Archive for February 2013

Vector vs. Raster

When it comes to having a design print or display on screen well is image quality.

In the big picture there are two kinds of files. Vector and Raster. Depending on what you need to do both have their pros and cons.

Vector

Vector files are line drawings. They contain no resolution because they aren't based on pixels but based more on mathematical curves. Therefor, they can be shrunk to business card size or enlarged to a sign the size of a building with out losing image quality. This makes them ideal for logos, icons and graphics. With editing software like Adobe Illustrator they can actually get quite complex too with various shading tools now available. Whenever possible logos should always be done in vector since it makes them universally usable. Promotional products, vehicle wraps and signage almost always require artwork in a vector format and is highly preferred for every other use too.

Common Vector File Formats:

• EPS - Most Universally Accepted
• AI - Adobe Illustrator
• CDR - Corel Draw

Special mention: PDF - Adobe Acrobat. *This can sometimes be vector. If you don't have any of the above then this is worth a look for as a lot of designer will send proofs in PDF that contain vector images which a skilled designer can most of the time pull out of the file and convert to an EPS for universal use. You can test whether it's vector by really zooming in on the logo or element you want to check and if at, say 1000%, it's still crisp then you are probably looking at vector art.

Raster

Raster files are based on pixels. The quality of a raster file is determined by pixels per inch (PPI). Raster images are more rigid to work with when creating a quality piece of artwork. If the image resolution is too low then the image will look blurry or pixelated (you can see the square pixels). On screen you need an image resolution of 72 ppi. For print it's ideal to have your image be atleast 300 ppi in most cases, especially if that piece will be looked at up close like a flyer or brochure. If the image is a good quality photo to start, sometimes you can get away with slightly lower DPI. If it's being printed very large for a sign or vehicle wrap then lower is more acceptable since the viewing range tends to be further away for signs and wraps (as opposed to a brochure 15 inches away from someones face). I've seen files go as low 50 DPI to be printed on the side of a transport truck and they looked great when standing a few feet away. There are many types of raster files.

Common Raster File Formats:

• JPG - Most common. Not program specific
• PNG - Alternative to JPG. Can have transparent background. Most used for on screen as it can only be RGB formatted.
• GIF - Can be used for low colour range graphics on screen. Can also be animated.
• TIFF - Loss-less image. Every time you save a JPG the image quality gets lower, but TIFFS don't lose their quality. Mainly associated with Photoshop.
• PSD - Photoshop Document. Photoshop documents may contain vector elements but they are generally a raster file.
• and a whole lot more!

Example:

A final note. Always get your logo from your designer in vector format if possible (some logos are only done in a raster version) but if possible have it done for vector too. It's an important file to have and can save you money down the road from not having to pay other designers to redraw it over and over again. If you do have a logo that is not vector let us know and we can discuss redrawing it for you. We supply you multiple formats for different uses.

And as always if you found this helpful at all please rate the post with a star. Till next time...

Minimalist Movie Poster - 3 & 4

Minimalist Movie Poster is back! With a busy week followed by a holiday Monday I didn't get a chance to do a new poster. So this week I'll make up for it with two posters... Enjoy!

#3

#4

Let me know what you think by a star rating or feel free to email me and let me know which one you like best...

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How To Send Large Files

Hello, First off I apologize for no post on Monday, it was Family Day so I let it slide... but will make it up with a double feature next week.

Something that comes up a lot is sharing large files. I've really only tried a few over the years so I'm not an expert but I have found a few ways that really work for me and my business. Currently I use DropBox or my internal site FTP.

Dropbox

DropBox is really great for me and my clients. My favorite feature is can create a synced desktop folder. Everything in that folder gets synced to the server and can be accessed anywhere by logging on a browser or mobile device.

It also allows you to create shared folders within that main folder. When you drop something in a shared folder it syncs to the server and then automatically pushes the file to anyone else you've chosen to share that folder with. Which is great for collaborating on projects.

Another great feature is it's public folder. By putting something in the public folder you can generate a link to a specific file for someone to access. They don't get access to anything else other then the file you've linked for them. If you don't have DropBox you can sign up here. I don't plan on doing many product endorsements (I have a few though) but I feel this is something can help a lot of my clients.

The second way I share large files is through my own server. I'd use this for larger files since DropBox does have it's limits, or if it's a regular file I need to always be accessible. I can upload and create links to anything on my end and share with a client. In order to send a large file without having dropbox this works well too. I have set up a Client FTP that clients and use to upload a file to me. I highly recommend zipping the files together before uploading multiple items. Information on zipping is available on the Client FTP page. It makes things a lot quicker and organized to receive them.

If you have any questions on setting up DropBox or using the FTP, let me know.

And as always if you found this helpful at all please rate the post with a star. Till next time...

What's Your Orientation? (File Dimensions)

In writing these Wednesday posts, I want to try and educate my clients, potential clients, or even just people who stumble across this blog. I think being informed about anything helps alleviate the worry of the unknown. I want my clients to have an understanding of what I do and be informed about design so that they know what I'm talking about on a project and not just assume what they think something means. Side note to the topic of this post, if as my client I ever say something that you aren't 100% sure what I mean, please ask.

My design pet peeve... File Dimension!

When it comes to creating files I have a little pet peeve. It's not something I ever expected my clients to have really think about; They get told from a newspaper or supplier that the art dimensions are 4x6. They probably just assume, and rightfully so, that by giving me those dimensions I'll know what to design. It should be a fair assumption. In the design world dimensions should always be listed horizontal x vertical (vertical because the assumption is you are looking at your screen). Listing or stating the dimensions of a file should be something that is standardized and most industry professionals do recognize that when listing files dimensions you list the horizontal then the vertical. Unfortunately not everyone follows. For a while I just thought it was the standard and everyone else did to. However, every once in a while there is a print shop or newspaper who gives the dimensions vertical first. There isn't much that can get around it, other then just confirming orientation when receiving dimensions. But I thought it would be good to educate my clients so that they understand the information they've been given and know what to expect too.

In plain english...

If the dimensions of a file are stated to be 8.5" x 11" (standard letter size), then that file is portrait orientated. If the dimensions are stated as 11" x 8.5", then that file is horizontal orientated. In looking up info about this to make sure I wasn't actually the one who was messing everyone else up, I found that this a common issue. Most people confirm that this is the "standard" way it should be. I even found an interesting link that shows that even big companies that should know better like, The Met Museum in New York get it wrong. Unfortunately, it's not a problem that can just be solved by this post (I don't think the MET cares what I think on this issue). But hopefully by posting about this, you'll be aware of the implications of the dimensions you may receive. So if you ever receive dimensions that don't seem to match what you think they were going to be for the orientation, make sure you ask. If you found this helpful at all please rate the post with a star. Till next time...

Minimalist Monday - 2

Very excited to be entering week 2. Week one went well with the launch of the new site, new look and I got in my new business cards!. I appreciate everyone who's taken the time to take a look and give feed back on the site, the posts and portfolio. Keep letting me know the posts you like by giving a star rating at the bottom... that way I can tell how many people are reading, if they're interested in certain topics, or maybe not interested at all. Don't worry I can't see who gave me what star rating so you can give me one star and I won't even know it's you! But if you do feel like giving it one star I'd love to hear why.

Now, on to the show...

I think what I'll do is - continue to not write the title of the movie in with the poster and then say what it was the next week... Week 1 poster was for my daughter because it was her birthday. She loves Disney princesses. So last weeks was obviously, Cinderella. Most posters will probably be obvious but I hope to start having some not so obvious ones as well. Today is not one of those days! While it's not his birthday, I thought I would post one for my son. He loves this movie!

Why do you need a graphic designer?

You don't... but your company deserves one!

Most people have Microsoft Word, Powerpoint, and some even Publisher. These programs allow the average user to create a flyer or poster for themselves in a clean way. If all you are doing is creating an office party poster, or personal project, then these programs can do the job... However, if you are trying to create a postcard, flyer, or brochure to communicate your companies service or product then chances are you need a graphic designer. A graphic designer is trained to visually communicate your message. A properly designed marketing piece should generate interest in your company and lead to more clients, thereby creating more revenue...

Is it worth it?

When you use a graphic designer, cost is going to be important for any small business (and large businesses too). From one graphic designer to another, the cost may vary and there may be different factors involved in why - which I won't get into here. I've always thought of the costs as an investment for my clients. Some projects are investments that you can track the return on, like a postcard. Some aren't as easily quantified but have to be thought of in a different way. For example logo design or business cards. What is the value of having your company look as professional, if not more, then the next guy? What do you think the perceived value is to your company if you are handing out a business card that you made up using a word template, printed on a perforated business card sheet you got from Staples, vs having a business card designed by a professional who knows the elements and principles of design that can be implemented into your design and then printed by a professional on a great stock. You deserve to have your company presented in a professional way. So when you are thinking about your next design project you need done ask yourself what value does it hold for you? Is it worth it to have us design your Christmas party flyer? Probably not, but we will if you like. But is it worth us to design your next postcard, brochure, business card or other marketing material used to present your company in a professional manner to your current and potential clients? We think so.

What's YOUR time worth?

There's been many times I've had a client call me frustrated after trying to do something themselves for an hour or more... In every case I could do what they needed in a fraction of the time they could... and in many have it back to them the same day. This is because it's what I do! I'm trained not only in the elements and principles of design but also in the current software for effectively doing the designs. Find out what the cost is! If you have a project your company needs done, get a free quote from us. No obligation and we really aren't pushy either. We'd love to work on your next project with you.

Minimalist Monday - 1

It's our first Minimalist Monday! Around the internet lately I've seen a trend of people recreating a poster from a movie with a minimalist design approach. A lot of them take an element from the movie and really feature that as the main concept for the poster. Some are very simple and some are very clever and some are so obscure that unless you are a huge fan of the movie you wouldn't get it. I've decided to jump in the mix of this minimalist movie poster trend. As a fun creative project each week I will create a new poster for a movie. Not sure if I will try to stick to new releases or maybe just a movie I happened to watch on Netflix but I'll try and keep them coming each week. I've decided not to title them for now so you can have fun trying to figure it out (I'm sure most will be easy enough). So first things first. Here is my first minimalist movie poster and is dedicated to my daughter for her birthday, today!