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I recently had a rare glimpse of what it’s like to be on the other side of the designer/client relationship while working on a freelance project. I wish I could say I had a wonderful experience and everything went perfectly, but unfortunately that was not the case. Rather than going on and on about my […]

It’s a great day! Your branding project is finished and you’ve given your graphic designer final approval. You’re excited about the results and will be able to grow your company in the coming years using your brand new aesthetic. But what do you do now? Hopefully your designer is putting together a brand package for […]

If you heard the word “social” ten years ago you probably imagined a group of people talking to each other. Today, you’re more likely to associate this word with social media. You’d be hard pressed to find a brand or an individual that didn’t have some sort of social media presence, whether it be Facebook, […]

Odds are you’re reading this during the work day. Whether that means you’re in an office setting, your own home or another specialized environment, you’re probably surrounded by things that help you get your work done. If a doctor tried to work in a lawyer’s office, it would be difficult because the right tools and equipment wouldn’t […]

It’s an unfortunate truth of creative industries that some really good design work never sees the light of day. There are many reasons for this. Sometimes the project naturally takes a turn, causing the end result to be different than the initial plan, or maybe you have a “client from hell.” Other times, I’ve had […]

The combination of black and white is nothing new. It’s been a classic staple in fashion and interior design for ages, and has become even more popular over the past few years. It’s next to impossible to ignore the dramatic contrast this look creates. I’ve been really interested in black and white business cards lately. […]

Everyone has some idea of what they think graphic design is or should be. Some people’s descriptions are relatively true (albeit mildly offensive), such as “graphic designers just make things look pretty.” Most of these confused and overly simplified ideas are harmless, but there are a few design myths that can be harmful for designers […]

Being in a creative profession like graphic design is great, because you get to spend your time coming up with new, innovative ideas and making them a reality. However, like any job, there is a downside. You spend your days having to come up with new, innovative ideas and making them a reality. There’s no “I’m just not feeling […]

Everyone benefits from creativity and fresh ideas. Even if you don’t work in an explicitly creative industry, finding new ways to solve unique problems is a valuable skill. Odds are you’ve found yourself part of a group meeting at one point or another, trying to solve a particular issue in a new way. These creative […]

There are so many typefaces out there to choose from, it often seems like an overwhelming task to decide which ones are right for your project. Type should always be an integral, consistent part of your brand, so this is not a decision to be made lightly. Hiring an expert is almost always a good idea, […]

I want to like everyone, I really do. I especially want to like all my clients and I want to work with them again in the future. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case and occasionally a client makes me want to pull my own hair out. The thing is though, I’ve been growing my hair […]

The true purpose of graphic design is to communicate. A design can be beautiful to look at, but if it doesn’t send the right message it’s not accomplishing anything. When you look back at the history of graphic design, especially advertisements, you’ll notice the designs largely reflect what was going on in the world at the […]

So you’ve found yourself in need of some design work? Wonderful! Does your company have an important event coming up and you’d like to have your new materials by then? Take our short design turnaround quiz to see how prepared you are. 1. You need a complete logo redesign. Your current logo was created many […]

I usually ask new clients for a few descriptive words to sum up the core values of company. They start off great and I get things like “loyalty,” “quality,” etc. However, once they hit five or six terms, I have to cut them off. I’m sure those next ten or so words are really great, […]

Client relationships are important in any business. The way you treat people and the way they respond to your interactions, can make or break a company. There’s a balance to be struck between the professional advice and services you provide, and following the client’s instructions. I was inspired to rethink client interactions, after attending an […]