Graphic Design - A Definition by a Freelance Graphic Designer

If all graphic designers had to fit the definition of the term perfectly we (designers) would all be magicians who could jump through rings of smoke and make multimedia artworks appear with the wave of a mouse and the words "abracadabra". In reality most designers are only knowledgeable about a few parts of the graphic design field. Graphic design has become a multimedia field.

The reality is that the field encompasses illustration (digital or fine art illustrations including painting), magazine layout and book layout (what you find on the shelves of bookstores and superstores, textile design (carpets, materials and upholstery), print design and advertisement design (concepts for advertising campaigns and silkscreen printing for clothing), interface and web design (design and coding of websites and interface designs for software development and planning), video effects and editing (shooting and editing of corporate video and commercial video as well as special effects and animation), 3D modeling and animation (Creation and animation of 3 dimensional models like Shrek), and many other fields.

All of the above is considered to be Graphic Design.

Most graphic designers will attempt to be as knowledgeable as possible about these different areas, or have colleagues that they often refer to for assistance with big Multimedia graphic design jobs. It is however, impossible to be an expert on every field.

Graphic design is a term that is used in association with commercial art for the most part... It involves splicing together a multimedia concoction of art, computer skills, digital imagery, design concepts, advertising concepts, type, copyright, video material and more.

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Promote your Graphic Design Service with Wall Graphic Printing

Rising above the pack can be quite a challenge for graphic designers with the tight competition in the industry. Arming yourself with a unique and effective promotional tool like a wall graphic helps you stand out and get noticed. Wall graphics can be an all-around tool for your business. You can use these prints as decorations for your studio or as a trusty promotional tool. Creating these promotional tools is very convenient with online wall graphic printing services.  Below are a few reasons why wall graphic printing is ideal for your graphic design service:

Affordable: A reputable online wall graphic printer offers high-quality wall graphic printing at a very reasonable price.  Getting the best value for your hard-earned money is possible with their low-cost online printing services. With affordable wall graphic printing, you’ll be able to promote your graphic design services even on a budget.  Finding a reputable online printer you can trust can be done by searching in the internet.

For instance, you can type in the words ‘printing in Huntington Beach, CA’ to see the lists of local online printers from that area.

Reusable and Repositionable: You can easily interchange the position of your wall graphics, because they can easily be repositioned. Wall graphics are also very practical since they are reusable. With its being reusable and repositionable, a wall graphic can be the practical promotional tool for your graphic design service.

Durable: Wall graphics can be used both indoors and outdoors, because they are UV protected.

This gives you the freedom to place your wall graphics inside or outside your graphic design studio. The quality materials used for printing wall graphics makes them fade resistant and can withstand any kind of weather.

Self-adhesive: Another great thing about wall graphics is that they are very easy to peel and stick. Applying wall graphics on your studio’s wall, window, or floor is very hassle-free with its self-adhesive back fabric. With Photo Tex, you can stick your wall graphics on a flat surface in no time.

A reputable online printing company can be your partner in creating wall graphics for your graphic design service. You can rely on online printing reviews from satisfied customers to assess the quality of their products and services.

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Wedding Graphics - Finding the Right Artwork For the Ceremony and Reception

With all the expenses that come along with planning and purchasing materials for a wedding, you'll want to find as many discounted and free services as possible. But, this doesn't mean that you want to skimp on the quality of the services you're paying for. One of the things that you can find free of charge is wedding graphics. If you want artwork or designs to be included on your wedding invitations, programs, and decorations, ordering free wedding graphics is a great way to customize your wedding materials without having to dip into the budget.

When you're looking for wedding art, have an idea of what it is you want before you begin searching. There are many sites online that provide graphic images for any occasion. Chances are you'll find just what you want, even if your requests are a little untraditional. So, don't feel as though you have to use the first free wedding graphics you see simply because you're not paying for the service. Review at least five or six sites before making a decision-you're bound to find something you like. You can create accounts on sites like istockphoto.com if you want to have access to pictures that you can use for your wedding favors or online invitations.

After you have a few sites from which to choose, you can start being more specific and selective with your choices. If you're looking for smaller graphic art to accent wedding decorations that you already have, be sure to select images that will still look good even if they're really small. (For example, deep gold wedding ring images or wedding cakes that have a strong outline.) You may also be able to find borders and shading ideas for the font you're using for reading materials like programs and place cards, so check to see if you can download these features while you're searching for images. This will give you the freedom to arrange your wedding invitations just the way you want them. After you've found just the right combination of wedding-themed graphics, you may want to use some of the images for a slideshow at the reception.

It may be best for you to download a set of graphics rather than a few selected images. Sometimes, a page of related graphics that are similar in design will appear together; this will give you more to work with, and you'll have a couple of backup plans on one page in case you change your mind. It also make the project easier if you find that a new design works better with your wedding materials. Once you're ready to download all the images you want, be sure that you don't have to pay for a program that will make the images show up on your computer. If you're ordering from a company you may have to pay to have some sample graphics sent to you, but this is usually inexpensive. Once you have all the pictures you want, you can start putting your collage together. Make sure you can include background music that features your favorite tastes as a couple. You may even want to include wedding-themed songs as you display graphics of wedding bells or rings in between actual photos of you and your future spouse. Songs like "I Do" (E. Walter Smith) and "We Married" (for the more upbeat part of your slideshow) are sure to bring an element of classiness and originality to your online invitations/announcements, or your electronic photo album.

Finally, don't just at graphics that are marked "wedding." You can find a number of beautiful designs that will work well with your wedding decorations in sections with other themes, like nature pictures, or even more contemporary art graphics. Find pictures that will reflect the warm memories and personal feelings of your day--just like the ceremony, these images will stay with you forever, so choose them in a way that only you and your future spouse can. Enjoy!

3 Tips to Design Prominent Sign Boards

Signs are an important part of the overall marketing strategy for many small business owners. Although some businesses use "make your own signs" kits or simply alter the company name on a generic sign template, individualized signage can create the impression of competence and professionalism in marketing efforts. There are a variety of creative and effective ways to market a small business through signage; from color choices and logos to wording and placement. Three of the most effective strategies are:

1. Develop a unique logo
Small businesses must compete for consumer attention alongside many other businesses. Sometimes these businesses have larger budgets and more space or selection. In order to stand out from the crowd a unique and recognizable logo can go a long way toward evening the odds. No matter how catchy the other elements of a sign are it is usually the logo that sticks with people the most.

2. Use short but memorable phrases
Consumer attention is the number one reason for using custom designed signs in the first place. To make sure that a sign grabs the attention of the viewer it's important to use phrases that catch the eye and spark interest immediately. By using slogans and phrases that are catchy and memorable, a business can ensure it captures its audience's attention as quickly as possible.

3. Use a custom sign company
Small business owners have to wear many hats throughout the day to make sure their business is a success. While handling most of these roles personally can be essential to a healthy budget, it's important to know when to delegate. Even if an owner has a certain amount of artistic talent there are a variety of factors that enter into creating successful custom designed signs. Most people only view a sign for seconds so a "make your own signs" product can be detrimental to first impressions. In the end it usually proves more cost-effective to have a custom sign company create clean and impressive signs for a small business.

Creating good first impressions and being memorable are some of the most important functions of advertising in general, and attention-grabbing signs in particular. There are a variety of factors that contribute to the success of marketing campaigns, including those using prominent sign boards as their primary approach. By following the above tips even small businesses can create the important first impression of competence and professionalism necessary to keep customers coming to their business.

Ellen Rhumberger recommends Signs Made To Order.com will allow you to design my own signs. Whether they be car magnets, custom banners, vehicle or window lettering, yard signs, personalized license plates or posters, our easy to use interactive on-line designer canvas will allow you to create the signs you really want on SignsMadeToOrder.

Cell Phone Arts

Presume you’re sauntering down the lane and you see that bizarre signboard which kindles your thirst to shoot. But then you realize that your sturdy SLR isn’t with you (be practical, who carries that heavy piece 24?7).

Well, this is exactly where your cell phone comes in handy. Nowadays, the pocket sized all-so solid mobile phone cameras have driven the point-and-shoot ones to near extinction (well, almost). We take a closer look on some tips that can help you get the best out of your cell phone camera.

CHOOSING THE SUBJECT

different present day phones offer megapixel counts above 5, but that doesn’t mean they are apt for every shooting scenario. For instance, if you are employing your phone to shoot a rock concert, more often than not you’d merely get dark blurry images. The fact is, camera phones are ideal for shooting still objects in well-lit scenarios, preferably in broad daylight.

Even if your phone offers Xenon or LED flash, night photography shouldn’t be its cup of tea.

So what is the remedy? Well, peek into your camera’s settings. You will find a number of scene modes (even with the most basic VGA ones) such as ‘night landscape’, ‘portrait’, ‘sports’, ‘fireworks’, etc. These presets automatically choose the ideal shooting options for the given scenario. Experiment with each and you are sure to see your photographs improve drastically. In the newer breed of Sony Ericsson Cyber-shot phones (and in some of the Samsung phones too, though features on Samsung are country-specific most of the time), you will come across an option called Slow Sync Flash. Don’t hesitate to use it. Basically, Slow Sync tells the camera to shoot with a slightly longer exposure time thereby giving the Flash an enhanced duration of exposure.

Bluntly put, it helps to lessen the dark.

KEEP IT Stable

If you are getting blurry images with your phone, don’t fret on account of you are not alone. Most of the phones’ cameras have slow shutter speeds with no feature to vary the exposure settings. The advantageous thing one can do is to hold the phone as safe as possible, preferably with both hands while shooting. It is not confusing but does require some practice.

KNOW THE ‘CLICK’

Another passport to getting sharp photos is to know the camera’s shutter release. In no problem terms, how long does it take for the camera to pull off the task after you press the shoot button? If there is a lag, you will need to account for that. And if the shutter release is on a touch screen (such as on the Apple iPhone), the shutter presumably gets tripped after you lift your finger, not when you press down. Either way, you will need to hold the camera steady while the picture is in reality being exposed. This does not mean that you need to get a tripod for your phone. Just keep your hands still (or at least as still as possible).

OPTIMIZING THE CAMERA SETTINGS

Most camera phones today provide a few settings that you can use to optimize your exposures. All the standard rules and terms from digital cameras are pertinent. If there is an ISO setting, take it off Auto. When you are outdoors in daylight, you should set the ISO to its lowest grade to minimize the digital noise in your picture (which can be pretty grainy with a camera phone). In lower light settings, bump the ISO up as high as it will go (which notably should be at least 400 in a decent phone).

Likewise, the phone may provide you some control over the JPEG image quality. Always go for the lowest compression/biggest quality option available. After all, camera phone pictures are already compact enough to begin with – do not compound the quandary with needless photo-damaging compression.

If you are the owner of handsets with cracking optical zoom ratings (such as Sony Ericsson C903, Samsung Pixon or the newly released Nokia N8), use the zoom to the fullest. You will find zooming in at 3x or 4x on the object a better option as compared to yourself moving forward. However, be warned: this is fruitful with OPTICAL zoom only. If your phone is one of the 20x DIGITAL zoom types, bother not. Digital zoom won’t be helpful much and is at greatest used sparingly.

GET THE Bona fide TOOLS

Your photo editing software – whether it is Adobe Photoshop Elements, Corel Photo-Paint or even something like Google’s free Picasaweb – can help improve most of your camera phone photos. If you have an Android device or an iPhone, you are in great hands as tupbeathere are large applications and softwares available that put most of the image editors to shame. For iPhone users, the plethora of options from the Apple stable includes Free Photo Filters, SP Photo Fix Lite, Photobox and iRetouch Lite. If you are an Android user, well, the galaxy is filled with apps for you. Check out Picsay and FxCamera. Both of them, along with multitudinous other apps, are freely available from the www
FINAL WORD

When cameras where first assimilated into mobile phones, they were something of a gimmick, providing very low resolution and sad quality images. Today, cameras are an indispensable piece of the phone and the features just keep going higher. Even though your phone will stand nowhere in comparison to a mainstream camera, with some effort and implementation of the above said tips, you are sure to get great results. Happy shooting! respectable

Ben Rama is a Graphic Designer, CG Artist & Cinematographer from London.
He is the founder & innovative director
at Digital Empire with many years of experience in Graphic Design, Film & TV within London.

Choose Photos and Graphics for Your Brochures Wisely

In addition to the words and text you have in your brochures, one of the critical decisions you have to make is to choose the pictures, logos and graphic arts. Bear in mind that the copy is not the only one to make an impression.


Your overall business card design also has to consider the non-text elements that will emphasize what you have for your copy.


Your photos and graphic arts put life to your otherwise plain custom brochures. The objective to your brochure printing is to get your target clients interested; and the best way to do that is to add the non-text elements to create interest and excitement.


So how do you decide what pictures or graphic arts to use to maximize the effectiveness of your space? More than the advantages of adding the artwork, here are some of the things you need to avoid so your pictures can increase the positive response to your brochure printing:


Avoid using low quality pictures.

As people, do judge a book by its cover. Therefore, do consumers judge a brochure by the way the pictures look? People make judgments everyday and every minute unfortunately. What you have included in your graphics can influence your target client’s decision to take your offer or not. Be it consciously or subconsciously, people do act according to what they see. So make sure that your target audience judge you accordingly – give them excellent quality pictures that would spell out professionalism in every way possible.


Avoid using out-dated pictures. Out-dated pictures can actually hurt your chances of getting that lead. If you do not provide your target readers with updated and fresh new material for your pictures, you can certainly be sure that you will lose them right away. Do not make the mistake of giving those pictures that could have been taken in the 80’s. Update your graphics regularly and provide your audience with graphics that go with the times to get better impact for your custom brochures.


Avoid skimping on your photos. Admittedly, photography is expensive. However, if you plan to use it, do not try to hold back on the job by using cheap photos. The quality of your photograph can actually affect your chances of clinching it with your target audience. Your photos show whether your target clients can rely on you to provide them with what they need. If you can skimp on your brochures, what more on the services you provide your clients? It is unprofessional and exudes amateur work from a supposedly reputable company.


Avoid using meaningless graphics. Remember that your graphics should enhance and emphasize, not distract and confuse your target clients from your message. If you do not need them, do not cramp your style with too many useless graphics. They will only distract your audience from your message.


The bottom line is this: pictures, photos and graphic arts can add distinction and style to your brochure printing. So choose your graphics wisely. Do not be caught up with the excitement of using too much as it can actually hurt your business more than it can help. Always remember that a good picture can say a thousand words; and a great one can build trust and confidence with your audience.


Learn about  the developments in custom brochures or brochure printing industry.



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Graphic Design Training

Graphic designers create images, designs, and materials to help clients communicate with the public. Graphic design training programs give future designers the theoretical and technical knowledge they need to build successful design careers.
From corporate logos to book covers, the work of graphic designers is all around us. These images play a key role in product marketing and advertising, so graphic designers must listen carefully to clients’ needs and create designs that send the right message. For any given project, a graphic designer might complete the following steps:
Determine the client’s needs and desired message
Identify the needs of consumers
Consider social, cultural, and psychological factors of the target audience
Select fonts, colors, images, layouts, and other visual elements
Use computer design software
Incorporate text from copywriters
Present final design to clients and address necessary changes
Completing the above steps requires more than artistic talent.

Graphic designers need to understand the principles of communication, design, business, and marketing to work with clients, and they need the technical know-how to create designs using computer software. Formal training through a graphic design degree program can prepare you for the multifaceted world of graphic design.
Graphic Design Training: Degrees and Coursework
The National Association of Schools of Art and Design accredits approximately 300 art and design schools, most of which offer programs in graphic design. Depending on the curriculum and length of study, a graphic design training program can lead to the following degrees:
Associate’s Degree: An associate’s degree in graphic design takes approximately two to three years to earn and can qualify you for an assistant graphic design or technical graphic design position. If you already have a bachelor’s degree in another subject, an associate’s degree or certificate program can give you the technical skills you need to transition into graphic design.
Bachelor’s Degree: A bachelor’s degree in graphic design is required for most graphic design positions. Bachelor’s degree programs typically take four years to complete and they are offered through colleges, universities, art institutes, and professional schools.
Graphic designer training programs expose you to the principles and technical skills that make up visual communication. Specific course offerings vary by program, but most graphic design bachelor’s degree programs require courses in the following subjects:
Studio art
Principles of design
Commercial graphics production
Computerized design
Printing techniques
Web site design
Psychology
Sociology
Writing
Art history
Marketing
Cultural studies
Business
By taking both liberal arts and technical design classes, graduates of graphic design training programs are fully prepared to respond to the demands of clients.
Prerequisites for Graphic Design
Some graphic design training programs are more competitive than others, but most graphic design schools require applicants to meet the following requirements:
Graduate high school or earn a GED
Complete one year of basic art and design (in high school or elsewhere)
Demonstrate artistic ability through submitted sketches or other materials
Graphic designers should have a passion for visual art and an eye for design. They must also be willing to learn new technology, work with others, and listen to clients’ requests.
Graphic Design Career Outlook
As advertisers and computer design firms increasingly rely on graphic design to reach customers, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) expects the demand for graphic designers to grow. From 2008 to 2018, the BLS expects employment of graphic designers to increase by 13 percent, about as fast as the national average. Job prospects should be especially strong for graphic designers with animation and Web site design experience.
Most graphic designers work in the design departments of advertising, printing, and publishing firms, though some run their own design companies and perform freelance work. In 2009, graphic designers earned a median annual salary of ,180, according to the BLS.
If you want to build a creative career, graphic design is a growing field that can help you put your talent to work.

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