archive
If you’re looking for package design inspiration, head over to Packaging design archive. Containing every kind of design you could possibly think of, this extensive catalogue of packaging is a brilliant resource. Projects are organised into categories, with the site featuring a handy side bar that allows a search by the type of design you’re after, including identity by typography, shape and much more.
05. Pinterest
With hundreds of thousands of inspirational imagery in its archives, we couldn’t not include Pinterest on this list. Simply type in ‘package design’ into the keyword search and watch the work appear. A popular subject on the social networking site, you’ll find yourself scrolling down on what seems like a never ending page of packaging design projects.
06. The Dieline
If it’s information and inspiration on packaging design that you’re after then The Dieline is a fantastic place to start. Founded in 2007, the site aims to define and promote the world’s best packaging design. The Dieline is incredibly easy to navigate. It also features a packaging directory, which is an inspiring library of different company designs.
07. Brand New
A division of design firm Under Consideration, Brand New focuses solely on corporate and brand identity work, and features a vast library of inspirational packaging designs. But this is not just a showcase site, as well as all the beautiful imagery featured, much of the designs here are reviewed in detail, with experts giving their opinion on if,how and why each concept works.
08. Ambalaj
Ambalaj is actually the personal site of packaging designer Kristina de Verdier. But if you want to see some inspirational examples of packaging design, then you should definitely check out her blog section. In it, Verdier has carefully selected new works from all over the world, describing them on her site as, “Material innovation, sustainable information, structural packaging, graphic design as well as beautiful brand stories”.
09. Packaging of the World
Packaging of the World is a creative design gallery, showcasing the most interesting and creative work worldwide. This site is really well organised; you can choose to search for projects by category, country, student work, most popular, etc, so it caters for everyone. A brilliant resource in the area of packaging design.
10. The Packaging Design Blog
This site does exactly what it says on the tin, blogging about packaging design from around the globe. The blog also features a comprehensive list of industry professionals, articles, and tutorials. A great resource for anyone looking for inspiration and advice on the subject.
11. Brand, Packaging and Opinion
BP&O is a blog run by British freelance designer and an editor of The Dieline, Richard Baird, who specialises in the development of branding and packaging. Baird picks recently developed designs, provides a short background and shares his thoughts and opinions on each. A great site for finding new work from around the globe.
12. Packaging Design Served
Part of the Behance network, Packaging Design Served features top work in categories such as label design and advertising. Here, you’ll find multiple pages of packaging design projects, created by artists of all skill levels, in everything from shoe and pharmaceutical design to alcohol and electrical product designs.
Source: Kerrie Hughes
20 Ways To Kill Dull Products
When Nielsen analyzed over 3,400 new consumer product introductions launched in the U.S. market in 2012, it found just 14 managed to generate at least $50 million in sales in their first year and sustain that momentum into their second. Out of some 17,000 new products launched since 2008, just 62 of them have had that kind of success.
According to Taddy Hall, “Breakthrough Winners don’t rely on luck or genius. The hallmark of successful innovation is that they resolve struggles or fulfill aspirations; they perform jobs in consumers’ lives.”
With that in mind, here’s my 20 suggestions on how to arrive at wonderful products.
1. Rethink what’s assumed.
2. Redefine what gets done.
3. Make something much more accessible.
4. Make it so clear.
5. Do something simpler.
6. Bridge a little gap.
7. Add joy.
8. Connect/combine.
9. Startle.
10. Lift what gets paid for.
11. Address the mundane.
12. Individualize to an unprecedented degree.
13. Re-balance.
14. Transform what’s shared.
15. Break a monopoly.
16. Protect the fragile.
17. Steal wisdom from other sectors.
18. End an outrage.
19. Introduce beauty.
20. Change what gets competed for.
Sponsored By: The Brand Positioning Workshop, the Brand Storytelling Workshop Series and Brand Strategy and Customer Co-Creation Workshops
A Comprehensve Reading List for and by Designers
We asked some of our favorite designers to recommend the book that inspired them the most this past year. Check out the 75 most popular answers and the top designers who recommend them, plus 5 inspiring periodicals.
Inspired by Typography
Decorative Logo Design This image-heavy book explores the marks and logos of charming brands.
Dangerous Curves: Mastering Logotype Design by Doyald YoungThis book exhibits Young’s amazing collection of typography by focusing on the form and curves of the letters.
“Doyald Young’s ‘Dangerous Curves’ showcases his own work and is an incredible study tool and reference book for lettering work.”
Joseph Alessio, Freelance Designer and Lettering Artist
Joseph Alessio, Freelance Designer and Lettering Artist
The Elements of Typographic Style by Robert BringhurstThis manual travels between art, history and technical knowledge, serving both as a reference book and a readable story.
The Ten Commandments of Typography/Type Heresy by Paul FeltonFelton playfully relates typography to religion in this cheeky book that includes “commandments” and “sacrilege.”
Type Matters! by Jim WilliamsThis book is a well-structured answer to modern problems of layout design on computers.
Thinking with Type by Ellen LuptonThis best-seller serves as a guide to typography from digital to print, explaining the rules and how exactly to break them.
“I love the examples featured in ‘Thinking with Type’ and the process behind them. It’s a must-have book for every typeface geek.”
Fabio Benedetti, Lead Visual Designer and Illustrator at Artscode
Fabio Benedetti, Lead Visual Designer and Illustrator at Artscode
Inspired by Product Design
Designing for the Digital Age by Kim GoodwinThis book serves as a roadmap to create useable, helpful products, from team-building to iteration.
Living with Complexity by Donald A. NormanNorman picks apart the argument for simplicity and vouches for complex (but well-designed) products that shadow our rich lives.
The Design of Everyday Things by Donald A. NormanNorman delves into product design from the scientific viewpoint of a cognitive psychologist to explain why some products work and others frustrate.
Inspired by People
Damn Good Advice (For People with Talent!) by George LoisLois, the original “Mad Man” offers witty advice on life and business.
Herb Lubalin American Graphic Designer by Adrian ShaughnessyThis biography chronicles the life and career of Lubalin, arguably the world’s most influential typographer and graphic designer.
“Herb Lubalin is one of my idols, and this book is just a giant collection of his work. If you want good design, it’s all in there!”
Jon Contino, Principal of Jon Contino Studio
Jon Contino, Principal of Jon Contino Studio
George Nelson: Architect / Writer / Designer / Teacher by Stanley AbercrombieThis illustrated biography explores Nelson’s classic mid-century modern designs.
Saul Bass: A Life in Film and Design Hardcover Jennifer BassWorking in graphic design, corporate identity, and even short film, Bass created some of the most recognizable imagery of the 20th century.
Dieter Rams: As Little Design as Possible by Sophie LovellThis exploration of Ram’s life includes photographs, sketches, and other archival material to explain why we still use products he designed a half century ago.
Kern and Burn by Tim HooverThis book includes interviews with 30 designers detailing their failures and successes as they created careers for themselves.
Steve Jobs by Walter IsaacsonIsaacson writes an honest portrait of the iconic designer based on extensive interviews with Jobs himself as well as his family, friends, and colleagues.
“‘Steve Jobs’ by Walter Isaacson inspired me so much. It changed the way I think and how I live my life right now. It really changed the way I look at designs these days, and how I want to be better at it everyday.”
Bart Ebbekink, Senior Web Designer at Blink Interactive
Bart Ebbekink, Senior Web Designer at Blink Interactive
Jony Ive: The Genius Behind Apple’s Greatest Products by Leander KahneyThis biography explores the man behind design at Apple, from overcoming dyslexia to becoming the lead designer of his generation.
The Vignelli CanonVignelli himself describes what he considers good design and his process behind his work.
The Manual – Issues 1-3 by variousEach issue contains six articles and six personal lessons from six different authors.
Inspired by the Future
Design Forward by Hartmut EsslingerEsslinger explores how design can have an impact on sustainability for the future in both the environment and the economy.
Design Is the Problem by Nathan ShedroffShedroff calls designers to focus on sustainable products and solutions.
Obey the Giant by Rick PoynorThis collection of essays by Poynor describes the increasing connectivity of commerce and culture.
World without Words by Michael EvamyEvamy shows how simple design can explain so much without words and how culture is moving toward a world without words.
Predictably Irrational by Dan ArielyThis book brings to light the hidden forces that shape our daily decisions in life.
“I’ve shifted to books about how people work, how we write, how we live, business, sales. All of the things that good designers—and good people—should know about, but we often neglect because we’re so focused on our craft.”
Mig Reyes, Designer at Basecamp
Mig Reyes, Designer at Basecamp
The Craft of Words By The StandardistasThis book uncovers the importance of words in design and why designers must think of words as an equally important design tool.
The Creative Habit by Twyla TharpTharp’s books offers prescriptions and exercises to release your creativity from its often-stuck mindset.
Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel KahnemanNobel Prize-winning psychologist Kahneman differentiates between our quick, “gut” way of thinking and our other slower, more logical system.
Inspired by Icons and Logos
Geek-Art: An Anthology by Thomas OlivriOlivri’s anthology consists of almost 800 examples of “geek art.”
The Icon Handbook by Jon HicksHicks goes from the basics to the finished in seven steps, laying the roadwork for a predictable way to create an icon.
Logo Creed by Bill GardnerThis book goes from discovery to research to development to delivery and gives examples from lead designers about their own processes.
Logo Design Love by David AireyAirey’s book goes beyond just images of logos in order to step into the process of creating them.
Monogram logo by Leterme Dowling and Counter-PrintThis image-heavy book consists of 452 logos and ciphers from around the world.
“The last book I purchased, ‘Monogram Logo: Monograms & Ciphers’, is a collection of categorized monograms and ciphers from around the world and logos from some of the world’s greatest design companies.”
José de Wal, Graphic Designer
José de Wal, Graphic Designer
Symbol by Angus Hyland and Steven BatemanThis well-organized book shows more than 1,300 symbols organized into groups and subgroups.
Inspired by Business
Design is a Job by Mike MonteiroThis easy read explains how to build your business backbone while feeding your creative talent.
Drawn to Business by Bill Beachy of GoMedia.usBeachy tells his story along with 15 others of how to build a successful design company.
It’s Not How Good You Are, It’s How Good You Want To Be by Paul ArdenArden’s book is a inspiring read for designers and non-designers alike, and he offers his wisdom on a wide-variety of business problems.
Creativity, Inc. by Ed Catmull and Amy WallaceCo-Founder of Pixar, Catmull writes for managers and employees, calling them to be creative, passionate, and unique.
I’ve been reading ‘Creativity, Inc’ lately and really enjoying it. Also ‘Execute’ by Josh Long and Drew Wilson was a big inspiration for me last year”
Gabriel Valdivia, Product Designer at Facebook
Gabriel Valdivia, Product Designer at Facebook
Manage Your Day-To-Day by Jocelyn K. Glei and 99UThis manual shows how to stop working hard and start working smart in a workplace that never seems to stop.
Remote by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier HanssonThis book explores the benefits and challenges of remote work as more companies look to decentralize the office.
Inspired by UI
Don’t Make Me Think by Steve KrugIn this classic handbook on information design, Krug shares why intuitive navigation is vital for the success of any web-based product.
“‘Don’t Make Me Think’ by Steve Krug was the first time I read a book about web that gave me ‘wow’ moments. I can understand easily and scientifically some behavior that designers should notice.”
Bady, UI/UX Designer at WEGO
Bady, UI/UX Designer at WEGO
About Face by Alan Cooper, Robert Reimann, David Cronin and Christopher NoesselThis book explores interaction design with a new focus on the shift to mobile.
Interaction Design by Yvonne Rogers, Helen Sharp and Jenny PreeceThis book has a multi-disciplinary approach to interaction design focusing both on technical and social issues.
Product Design for the Web by Randy J. HuntEtsy’s creative director explains why web designers need to think more like product designers in order to create the next great thing.
Simple and Usable by Giles ColborneExamples and case studies tout the importance of simplicity in design.
Designing for Emotion by Aarron WalterWalter looks at psychology and how it influences today’s design in this book, focusing on how to make users fall in love with your design.
Designing with the Mind in Mind by Jeff JohnsonJohnson explores the science for UI designers, explaining the theories of cognitive psychology.
Inspired by Graphic Design
The Animator’s Survival Kit by Richard WilliamsThe Academy Award-winning animator behind “Who Framed Roger Rabbit?” writes an informative handbook on the underlying principles of animation.
Grid Systems in Graphic Design by Josef Müller-BrockmannMüller-Brockmann’s theories on grid design covered in this book are essential to computer-assisted designers.
“A lot of our digital work is inspired by print design and so ‘Grid Systems in Graphic Design’ has been phenomenal in helping us gain a better understanding of grid systems outside the digital realm and ultimately has helped our entire design process as a studio evolve.”
Michael Cummings, Partner at Young & Hungry
Michael Cummings, Partner at Young & Hungry
Design, Form, and Chaos by Paul RandRand draws from his own experience and others that inspired him to share his process of creating good design.
Data Points by Nathan YauYau focuses on the graphics side of data visualization in his follow up to “Visualize This”.
Form+Code in Design, Art, and Architecture by Casey ReasThis non-technical guide serves as an introduction to the history, theory, and practice of software in the arts.
Graphic Design Before Graphic Designers by David JuryJury gives a history of printing and includes almost 800 illustrations, most in color.
How To Be a Graphic Designer Without Losing Your Soul by Adrian ShaughnessyShaughnessy writes for young graphic designers, focusing on how to run a successful business and manage their creative process.
Meggs’ History of Graphic Design by Philip B. Meggs and Alston W. PurvisThis academic textbook is the gold standard for graphic design history.
Inspired by Method and Theory
Drawing Ideas by Mark Baskinger and William BardelBaskinger and Bardel’s book is a drawing bootcamp that aims to enhance reasoning skills and ultimately product creation.
“I’ve really came to appreciate grabbing a mechanical pencil and sketching out ideas on good paper. ‘Drawing Ideas’ gave me further insight into how that passion can be put to good use in my daily workflow as a web designer.”
Sascha Michael Trinkaus, CEO of Trinkaus Creative Consultants
Sascha Michael Trinkaus, CEO of Trinkaus Creative Consultants
90 Degrees by Andrew KimThis iBook exclusive explores the art of knolling.
Designing Brand Identity by Alina WheelerThrough case studies, this book provides a proven, universal five-phase process for creating and implementing effective brand identity.
Designing Design by Kenya HaraHara focuses on the importance of emptiness in design while crediting underrated Japanese icons and images.
Designing News by Francesco FranchiA relative newcomer to the design field, Franchi explains his process behind his editorial design of IL and how the news and media industry should pivot.
Geometry Makes Me Happy by Index BooksSections including art, graphic design, illustration, industrial design, and interior design explore the role of geometry in creative expression.
Interaction of Color by Josef AlbersThis handbook and teaching aid presents Albers’s singular explanation of complex color theory principles.
Just Enough Research by Erika HallHall presents an easy, cross-disciplinary approach on how to do research to create a solid foundation for your project.
Notes on the Synthesis of Form by Christopher AlexanderAlexander presents an entirely new theory of the process of design by which a form is adapted to the context of human needs.
The Shape of Design by Frank Chimero This anti-textbook focuses on the “why” rather than the “how” of design.
Sass for Web Designers by Dan CederholmCederholm shares how Sass, the popular CSS pre-processor, provides a clear-cut path to taking better control of your code.
Inspired by the Classics
Universal Principles of Design by William Lidwell, Kritina Holden and Jill ButlerThis cross-disciplinary reference for design pairs clear explanations of design concepts featured with visual examples of those concepts applied in practice.
“I don’t have a formal education in graphic design, so this was a great book for brushing up on formal design principles.”
Michael Myers, Visual Designer at WebFilings
Michael Myers, Visual Designer at WebFilings
Art as Therapy by Alain de BottonPhilosopher Alain de Botton shares a new way to look at familiar masterpieces, noting that they can actually be therapeutic for their audiences.
The Noble Approach by Tod PolsonThis book shares Noble’s approach to animation design from concept to final frame, illustrated with sketches and stunning original artwork spanning the full breadth of his career.
Scripts: Elegant Lettering from Design’s Golden Age by Steven Heller and Louise FiliThis well-organized handbook shows typefaces, handwriting, neon signs, and more.
Designing With Web Standards by Jeffrey ZeldmanNow in the third edition with essential updates for the modern web, this classic, industry-changing guidebook remains the essential source for creating fast, effective websites.
Responsive Web Design by Ethan MarcotteEthan Marcotte explains how to think beyond the desktop and craft beautiful designs that anticipate and respond to your users’ needs.
Inspired by Innovation
Creativity for Sale by Jason SurfrAppThe man behind IWearYourShirt and BuyMyLastName shares a practical guide on how to turn passions into profits.
Execute by Josh Long and Drew WilsonThis book shows you how to move fast and stay inspired. The book itself was written, designed, and off to the printer in 8 days.
The Good Creative by Paul JarvisJarvis outlines the 18 habits of the world’s most respected artists.
Steal Like An Artist by Austin KleonKleon urges readers to remix, borrow, steal, and re-imagine to play with creativity.
Show Your Work! by Austin KleonKleon’s follow up to “Steal Like an Artist” focuses on how to use your network and how to let your network use you.
Where Good Ideas Come From by Steven JohnsonJohnson identifies the seven key patterns behind genuine innovation, and traces them across time and disciplines.
Inspired by Web and Print Magazines and Their Publications
Computer Arts MagazineThe industry-leading title for graphic designers, Computer Arts is the magazine for people who believe design matters.
Offscreen MagazineOffscreen is an independent magazine about people who use the internet and technology to be creative, solve problems, and build successful businesses.
Smashing Magazine and its publicationsSmashing Magazine is a website and blog that offers resources, books, and advice to web developers and web designers.
DIS MagazineThe self-described “post-internet lifestyle magazine” has an editorial mission to interrogate and collapse hierarchies.
Dwell MagazineDwell is an American magazine devoted to modern architecture and design.
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Is Print Design Truly Dead?
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Many designers who have specialized in print for most of the careers are feeling the pressure to learn new media skills such as web and mobile design. While this can be beneficial and add new revenue to your business it begs the question, “is print design truly dead”?
The short answer is No. Print design is not even close to dead.
While it is important to be able to offer design services across print, web and mobile, that doesn’t mean that print is any less important. In fact it may be more important than ever before. However I would say “traditional print design” and the though process behind is dead, and it should be. Designers have to stop thinking of print as “static media” and think of it as “gateway media”.
Many of the print designers who are feeling pressure right now may be overlooking a simple fact, print is one important part of a complete marketing and branding campaign. Instead of designing standalone print pieces meant to accomplish a marketing agenda on their own, or simple work as branding pieces, print materials need to tie together and compliment web and mobile experiences.
The New Approach to Print Design
Part of the advertising transition away from print has been because of the ability of online advertising to be tracked and analyzed for effectiveness more easily, as well their ability to reach a larger (and potentially unlimited audience).
Tying your print materials to website URL’s that have tracking behind them, landing pages and even QR codes is a great way to integrate your print with engaging online experiences and allow you to track their performance.
It’s all about how you utilize it. For example, QR codes used in print should probably be tied specifically to a mobile friendly experience since they are specific to mobile devices. Most adults in America if not the world, currently own a smartphone of some kind. Mobile online video views are growing consistently, so you should leverage that by tying your QR codes to a short online video (no longer that 2 minutes) introducing the audience to your brand and what you have to offer.
Your print material should also mention your website address, possibly a landing page if you want to offer a special incentive, and should indicate that you are on social media. This is where having a responsive or mobile version of your website becomes important.
In the end it’s not that print is not dead but it is evolving. If you’re still trying to take the same approach to how you present print media and what you expect it to accomplish now that it has more competition than it did 10 years ago, that could be the problem. It’s a brave new world, take advantage of it.
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Reasons Why the Right Typography Font is Important for Logo Designing
Typography font is very useful when it comes to designing. It is used in every design project one does. You can see it on websites, business cards, posters, CD covers, billboards, and many others. One design would certainly not be complete without this element. Of course, a logo also makes use of typography font. But is it really important to choose the right font? Or can one just merely look on how beautiful it can appear? Is the visual impact all that matters? Or are there other aspects that one needs to look into?
Designing a logo is already a challenge for designers on how it can confidently stand on its own despite all the other brands around it. Part of that challenge is how one can choose the right typography font for the logo design. It is of course necessary to use the right one. For today’s post, we will give you the reasons why one needs to use the right typography font for logo designing. Take a look at these reasons below:
1. For an effective branding.
Image: Dan Sensecall
Above all else, the branding should be the number one priority for it is the purpose of having a logo. Using the right font would make your branding more effective. The logo would even be more recognizable and would serve its purpose really well.
2. It gives the right message.
Image: Mavleeb
It is always important that a logo can give the right message to those looking at it. No one would like to give a wrong impression because it would boomerang to the entire company. Hence, it is important to use the right typography font in creating a logo so that it can tell the users what it intends to tell them. It wouldn’t be good to be misinterpreted to be something else when it comes to branding.
3. It gives a big impact.
Image: Jsae
With the right type, you can also give a big impact to those viewing it. Aside from the visual impact, the logo becomes more effective in the industry. Hence, it creates a good impact to the target audience for they can relate to the type being used. It is significant to have a good impact to the target audience because that is the time you will begin building trust to your brand.
4. It adds more appeal.
Image: Jpdegregorio
Of course, appeal would always be included in the top reasons. No one would like to have a logo that doesn’t look appealing. So, create one not just with the right typography font but also with good design. A good design can make the brand more effective and successful for people opt to go with those that looks pleasing than those that are poorly done.
5. To be unique.
Image: AlexWende
Every logo design is unique, if not, then it would not be able to give you a good branding. Some might mistake you as another business because it is similar to theirs. Using the right type can help you to make your logo unique and different. There are so many brands, websites and businesses around the globe. It is only through your logo design and good branding wherein you can set a distinct name and reputation from the rest.
6. It is attention grabbing.
Image: Jan Zabransky
A logo has to get the attention of its target audience in order to drive them into what the business or website is offering. It has to mark in their minds so that they can easily determine that it is yours. Part of making it attention grabbing is by using a font type that is right for the company. Using the wrong one can only give a wrong impression. It might still get the attention of the audience but not for a positive reason.
7. It shows your type of industry.
Image: Jan Zabransky
There are so many industries that one company may belong. Your logo can tell the audience what industry you are from merely by the use of your type. Typographic logo or not, if your logo use type on some parts of it, it can still play a huge role for the entire effect of the logo. It would be a lot different if the logo is for a design or arts company and for that of a film company. See to it that you know when to use sans serif, decorative fonts and cursive fonts. Let your type tell the audience what the company or website is.
8. It gets across the target audience.
Image: Robin Maatman
People who look into your website and the clients of your business can more easily be reached when your branding is good. Part of having a good branding is having a good logo design with the right typography font. Since you will be able to give the right message well and manage to make it look appealing, no doubt, you’ll get the audience you want.
9. It brings trust.
Image: Jozef Javorsky
This is very much important. No matter how good your logo is and how suitable the type you used, it would still be useless if you cannot get the trust of the audience. Gaining trust begins on your branding which means that it includes your logo design. Make your logo well and it can help you reach your goals.
10. It brings better recognition.
Image: Pop Andrei
Let your logo design stay in the minds of the readers. You can do that by using the right type and having a good design. They will be able to associate your services and products to your brand. Once they see it, they know it yours and they’ll know that you can be trusted. Of course, along with having a good logo is having the right attitude towards the clients. You should also remain as professional as possible.
It’s Your Turn Now
Some might think that their choice of font styles for their logo design doesn’t matter. But it does. We do hope that this article helped you to chew on the importance of using the right typography font. Have you done any logo designing project wherein you needed to look for the right type? How did you end up with one? Share to us your experience.