ArtbyHerbie.com » Graphic Design

Graphic Design: My Top Ten Ways of Avoiding ‘Designer’s Block’

Herbie Hysteria — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 18:21:36 +0000

Effects...

As Graphic Designers, we’re expected to churn-out new ideas, concepts and designs at the drop of a hat and and get it right first-time, every time. After all, it IS what we do, so it’s us in our element, right? However, graphic design is still a well-much human-powered endeavour. No machines/software/technology exists which can generate you bespoke graphic design for web/print/media from a given specification and/or brief. The level of artificial-intelligence required just doesn’t exist today.

Novelists and publishers get ‘writer’s block’, as do others, so it’s common amongst the human species as the time when our ‘batteries need re-charging’(!)

Robots can build cars, but they can’t design an A5 flyer. This is because any design is an expression of a human soul presented using elements such as fonts, colours, images and media. Any limitations that exist are in the form of a brief or specification. ‘Designer’s Block’ is kinda ironic in the sense that it defines the moment when we are struggling to do what what we are meant to excel at. It could be a design-concept for a website, logo, poster or sign, but you can either be struggling to make a start, or whatever you crank out is shit and you think you’re crap designer(!)

It happens to us all and it always strikes with little or no warning. Many factors can contribute to it such as stress-level, workload and deadlines, and I’ve tried to cover these within this post as best I can. For me, it generally hits when I have to name new businesses, organisations etc. I HATE doing it because it’s the complete starting point and everything is dependant on a unique solution NOW! Saying that, I always get there in the end, so keep that in mind when stressing yourself out.

Everything has to be UNIQUE! If I had a penny for every time people ask for something ‘unique’, I’d have a lot of pennies(!) However, as a designer, I agree every idea/design/concept has to be ‘unique’, but we just call it ‘creative’ instead. Doing this on a regular basis sometimes results in our mental mechanisms grinding to a halt or needing more of a push-start than usual aka ‘the block’. When you’re doing this day-in day-out, you have to reach some sort of compromise with your life-style to ensure you’re at your best when creating that shit-hot artwork(!)

‘Perfectionism’ is another cause. Go easy on yourself and trust your capabilities in designing something till its complete.

I’ve split my methods to avoid and/or combat ‘designer’s block’ into two types. The first, ‘real-time’, are ideas you can use there and then when you’re sat at your desk with your chin in your hand thinking you’re a loser(!) The second, ‘Long-Term Remedies’ are really required of you on a more routine basis to keep your mind sharp.

Real-Time Remedies

1. Take a Break, Outdoors(!)

Oxygen - proven health benefits(!)

This applies to the majority of us who’s workspace is indoors. Get out. The fresh-air and free surroundings can instantly give the brain an instant re-charge. Take a walk around the block. Go get some fags(!) It could be stuffy and humid in your office/work-place so a short break can help you generate some new design ideas. Get some blood to your brain and the adrenalin pumping, it’ll do you good.

2. Use a Thesaurus

I usually experience ‘the block’ when creating logos and names for clients. A quick remedy to this I found was to use an online thesaurus to generate new words, names and mottos to be used as part of the design. The sounds of the words can play a big part in the success of a logo or business so this method gives me further options to present to the client.

For example, if someone wanted to name a new restaurant ‘Bob’s Fast Food’, i’d further try different words like ‘Bob’s Eatery/Buffet/Pizzeria/Cafe’ and so on. Each different word offers a different out-look on the same thing. You get the point.

3. Research on the Net

This might sound obvious, but it’s all too easy to copy something that someone else has done. The internet provides us this opportunity in abundance. However, ‘designer’s block’ wouldn’t exist if this was the case, the whole point of being a creative designer is to use what we see to create something new. Therefore, the point is that we use the internet to research anything which can initiate that creative-flair and use it to create something..err..unique!

4. Music

To creative minds, music is a great source of inspiration and ideas. The term ‘music is what feelings sound like’ can be applied, in my opinion, to 90′s (and beyond) progressive trance and electronic music, of which I am STILL a flag-waver. On the flip-side, Hip-Hop as a genre is a favourite of mine too. Whatever you’re into, use it to stimulate your mind either as background music or a more concentrated dose of decibels, dancing and/or head-bopping(!)

5. Try a New Tool or Technique

It could be a new tool in your graphics software you haven’t used yet, or a new online tutorial teaching you a new technique, go-ahead, try it! I can remember learning about various techniques such as contouring elements and text, the shadow and mould tools and so on. They tend to open up new possibilities to your design work which you may not have tried before.

Long-Term Remedies

1. Sleep / ‘Power-Nap’(!)

(..already disturbed.)

They say we should get ‘eight hours of sleep a day’, but I think six or seven is suffice. Sleep is important that it not only physically re-charges us for the next day (kinda like a mobile-phone), but also mentally. Feeling sleepy infront of a glary monitor is hardly gonna bring out your best design-work. If you’re burning the midnight oil, every night, jack it in and get to bed. Your body and mind needs constant rest for optimal performance. Use ‘power-naps’ cautiously as more of a ‘real-time’ remedy above, but only when REALLY needed, eg you are in ‘zombie-mode’ because of a particularly enjoyable night out on the town last night.

2. ‘Zone-Time’

You might call it something else, but ‘the zone’ is that time, and mental state, when you are concentrating on your artwork and physically sat at your computer. It helps to allocate a few hours each day to this activity because it prepares your mind and body to get into ‘the zone’. It’s better to have a few hours each day rather than splitting your work into a more hap-hazard, or ‘as and when’, routine because you may actually concentrate more knowing this is the only time you have, on a given day, to develop your ideas. Switch off your phone, log out of Facebook, lock your doors, heck – even take your clothes off and sit there naked – whatever, only YOU can define ‘your zone’ and what helps you to concentrate better. Discipline yourself, and stick to your allocated ‘zone hours’ and the results will speak for themselves.

3. Eat Properly

Ever heard of ‘brain-food’? A healthy nutritional intake can boost your cognitive thought processes, short and long-term memory, mood and also logical thinking. Just make sure you eat regularly and vary your foods to keep the nutritional equilibrium. Blueberries and nuts are good for your short-term memory and salmon is great for your brain matter, mood and susceptibility of developing alzheimers or a stroke (also whilst offering the all-important Omega-3). Anti-oxidants are important to maintain a healthy immune system so go ahead, munch on that fruit and veg like you’re getting paid for it(!)

4. Get More Time and/or Money

If you’re feeling stressed or under-pressure because of a deadline, it’s simple – get it extended. Although some people may excel when under pressure, if it turns you into a shivering bone-sack, you may have to reach a compromise with your client. Same goes with money constraints, if you feel the money isn’t fair, your sub-conscious may steer you to create ‘average’, instead of ‘amazing’, design-work. Communicate with your client, don’t worry, most WON’T bite your head off(!)

5. Trust Yourself!

It’s easy to treat each design as the ONLY ever design designed by a designer(!) You want each and every one to be the best and so amazing that your client asks for your hand in marriage when he/she views it. Learn to trust your abilities and look at your past-work as examples of your fine craftsmanship. All of it started as a blank canvas and you got there in the end with a fine design everyone loved, so what the hell are you worried about THIS time around?

With athletes and sports-people, ‘routine training’ is more concentrated towards the physical condition of the body. Us designers, however, are the opposite. Our routine ‘training schedule’ should be to keep our brains in tip-top condition to offer us the mental state to create awesome artwork. We can use the gym to keep our bodies looking good!

Anyways, I’m off to the shops, I read somewhere that blueberries are good for your short-term memory, but can’t remember where.. ;)

Salute!

Business Cards: My new business cards just arrived!

Herbie Hysteria — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 16:07:41 +0000

If you’re in business, big or small, a business card is the first step to promotion. It acts as a constant reminder of you, your organisation and your product/service which somebody can take away with them and refer to as and when required. Therefore, they have to be shit-hot, or they’ll get tossed amongst all the other business cards one accumulates.

I just can’t understand why people use FREE web services such as Vistaprint who send you 250 ‘free’ cards printed on shit paper with artwork that consists of selecting elements such as text, colours and images from a drop-down menu on-screen (no offence VP). Why would you want to hand these out to prospective customers with ‘Printed FREE at Vistaprint’ plastered on the back? What’s wrong with you?

Then there’s them cheap cardboard cards available to purchase from a big red machine in shopping centres. These should be illegal as the laughable fonts, 90s’ clip-arts and ‘border-designs’ can really cause damage to your business rep(!)

My new ones arrived this morning printed on 400gsm matt-laminated paper. I think I deserve a bucketload of gold nuggets for cramming the most info onto a business card CREATIVELY, but even then it’s only one-half of one side used. I went for a landscape design on one side and a portrait design with my ‘face’ logo on the other, just to keep things spicy(!)

Front and back

Did I leave anything out?

Quality business cards can get costly, but keeping everything in mind, I recommend 400gsm matt/gloss-laminated. Quality feel, finish and functionality at an affordable price. That’s it, you won’t have to contemplate a re-mortgage and/or bank robbery(!) Matt lamination is a thin film added to the card which protects the card from wear and tear, spillages and lasts a lot longer. Gloss-lamination achieves the same purpose but has a shinier ‘sheen’ to the finish.

In my opinion, the ONLY way to go is get your cards designed full-colour, professionally. Either do it yourself or get someone with sick skills like me to do it, and printed on a thick card with a smooth finish. OK, the actual cost of the artwork/print is higher initially, but the image you will portray for yourself is surely priceless, right? Your new business cards should last you months, even years, so you’ll have to live with your shit design if you choose that road(!)

Prices are as follows:

400gsm Matt/Gloss-Laminated Business Cards

Prices shown are for artwork, print, VAT and delivery to a mainland UK address. Prices are for single or double-sided, and matt-lamination or gloss-lamination, one price for both! All with the personal and one-to-one service you get from me.

Quantity	250	500	1,000	2,000	5,000	10,000
	150	165	190	250	370	520

So, as you can see, it’s not rocket science, ‘spend your money but spend it wisely’ my old man says(!) If you’re looking for business cards, get in touch!

PS: Facebook fans who have ‘liked’ my page get a further discount, enough to buy you a drink on me, or a sandwich on me, whatever tickles yer pickle. Click ‘Like’ in the right side-bar >>.

PPS: More portfolio updates soon.

As Delboy Trotter would say, ‘Bonjour!’.

Canvas Art: Muhammad Hisham Kabbani

Herbie Hysteria — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 11:41:45 +0000

I received a private portrait commission from a local homie in the hood which would really test my skills (gulp). I only take on a handful of life-like portrait commissions (acrylics on canvas-board) annually because they require serious patience, time and craftsmanship. I tend to paint large canvas boards and this one was 35″ x 28″ to be delivered to the Sheikh in Cyprus, so it HAD to be special..

The subject of the painting was Muhammad Hisham Kabbani or (‘Sheikh Hisham’ as he is also known by his legions of followers all over the world), an Islamic spiritual leader/scholar and ‘pir’ of the Naqshbandi/Haqqani Sunni Sufi Order. Born in Lebanon in 1945, the Sheikh is an advocate for peace and tolerance, which he promotes in his many international projects.

Working from a photograph, I tried to keep it life-like yet abstract to give it a unique appearance, something on the border of realism and surrealism. Therefore, a seamless blended background was air-brushed to represent a white shadow or ‘emmitting light’ from the figure, so to speak. The turban, clothing, face and beard was all hand-painted. A black and gold frame to compliment the bright colours within the painting was added. I seem to have an obsession with black frames, trimmed with metallic finishes, but they always add an uber-classy touch to the paintings.

Sheikh Muhammad Hisham Kabbani - ready for framing!

Sheikh Muhammad Hisham Kabbani - framed and finished!

The brother who commissioned the portrait hand-delivered it to the Sheikh a month later and reported back to me that him and his close associates had approved of the painting. Smiles all round then!

What do you think? Would love to get some feedback from any followers of the Sheikh, please comment below!

Fonts: Recent Discovery of the Horrific Use of Comic Sans in my Locality

Herbie Hysteria — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 17:18:50 +0000

If you don’t already know, Comic Sans is the most over-used and annoying font since the creation of man(!) It’s one of those fonts most of us can recognise because it’s been around so damn long! I included it in my blog post last year titled ‘My Top Six Fonts I am Sick to Death of and will be Deleting – NOW!’, so, yeah, it’s not one of my favourites(!) You can read that post here.

We have the ‘ever-innocent’ Microsoft Corp to thank, for commissioning this monstrosity in 1994. ‘Thanks, Bill!’. It’s generally mis-used because of it’s ‘comical and informal’ appearance. ‘Yeah, right’. As it was a free inclusion in earlier versions of Microsoft Windows, it was used in all instances from large-scale signage to business documents such as Annual Reports and brochures. It’s STILL in use today! Every time I see it, I recognise it and wonder WHO chose that particular font and what they were thinking when committing such a sin. It’s got a cult-following for being the most annoying font in existence!

Anyway, on a recent trip to see my dentist I discovered this font in large-scale plastered across the reception desk! It must have been at-least 12ft wide! I took a sneaky photo whilst I was waiting my turn:

Why? Comic Sans should be BANNED!

As you can see it’s a nice touch, with the reverse-cut frosted vinyl applied onto the glass facia. I’m sure the NHS didn’t employ any cowboy dogsbody to do the job, and it seems well-done. So, why the HELL have they chose Comic Sans in such a setting?. It’s then made worse that all the letters are lower-case and the tracking has been increased so there is more space between the letters. It looks naff!

A simple, smart and neutral font such as Lucida Sans or even Arial would have looked so much more professional. Why spread the letters out?

As a designer, I can’t help my beady eye critiquing every detail on my travels. This HAS to be one of the worst examples of design I’ve seen. There’s simply no excuse for the use of such a font in such a setting.

I know the NHS is facing cutbacks this year, seems like they’ve already sacked the graphic design department!

Bespoke Framed Posters – Something For ‘The Lab’

Herbie Hysteria — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 20:36:03 +0000

The ‘Find’

A friend had a recent clear-out at a call-centre and I went along to help. Noticing a bunch of six aluminium A2-sized poster frames sat in a heap, I decided to salvage them from an ‘otherwise shit’ set of circumstances and bring them back with me to ‘my lab’ (amongst other great ‘finds’!!). I instantly had a visual concept of a design that could addorn a little hallway in my place that was otherwise blank with white walls. Here goes..

The design was such that four of the frames would be used and painted the four CMYK colours, namely cyan, magenta, yellow and key (black). The design of the posters inside would reflect this. I thought it would ‘brighten-up’ my hall-way whilst ‘keeping it kreative’.

Paint-Mask, Please

Each frame was dismantled and the surfaces roughened-up with three grades of sand-paper. They then got three coats each of gloss-spray paint. The magenta was a bugger to get hold of, but in the end I opted for ‘Belton Molotow Premium’ from an online retailer. Good job, too.

Frames Painted (this ugly pink was not the end magenta I found)

Posters - ready and waiting..

Poster Design

I went for an abstract vector graphic design which would be informative yet colourful. Check it out in the pictures below. My web -address at the bottom with a small logo in the middle completed it. The posters were A2 sized and printed full colour at 1200dpi, sharper than my tongue(!)

The poster design.

Voila-hoo-ha! The end-result, you know it's 'the shit'.

It’s brightened up my hallway and kinda reflects my personality sometimes.

Saving lost causes from ‘the chop’.
Salute.

Digital Posters – My Design and Print Service

Herbie Hysteria — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 21:01:33 +0000

190gsm Digital Poster Printing

Digital printing, in general, is cheaper than lithographic. However, it’s limited quantity-wise, so it’s suited for short-run printing only. I thought I’d write an individual post about our digital poster service. The difference is that it’s ideal for a quick turnaround (up to 150 max) and the quality is the same compared to lithographic printing.

Posters are ideal for advertising your business, product or service. Get the word out, get your contact details out and get it all presented in a way that makes your customers want to contact you. It’s not rocket-science(!)

Paper – Weight, Thickness and Finish

We use 190gsm ‘gloss’. This will take you ‘one-level up’ from 90% of posters and flyers out there, which use the standard 130gsm-160gsm ‘silk’ paper-weights. Gloss is a shinier finish which ‘captures light’ as opposed to ‘silk’ which is flatter and not as absorbing. We think 190gsm is a great balance between strength and quality.

Print Quality

Full-colour digital printing at 1200dpi will ensure crispy-sharp images with vivid colours and high-res detailing. We always use eco-friendly inks where possible, the planet isn’t a car, that you can trade-in or replace(!)

Lamination

Laminating posters with plastic envelopes will preserve the life of the poster by making it tear-proof, water-proof, crease-proof, age-proof and easier to handle (a lot of ‘proofs’ there..).

Print Prices

190gsm Digital Posters

Printed full colour with a vivid gloss finish. Prices shown are per poster print. Prices in brackets are for print and lamination.
ARTWORK / DESIGN CHARGE: £70 PER POSTER.

1-50	50-100	100-150
£2(5)	£1.80 (£4.50)	£1.50 (£4.00)
£6(10)	£5.50 (£9.50)	£5.00 (£9.00)
£15(24)	£14.50 (£23.00)	£14.00 (£23.00)
£20(40)	£19.00 (£38.00)	£19.00 (£38.00)

Turnaround

This is the biggest advantage digital printing has over lithographic. Quicker turnaround times means less waiting about twiddling your thumbs for you(!) Around the ‘neighbourhood’ (Nelson, Burnley, Colne etc etc), we can deliver next-day, or within one-working day if they are posted first-class within mainland UK.

Poster Artwork Service

Our artwork service is £70 per poster. For this fee, you receive a complete professional experience. This includes original creative design and conceptual advice, efficient communication, great people, unlimited edits, and high-resolution pdf artwork. What more do you need?

Recent Samples

Below are a few recent examples of our beloved clients’ work. All have been designed, printed, delivered and installed (of course) by Herbie Hysteria and Friends. All the following examples are laminated, for that great finish and enhancement!

Stylz Hairdressing A2 Posters

Muscle Factory A3 Poster (modelled by Mojo the Menace)

Tulip Takeaway Re-branding and A2 Posters

Get In Touch!

Every poster design is an individual concept, so I love creating them. Get in touch today, there’s many ways to do it, so we can start on your masterpiece!

Design and Print: How To ‘Christmasize’ a Takeaway Menu

Herbie Hysteria — Sat, 25 Dec 2010 18:10:51 +0000

Client Repeats!

A few months ago, I designed and printed the folded-A4 menus for a local takeaway in my neighbourhood. Back then, it was a completely fresh design and branding for the new owners of the business, who loved it and gave me a cart-load of ‘pats on the back’ as a result (I still have a sore back!). Anyways, during the run-up to Christmas 2010, they re-approached me to update the menu, this time making it ‘Christmassy’ (if that’s a word).

The basic design (fonts, imagery, positioning, colours etc) was to remain the same, whilst the design-concept required a re-fresh to bring it up-to-date. Also, a few other little changes were done at the same time such as additional menu items and minor-tweaks here and there.

The Original Design

The design was originally a totally new design for the business, which served traditional Asian food as well as fast-food such as burgers and pizzas. The design was kept ‘light-hearted’ and ‘informal’ and their new logo consisted of a cartoon mascot on a branded-moped travelling at speed (to convey the idea of a quick delivery service).

Al-Taj Original Menu - Front and Back

Al-Taj Original Menu - Middle

The name itself, ‘Al-Taj’ sends sub-conscious depictions of the sub-continent and ethnic culture. So, in making the design more ‘cartoonish’ and informal, it was definately a thought ‘outside-of-the-box’ for me(!)

The Christmas Re-Design

Their 2010 christmas re-design also gave me an opportunity to position things more efficiently and better-fit elements such as opening times and the map of the premises. Alterations included included:

increased logo size on front
added coverings of snow to the logo
added a main ‘Merry Christmas’ ribbon
added a background picture to the ‘Al-Taj Specials’ section
added a cartoon winter-night background picture
added wrapped-presents
added flowing ribbons and bobbles
added detailed stars and snowflakes sprinkled around the menu

Al-Taj Christmas Menu - Front and Back

Al-Taj Christmas Menu - Middle

The vector ribbons and christmas-tree bobbles I added were positioned so they crossed the entire width of the menus, so they had to go over the ‘bleed area’ of the document at design-stage. However, it wasn’t just a case of stretching the vector shapes and being done with it, each and every ribbon and bobble/element is strategically positioned so that they do not interfere with the menu items and the prices. Design is everything, yes, but it’s not everything when it’s covering the prices of your food items on your menu! So, you’ll notice the paths the ribbons take are very specific, sometimes even BETWEEN letters and words!

I also took this opportunity to increase the size of the ‘Just-Eat’ logo, at the request of the management. Apparently, more and more people are ordering their food from the online service.

A few other things got moved around and the menu’s ‘Free Chicken Burger’ voucher was re-designed so that customers could tear it off from the corner whilst not destroying the menu(!) As usual, the customers and the management loved the results and at the moment, it is THE best Christmas menu doing the rounds in my neighbourhood. Yee-ha!

Anyways, there’s a seat with my name on it for a big feast today (Christmas Day), better not let that seat get stolen!

Christmas Mubarak everyone!

Portfolio Update: December 2010

Herbie Hysteria — Sun, 19 Dec 2010 21:20:02 +0000

Salaam, shalom and ‘Wasapnin?’.
I’ve just added some stuff to the portfolio which has been recently completed this month and last. I thought I’d do the December update early before the holidays started. Other projects I’m currently working on will be up soon too – some interesting and varied things going on!

Graphic Design

A few logo concepts have been worked on for a couple of larger projects. Logos – forever the starting point of massive organisations. You’ll hear more about them in due time. Meanwhile, I’ve added five new original logos I have designed and used this month.

Logo design for PAST Parents Group

Logo design for Heavenly Perfumes.

Design and Print

Getting a full cafe/takeaway menu onto two sides of A5 isn’t easy, but I’ve had to do it three times this month, of which two are included in this update. A couple of great poster jobs got dealt with too, amongst varied other stuff.

A5 Menu for Spice Of Asia

Signs and Vinyls

I also completed a digitally-printed UV sign for Madni Channel, the Islamic TV Channel on SKY 838 (tune in!). A new Islamic bookshop funded by them opened locally. The sign-board was designed, printed and installed in November. Also, a banner for a school-fayre kept me busy.

UV Design and Print Sign for 'Madina Bookshop'

Custom Requests

One custom request was a set of ID cards for a school parents’ group. These came out great and the ladies loved ‘em. Other stuff included a family portrait printed and laminated to A1 size.

People and Places

I met a brother who is the owner of a new busines called Heavenly Perfumes. Heavenly Perfumes, a new retailer based in my hometown approached me for logo and poster design. The job was completed on time, within budget and the results were definately the design-highlight of the month!

A very clever poster-design concept to bring the name ‘Heavenly’ into some associated imagery. However, you’re going to have to go to my Facebook page to see it because I have included it in the portfolio there under ‘Graphic Design’ and ‘Design and Print’. Also, more design-work for the ever-presents such as Stylz Hairdressing!

Site Tweaks

Beyond this, you will have noticed a few subtle changes around the site. I’m a tweaker, I just can’t help it and a major addition has been a little widget in the right-sidebar called ‘Latest Thoughts’. Think of it as a ‘status update’, it’s just somewhere I can quickly add my thoughts at a particular time, usually updated daily!

Also, you’ll notice some changes to the header links up ^^ there! I’ve added the ‘Latest Articles’ in chronological order as ‘The Blog’. Yes, ‘The Shop’ is there too and I’ve started incorporating it (nothing exciting to be viewed just yet) into the site, so hang on to your hats.

Anyways, view the complete additions to the portfolio here. The snowfall this month has left me and my homies quite numb, so I’m off to sit on a radiator(!) Don’t forget to leave your feedback!

Anyways, it’s been a good year, 2011 better be ready for me. To you and your family, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. May God bless you all.

Facebook Display Picture – Introducing ‘Bookface’

Herbie Hysteria — Sun, 05 Dec 2010 21:49:48 +0000

The recent NSPCC campaign to raise awareness of child cruelty and neglect by encouraging everybody to change their Facebook display picture to a childhood cartoon seems to have worked! Although there are reports that the whole thing is a scam, it’s done rather well to get the point across to the masses. My Facebook friends-list seems to have turned into the cast for a Disneyland pantomime. I, too, changed mine to a group-shot of the characters from ‘Rude Dog and the Dweebs’ (a childhood favourite) because I believe it’s a worthy cause for minimal effort.

See, there ARE the usual cynical air-heads who choose to whinge and whine about it with statuses such as ‘Instead of changing a picture, go and donate’. I believe it’s about raising awareness, which it obviously has, which would then result in increased donations ANYWAY. Also, if the LEAST we can do is acknowledge such a campaign by changing our display pictures, then so be it. Some people are ‘fucked-in-the-head’, as they say in my neighbourhood.

Anyway, my mind floated towards ‘facebook display pics’ and a little concept just ‘came’ to me last night and envisioned itself within my head, plain and simple, creative and clear. I did a little ‘research’ to see if the concept had been used already, but nothing significant came up. I created it and exported it as a png, had a little laugh whilst doing so. So ladies and gentlemen, I present to you my latest ‘one minute wonder’ – ‘Bookface’:

Your new Facebook default display picture..

Feel free to save the image, in-fact, use it as your Facebook display pic and add me, now that I WOULD get excited about. Anyways I’m off, this was just a quickie, watch out for this month’s portfolio updates and stuff.

Large Format Printing – The CMYK Black Problem

Herbie Hysteria — Sat, 30 Oct 2010 16:54:05 +0000

Banner Design

Just recently, a client who’s branding I had done earlier in the year returned to order some printed PVC banners measuring 4ft x 2ft. The branding was such that the imagery and fonts were always backed-up by a black background, to give that ‘dark and sophisticated’ look (get what I mean?). Not much of my large-format artwork consists of flat black backgrounds, but I still thought it was straightforward, to my surprise.

The banners were for an overseas charity project, for which my client is a supporter. The graphic design for the banner simply consisted of the black background, the logo and one line of white text reading ‘Supported and funded by’.

Large Format UV-LED Printing

CMYK cartridges on a Mimaki

These were to be printed on a ‘shit-hot, state-of-the-art, wide-format, flatbed, LED UV-cured printer’ that costs more than your house, and also probably looks better than your house(!) Printing at 1200dpi, the output is crystal-clear and sharper than a razor. With the inks dried and cured by UV lamps, the quality and detail is immense. The banner material, which comes in large 50″ rolls, is fed through the printer and it prints directly onto the substrate.

The Problem – When ‘Black’ Isn’t Really ‘Black’(!)

I exported the design as a pdf at 300dpi resolution, and viewed it in Adobe Reader 9.3, it looked fine and the black background seemed really err…black? It looked good. PDF documents are an industry standard type of print-ready file because they hold their resolution and also use the CMYK colour model, which is a popular commercial printing colour model. CMYK is what most printers and commercial-printing set-ups use, which consists of four inks, cyan, magenta, yellow and key (black), which are used in various techniques, to generate millions of other colours and print the artwork.

When the artwork was printed onto the PVC banner material, the print came out such that the flat black background didn’t look black, but more of a ‘dark grey’ or ‘anthracite’ colour. I initially thought it was the printer that fucked up, but these things rarely go wrong so i suspected it was an artwork issue. Photos don’t differentiate in much detail, view the photo below to get my shizzle(!)

Black or Dark Grey? (FYI this is the first 'nearly black' effort)

I was expecting that rich, dark black but this was a disapointment. I mean, it was ‘nearly’ black, and it was the darkest grey I had ever seen, but, how should I describe this, it was also the ‘lightest’ black I had ever seen, get my drift? My client wasn’t impressed either, so I promised her a ‘full investigation and re-print’ at my expense (very PC Plod sounding I know), but you gotta keep the client-bunnies happy, right? The quest for perfection and quality was well and truely ON..

The Solution – CMYK vs HSV/RGB

I researched around some online forums and blogs, and found the solution to my problem. The problem existed because different colour models interpret flat colours in varying ways. Let me explain. When designing using my vector graphics software, all colours on the screen are viewed and represented using the HSV colour model, which allocates a six-digit code to each colour/shade such as #FF80FE (a glorious shade of pink!). This colour model uses light to generate the different colours on your monitor’s screen, and so are great for web-design and web-graphics.

However, the standard black in the HSV model is represented by #000000, but it’s CMYK equivalent is the ‘dark grey’ black. Yes, it looks fine on the screen, but when converted to CMYK for printing, the various ink mixtures result in the ‘not-so-black’ black(!) #000000 actually converts to C-0% M-0% Y-0% K-100%, which is also referred to as ’100% black’ because it is 100% of the ‘Key’ black ink which is used.

I was advised to increase the percentages a little on the other three inks. The reasoning behind this is far too complex for a short-ish post on my blog, but it’s related to the way the inks are mixed to generate other colours. I increased the percentages of the other three inks, to create a ‘new colour’ in my graphics software. I opted for C-25% M-25% Y-25% K-100% and used this black instead of the standard black. It still looked the same on my screen, but when printed it was a beautiful, rich ‘darker-than-dark’ black. A huge improvement, and a lesson learned for me. (I don’t have a photo of the improved print because I had to post it out same-day, but it was blacker than black and made the text and font stand out even better). Whooppee!

If you’re a designer, printer or related professional, let me know of any similar problems you’ve had and how you rectified them. If you’re a potential customer, don’t worry, not all my jobs are fuck-ups, this was just a little ‘grey area’ in my skills-set(!)

Digital and Litho Printing – My Version Of A Paper Size Chart

Herbie Hysteria — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 22:38:34 +0000

Hello guys, been away busy doing other things but not had the chance to post for a while. I’ve just updated my design and print prices, check ‘em out here. You’ll find all details from A5 leaflets to posters. I also thought this would be a great opportunity to reveal to you a little masterpiece I created, which you can use as a purposeful reference tool!

Having a handy paper-size chart is..err..’handy’ when you offer a design and print service. It’s a good reference tool and you can quickly answer your client’s questions about size and dimensions by glancing at it. From the standard 55mm x 88mm business card size, to the largest A0 sized poster, all the widths and heights vary and are also proportionate to each other (eg. A4 is twice the size of A5 and so on).

I would normally ‘make do’ with a standard size chart sourced online or from one of my suppliers. However, one lazy weekend, I ‘accidentally’ went into ‘design-mode’ whilst sitting at my PC and ended up creating my own version of a printing paper size-chart. That weekend’s social activities kinda incorporated themselves into the design..

I had visited a friend the day before, who had just purchased a two-month-old Staffordshire Bull Terrier puppy – excitable little animal that it was. He had also been having trouble with his laptop and was clearly at the end of his tether with it, which had stopped charging from it’s DC charger plug. So, I kinda used these two ‘highlights of the weekend’ as inspirations for my paper size-chart design.

Voila!

The design had to be ‘to-scale’ so all the paper sizes and elements are correctly sized against each-other.

Paper size chart for design and printers, by Herbie Hysteria.

Free Downloads

You’re welcome to save the image above and use it how you like. There’s also a few full colour high-res downloadable jpegs (with 3mm bleeds and 300dpi resolutions) in A4, A3 and A2 size, in case you REALLY love it and just can’t bear NOT having it stuck to your wall(!) The download links can be found below:

'Paper-Size Chart by HH' - A4 / 300dpi (112)
'Paper-Size Chart by HH' - A3 / 300dpi (95)
'Paper-Size Chart by HH' - A2 / 300dpi (85)

Enjoy!

Save Me From The ‘Messers’! – A Freelance Designer’s Plea For Help

Herbie Hysteria — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 00:49:50 +0000

Messers are evil

I was always delaying publishing this post because I thought it may show me and my fellow graphic designers in a negative light, but after being bitten by the third ‘serious messer’ this month, I’m pushing ahead.

You see, I’ve got some great clients with which I share amazing social/professional relationships. Getting shitloads of repeat-custom enabled me to get to know some of my clients as people on a personal level. It’s great and provides me with a certain level of satisfaction in my business.

However, and it’s a BIG ‘however’. Along with this comes the usual supply of ‘jack-in-the-box freeloading messers’, as a way off describing this certain demographic. Ungrateful morons who pop up out of nowhere and expect everything for nothing. Yack, yack, yack I hear the same old excuses from this idiotic and piss-taking demographic of my ‘client base’.

Entertaining these people, without a real possibility of a paid job at the end, is kinda like working for nothing. Kinda like doing your hair before going to bed. Kinda like diving into an empty swimming pool(!) Totally pointless.

Unfortunately, I’ve had my fair share of ‘messers’ and it’s about time I did something about it.

Small Town, Big Problem

My home town of Nelson, Lancashire, UK, was one of the old industrial revolution cotton-weaving towns of the 19th century. My parents, and a whole lot of others from the Indo-Pak sub-continent, migrated to the town in the early ’60s and worked hard towards a decent life.

Nearly 50 years on, and there is a thriving Pakistani community in the town consisting of older and younger generations. Herein lies the problem..

You see, living and trading in your home-town where ‘everybody knows everybody and their grand-parents’ has many advantages. When it comes to business though, it seems the ‘messers’ automatically think they qualify for a massive discount just because they may be from the same village in Pakistan, or that they know my Dad on a personal level.

I try to create an image for my business and myself which shows professionalism, originality and a sprinkle of creative madness, but upholding this image seems a challenge when you’re based in the town you grew up in. Trying to provide a service which offers value for money as well as originality and professionalism is about as difficult as trying to piss down a drinking straw from ten feet away(!) There’s many advantages to trading in your home town, but the biggest dis-advantage is that the social-professional ideology goes straight out the window when I’m approached by a ‘messer’. I like to treat all my clients with the same professionalism and dedication, but it’s kinda difficult when someone wants a fully-functioning dynamic website with all the bells and whistles, for £100(!)

It’s mostly these members of the community who have no appreciation for someone’s trade, and expect everything including the kitchen sink, in exchange for a ‘pat on the back’ – or something of equal value.

Definition Of A ‘Messer’

Messers aka 'Scrooges'

I call them ‘messers’, you might call them something else, or worse(!) I’m talking about the people who request designwork, or any other service I offer, without a single acknowledgement in regards to design skill, creativity, time constraints and the fact that graphic designers are people too, who eat, feed their families, have to clothe themselves and so on.

People who seem to think that design concepts, such as logo and sign designs, mysteriously appear out of thin air. Those that don’t understand the concept of sitting infont of a widescreen monitor doing designwork – actually takes time. In a nutshell:

those that want RIDICULOUSLY cheap prices
those that want services / products for FREE
those who presume every price and quote is ‘negotiable’
the worst type – the ‘non-paying messers’

Top Five Excuses

It’s always the same set of excuses they throw at you, and it’s got to a point where I’ve thought up my ‘standard reply’ to these piss-taking excuses.

‘I know your dad/brother/sister/uncle/grandad/whole family and we’re actually distant relatives, so give me a discount, bro!’

Unfortunately, this one is a favourite amongst the Asian community and it doesn’t matter if you’ve never met this person before. He or she WILL find that family link which they think qualifies them for exceptional treatment.
STANDARD REPLY
‘I’ve already got enough family and friends, thanks.’

‘Do us this one cheap, and we’ve got a cartload of more work for you!’

Another favourite, usually used by boneheads who think they’re being quite original and ‘business-savvy’ by using this excuse. I’ve heard it too many times and it’s kinda disrespectful because it’s a form of ‘bribery’, don’t you think?
STANDARD REPLIES
‘I may be dead tomorrow’ or ‘Tomorrow Never Comes’ or ‘If you like my work, you will be back anyway’

‘It’s only gonna take you five minutes!’

This one really gets my knickers in a twist because it’s the epitomy of ignorance. Those that spit this one at me have no appreciation for design and have no clue about what is involved. This is also true for wall and canvas art. I had a guy who wanted me to drop everything else and paint a huge logo on his bedroom wall, in an hour. Fucking joker.
STANDARD REPLY
‘If it did, I’d be a millionnaire, fool!’

‘John Smith quoted me this much, he’s cheaper than you!’

Don’t get me wrong, I’m also someone who loves ‘thrifty dealing’, saving money and getting good deals. To me, it’s human instinct to get the best deal and I’m always open to sensible negotiations and competitor’s pricing. However, some idiots use this excuse to get the price matched through deception. ‘Being competitive is all part and parcel of running a business, please understand that – dickhead!’
STANDARD REPLIES
‘Go to John Smith, then, what are you wasting MY time for?’ or ‘Great!’

‘I’ll help you paint the wall and I’ll buy the materials!’

Any wall or canvas art project I take on, the pricing and quotes are such that the cost of materials such as paint are included within. One of the reasons for this is that it saves me from collecting receipts or conferring with the client everytime I need some more paint(!) A select few idiots actually offered to help me do my job for a discount on the price. Yes, you’re right, I laughed.
STANDARD REPLIES
‘Calculating the EXACT cost of materials is difficult if I’m using a selection of existing stock and new, you moron’ or ‘Less hassle for you, less hassle for me’ or ‘No, thanks!’

Creative Design Takes Time, Understand That!

Most Designers I know have a passion for what they do. That doesn’t mean, however, that the service is offered for free, let’s say. Like anything else, it’s a also a career. A job. A livelihood. Get it? Whiling away infront of a massive widescreen monitor intricately designing and perfecting any design or concept takes time, skill and patience. Why would you think any different? Oh yeah, it’s that dreaded state of mind known as ‘ignorance’. Pfffft!

Facebook Group

A fellow graphic designer from Burnley decided to start a group to name and shame these idiots, and especially the non-paying variety as a means of warning other graphic designers / artists / professionals. I listed one idiot who stung me, who shockingly enough claimed to be a graphic designer himself.

He enlisted me to create a new logo / mascot for his business – a cartoon character of himself as a ‘Design Doctor’. After six hours of intricate design and getting the likeness correct, and also edited at his request as the design progressed, he blocked me on Facebook when I requested payment. Fucking scruffy dickhead. You can see the group here, please join and leave comments to show your support!

No Deposit, No Design

After accepting that this was a normal ‘way of business’ for such folk, I decided enough was enough and adopted some concrete ‘con-proof’ rules. To protect my business, offer my clients a ‘hassle-free’ service and also to convey the right image, I chose to collect half the payment upfront on agreement, and the remaining half on completion of the project. No matter what area of my services it was. From portraits to printing, the same rule applied.

Some people have had a hard time understanding this, but it’s worked a treat. Genuine customers will always respect such ‘policies’, let’s say, so it’s a great way to weed out the ‘messers’ before they waste too much of your valuable time. It’s been a few months since I adopted this and it’s great!

Onwards and Upwards

So, after implementing a few rules to weed out these knobheads, I accept the fact that I had to experience the wrath of these tossers first-hand before waking up to the fact that there ARE solutions out there. Serious clients have never had a problem and they even kinda respect me for signing off contracts and requesting a deposit before any work is started, so I just wish I had done it earlier.

However, it’s also woken me up to each and every messer in my hometown, who now reside in a text document on my desktop titled ‘Messers’.

What Do YOU Think?

Are you also a graphic designer or related professional? Have you come across some immensely annoying people who make you want to flush their heads down a toilet? Leave a comment below and share your experiences!

No related posts.

My Top Six Fonts I Am Sick To Death Of, And Will Be Deleting – NOW!

Herbie Hysteria — Sun, 09 May 2010 16:46:18 +0000

Intro

These are six fonts I have decided to remove from my computer because I think they can be easily replaced by more modern types, or they’re too overused to be involved in my design work. Either way, these are the more notorious ones. No doubt there exist some absolutely idiotic and ugly fonts too. For now, these are the ones I’m sure you’ve heard of before. I’ll also suggest some possible alternatives.

As a graphic designer, I have over 4,500 carefully selected and tweaked fonts in my windows fonts folder. This is so that they are always available in all the various software and programs I use to design and edit. Fonts and typography are one of THE most important aspects of any graphic design, logo, branding or web design work. I generally begin with the font as the first stepping-stone to any new piece of design work. However, there are some culprits which I think have been over-used, abused and are just not worthy of having a coveted place in my windows Fonts folder anymore:

1. Comic Sans

Making things too 'jolly' - Comic Sans

Top of the list, and it may come as no surprise, but Comic Sans is THE font everyone loves to hate. It was created in 1994 for Microsoft, by Vincent Connare. It’s primary use was for comic-books and children’s graphic design. It’s casual and informal, therefore, it’s use is limited to very small instances. It has no place in modern, contemporary and corporate graphic design, which is why it’s use to convey such an image is a prime factor amongst design professionals for hating it.

Over the last sixteen years, it has been mis-used in everything from restaurant signage, corporate documents and even warning signs! Moreso, in memos, documents, newsletters and emails which is supposed to look professional, yet end up looking completely the opposite. I would say anyone who uses this font in anything but a comic-book, its initial intended use, is an amateur, at the least.

It’s use instantly changes the mood of a document or design from ‘serious/formal’ to a more light-hearted and ‘silly’ mood. Clueless office execs have been using this font to ‘tone down’ their spontaneous A4-sized warning messages for years. Probably to appear more ‘whimsical’ and ‘fun’. Pffft! To me, it just shouts ‘Don’t take me seriously, please!’.

There’s even a campaign, started in 1999, called ‘Ban Comic Sans’. It was started in USA by two graphic designers called Dave and Holly Combs. It was a reaction to the widespread disgruntlement amongst design professionals regarding the use of the font. Eleven years on, and with further notoriety, their website is still going strong. You can see their website here.

ALTERNATIVES:
Helvetica – for formal / serious messages
Courier Sans – for a direct replacement in children’s design and comic books

2. Papyrus

Loved by James Cameron himself.

Papyrus was originally designed by Chris Costello. Again, like Vincent Connare, he probably regrets it(!) It’s just such a gimmicky and over-used typeface that I’m sure you recognise it without even knowing it’s name. It’s been over-used by amateur hobbyists and first-year graphic design students to convey old, exotic, egyptian and fantastical perceptions. Unfortunately, it’s over use has seen it be included in everything from shampoo bottles to restaurant menus.

Just recently, James Cameron’s blockbuster movie ‘Avatar’ used the Papyrus font, or a very close variation of it, to display subtitles spoken by the Na’vi, the alien protagonists of the film. Just one question, James. Why? With a multi-million dollar budget, cutting-edge technology and amazing 3D effects, why did you have to go and spoil it all by using a font that has come free with PCs since the early 90s?

Again, as Comic Sans above, there is a campaign to highlight the dire overuse of this font. PapyrusWatch.com is an online petition to showcase and document the overuse of this font in many installations such as print, graphics and web.

ALTERNATIVES:
Kigali – to keep the exotic and fantasy look
Plato – very similar looking but less detailing

3. Algerian

Algerian - a bit TOO vintage now.

Algerian was created in 1988 to embellish “any work which suggests the Victorian era”. I think that was slightly over-ambitious(!) Since then, most amateur design-work which may have the slightest relevance to Egypt or the Egyptian era has been adorned by this ugly typeface. Maybe it should have been called ‘Egypt’, instead? It’s very distinguishable because of the indents and depth characteristics of the font. Unfortunately, this also makes it boring rarely gets that ‘second glance’.

I suppose it could be OK in some instances such as work depicting the Victorian and pre-industrial-revolution eras, but the fact that it is everywhere doesn’t say much about your creativity. A favourite with sign-makers, it’s usually seen in bigger sizes and in shop-windows. I’ve seen a local barber in Lancashire who’s window price-list has been created completely in Algerian. To protect the barber from a severe backlash, I won’t include a picture in this post.

ALTERNATIVES:
Tangiers – same effect but without the blocks and indents that Algerian is known for
Albania – similar to Algerian but not identical

4. Arial

Even the mighty 'Arial' has got to go now.

Back in High School and College, everyone who used Arial instead of the default Times New Roman was considered a geek or a show-off. It was just more elegant and easier to read than Times. Also, the fact that Microsoft bundled it with everything didn’t help it’s exclusivity(!) However, this also meant that it’s overuse has made most of us become ‘blind’ to Arial. The reason being it is used everywhere and especially for long paragraphs of text in business documents and reports.

Recently, it has been replaced by Helvetica as the standard choice for graphic designers and design professionals. Even this transition is well known amongst the profession. For these reasons, I think my use of Arial will be very rare, also.

ALTERNATIVES:
Helvetica – for formal or design work
Futura – great replacement in design for print

5. Cooper Black

Since 1921.

Similar to Comic Sans for it’s ‘informal’ and ‘fun’ appearance, Cooper Black has been overused on signage and large format graphics ever since it was designed by Oswald Cooper in 1921. It’s hey-day was in the 1970s when it was used for a lot of applications such as posters, signage and even product packaging. However, just recently, it’s making a bit of a comeback in regards to giving a design a ‘retro’ look. Hmm, back to the drawing board, I say.

I think it’s prime use today should be on greetings cards and party invites. Certainly not in a formal application. You just can’t take anything serious if it’s adorned with this font. I can just imagine it on balloons and posters promoting the village market, designed by the village postmaster on Microsoft Publisher(!) I’m sure you get my drift.

ALTERNATIVES:
Adera SSK – more consistently rounded ‘bubble’ type letters
AdLib – squared letters instead of curved

6. Brushscript MT

No, it doesn't make you look like an 'Artist'

There’s an age-old effect that a lot of people try to achieve which is the ‘hand-written’ look which is ‘a font on a computer that looks like someone’s wrote it’ effect. I have to say, I’m guilty of this little concept but I only use it moderately(!) Therefore, some fonts such as Lucida Handwriting have become the favourite for this use. However, my hatred for Brushscript MT stems a little further too.

You see, why do a lot of amateurs and hobbyists use this font to convey an ‘art’, ‘artist’, ‘artistic’ kind of message? Is it because of the name of the font which has the word ‘brush’ in it that people tend to sub-consciously lean towards this font? Or is it because they think it looks like the handwriting of an artist done using a paintbrush? Hmm, either way, it’s instantly recognisable as ‘that font’ so it’s going. There. Gone.

ALTERNATIVES:
Vitrina – gives the same feeling with a little more ‘flair’
Pooper Black – same ‘brush’ effect but more contemporary
Bello – cleaner and more readable

Other Fonts That May Get ‘The Chop’

The above are my top six fonts which will definately have no place in my collection anymore. There’s a few more which managed to escape my wrath by a whisker. These are Curlz MT, Lucida Handwriting and also Copperplate Gothic. In my opinion, graphic design is all about being creative and original. Therefore, using typefaces which people have seen ‘used and abused’ doesn’t really help the originality.

I’m not the world’s greatest expert on typography, but it’s something I take a deep interest in. Let me know what your thoughts are or if there’s any fonts you think I missed. What’s your most-hated font? Leave a comment and let me know.

Poster Design: Movie Themed Poster Design For Senior Citizen’s RailCard

Herbie Hysteria — Sun, 02 May 2010 14:43:44 +0000

Just recently, I noticed some posters which had been put up around my local town centre by the town council. These were advertising a senior citizen’s concessionary RailCard, part of the public transport infrastructure. I don’t know who the designer is, but hat’s off to him or her for innovation!

What made me stop, and what made this poster design achieve a worthy post on my blog, was the innovative design concept of using famous Hollywood movie titles. ‘My Fair Lady’ was a musical released in the 1950s by producer Gabriel Pascal. Using related imagery and editing the title to read ‘My Fare Savings’ keeps the relevancy of the original movie-title, yet also sells the product it is advertisng – rail cards.

My Fare Savings

I had noticed these a few weeks ago, and I’m kicking myself for not posting earlier because there was actually another one called ‘Honey I Shrunk The Fares’. This was in the style of the famous Rick Moranis movie ‘Honey I Shrunk The Kids’, but I didn’t get a picture of it, unfortunately.

I think this design works because people are already familiar with movie posters and the titles used. Being innovative with the title and keeping it related to the original can really grab people’s attention because it may even be a favourite movie of theirs! If you’re thinking of creating a similar design, here’s some tips to get the best effect:

1. Use ‘Portrait’ Layout Instead Of ‘Landscape’

The majority of movie posters from the past and present are in portrait layout. Most movie posters are synonymous with this layout, so stick with this to get the same effect.

2. Use The Same (or slightly edited) Image From The Original

To really catch someone’s attention, use the same image from the original movie or poster and edit it if need be. This way, the design is still related to the original poster.

3. Change/Edit The Title Only Slightly By Adding/Editing Certain Words

To be really creative, edit the title so that it fits in well with what your poster is advertising. For best results, keep most of the original movie’s name but change one or two words to make it relevant to your product or service.

4. Get The Fonts Right!

Make sure you use the correct fonts where applicable. For example, the ‘Terminator’ movies title is so easy to spot because of the typeface used. The title font should be the same as the original. Another ‘movie poster type’ font which can be used at the bottom of your designs to add further information is called SteelTongs. This type of font is usually used for movie credits such as ‘Directed by..’ and ‘Starring..’.

5. Add ‘Star’ Reviews

To finish the look, add two (at most) imaginary magazine reviews. You can get as creative as you want here and make up some imaginary magazine names relevant to your product or service. Create five stars, underneath which you can add the one word review relevant to you. Underneath the review word, add your imaginary magazine’s name.

What Do You Think?

Are you a graphic designer too? What’s your take on this design idea? Also, if you do decide to use this style, don’t forget to let me have a peak when you’re done!

Xara Xtreme Pro: How To Make Fonts Look Embroidered or Stitched

Herbie Hysteria — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 20:51:53 +0000

I like sharing new things I learn ‘on the fly’ with everyone. I’ve not done many online tutorials but I’m quite confident about it and I’m hoping to offer an ‘organic’ service. Blogging as and when I overcome a hurdle. This could do with anything such as my business, wordpress, graphic design, web design, FTP, tips, tricks, how-tos, hacks, this, that and blah blah blah(!)

Just recently, I had a client who wanted a leaflet design to advertise a new women’s sewing course in Burnley, Lancashire. She would teach the basics of sewing tunics, blouses, trousers and other Asian ‘salwar kameez’ garments. As part of the design, I decided to make the main heading on the leaflet look like it was embroidered with stitching around the edges.

Xara Xtreme Pro is a great British vector graphics tool which I have been using for a few years. However, I couldn’t find a ‘Live Effect’ that would make fonts, shapes and graphics look like they were embroidered. Instead of using other stand-alone software to create the desired effect, I used Xara to apply various effects to the font to get the end result. I suppose you can use the same steps in other graphics editors like PhotoShop or Illustrator. Here’s a quick run-down.

Create Text

First, select your desired font, text and colour.

Select text and colour.

Add Fabric Fill

Go to Fill Gallery> Fabric> denim.jpg. Apply the fill to your text. A quick way of doing this is to simply ‘click and drag’ the fill image into your text.

Add fabric fill

Add The Dashed Outline

Apply a white outline, about 2px should do. Resize to suit. Then, go to Line Gallery> Dash Patterns> and change the outline to a dashed line. Make sure the dashes are short and close together, with no wide gaps. This should create the desired effect.

Apply a dashed outline

Add The Rounded Bevel

To finish, apply a small bevel to the text. Go to the Bevel Tool (CTRL + F3) and apply a ‘flat’ bevel, about 2px wide. this should simply overlap overlap the dashed outline.

Add a flat bevel

The above worked for me, and it looked great when it was printed. If you stick to the basics, text, fill, dashed outline and bevel, you can adjust as you see fit. Also, try putting your embroidered text on a background with the same ‘denim.jpg’ fill. It looks even better!

How Do You Get The Same Effect?

Any PhotoShop, Illustrator or Quark Express users know how to do this? Maybe there’s an easier way of doing it in your graphics suite. Let me know by leaving a comment below.

Ten Highly Creative and Detailed Vector Artworks

Herbie Hysteria — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 18:35:28 +0000

I don’t claim to be the world’s best graphic design artist but my love for it can appreciate great design when I see it. Just recently, I was scouring through the photo albums of a popular art related group on Facebook. There were over 250 great pieces of vector art, from these I selected my favourites and the ones that made me stop and stare harder.

There’s some really talented and highly-skilled designers out there who can create some amazing visual spectacles. Using high-end graphics suites and editing techniques, some great results can be achieved. All works are credited to their respective artists.

1. Open Source

'Open Source' by Jerico Santander & Jeff Huang

2. How To Name A Volcano

'How To Name A Volcano' by The Oatmeal

3. The Power Of Colour

'The Power Of Colour' by E-Gart

4. Tangled Up In Silence

'Tangled Up In Silence' by Anthony Giacomino

5. PhotoShop – As Real As It Gets

'As Real As It Gets' by Bates141, Jakarta

6. Net City

'Net City' by Totto Renna

7. Let Imagination Take Over

Poster for 'Play-Doh' modeling clay - Design by Driv

8. Hate Sealed In A Cage Of Love

'Hate Sealed In A Cage Of Love' by BlueGarden

9. Chocolate Sunday

Chocolate Sunday by Pawel Nolbert

10. HUGO Create Contest Round 10

'HUGO Create Contest Round 10' by Aleksandra Piotrowska

What’s Your Favourite?

Out of the ten above, which one is your favourite piece which made you stop and look? It could be for many reasons but please add a comment below to let me know.