Take your logo design seriously - its your company headshot

Your company logo is the "face" of who you are and what you do. This is the image and words that your current clients associate with you and what new clientele will look for to find you. It should reflect what your business does and "speak" to the audience you are trying to reach. It need to be simple and effective at the same time.

Creating simple is not easy - logo work is the most difficult and time consuming design work to successfully execute.

Pictured is the CJ Design Group logo, an interior design firm. The logo is clean elegant and the colors are timeless - just like Cynthia Jervey's work.

Thank you Cynthia for letting me work on this project with you!

Think Twice About Your Business Card

Here is a link to an interesting little piece CBS News did about Business Cards. I think we tend to overlook how important they really are. Take a look...

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7358618n&tag=cbsnewsTwoColUpperPromoArea

Look at what your business does or is selling, see if your current business cards lives up to the task.

The Next Step for Brochures: EPUB eBooks

Graphic design has evolved over time, it use to be all print, lots of newsletters, advertising and brochures. Today the graphic designer needs to grow in a new direction -- electronic. And not just websites but also Email Templates, magazines and brochures that can be emailed or downloaded. The Adobe Acrobat PDF changed how we print and output our designs and now we are making the next step into EPUB and eBooks.

The newest version of Adobe InDesign is addressing this in a big way. Now the design of your brochure will translate into an EPUB specifically formatted to be read on an iPad (or other pad device) or smart phone. InDesign gives me, the designer, the ability to export to the EPUB format and to specify how the content will be viewed on your mobile device. Of course, it also enables the EPUB to contain audio, video (we can even control the poster frame), we can skin the video with a controller, 360 degree viewing of an image, zoom control on images and more. We even have the ability to create covers and title pages that will display in iBooks.

I am very excited about the new direction graphic design is taking and I can’t wait to get started! I'll keep you posted on my progress.

Special Events, Special Invitations

Special events can take on a special look! A conventional invitation, well designed is always noticed, but think about your event and what innovative idea can be translated into an invitation that doesn't necessarily arrive in an envelope. The invitation pictured below was to (yes) a tennis tournament and came in a tube which contained three tennis balls that had the company logo imprinted on them. This is branding that is surely kept by the recipient to either enjoy on the courts or playing with the family pet. Memorable...

Brochures come in all shapes and sizes.

This multi-page brochure for Intercare Therapy was designed in landscape mode. The long format allows for large pictures and graphics. Since this is a "tell-all" brochure its nice to have those graphic elements breakup the copy as it flows over 20 pages. Remember that pictures tell your story too and combined with other graphic elements will help to guide a reader through important information contained in your promotional collateral.

Business Cards are a Big Deal

Business Cards are an important part of your business, your card could possibly be the one and only thing a potential client and customer may have to remember you. Make sure your card matches your company brand and includes the important information someone may need to contact you.

I'm finding the important contact info has changed in the last few years. Today a direct line phone number or cell number along with your email and website address are key info to have on your card. Perhaps adding a QR Code that links directly to an important page on your website or a new customer incentive will also become essential.

Pictured in this posting is the new Green City card, just finished by GetArt Graphics!

Event Invitations can be Special

Pictured below is the cover of this year's Santa Monica College Foundation's Dale Ride Interns reception invitation. For 20 years the SMC Foundation and the Dale Ride Family Fund have teamed up to send SMC students to Washington DC for an eight week program. Click on the title bar to find out more about this incredible opportunity.

And if the name Ride sounds familiar you may be thinking of Dr. Sally Ride (yes, she is Dale Ride’s daughter) who on June 18, 1983 became the first American woman to orbit Earth when she flew aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger.