Archive for the ‘Design Info for the Client’ Category

If you don’t understand the difference between vector and raster, you’re not alone!

The majority of images you see everyday on your computer are raster-based. Raster graphics are simply a grid of pixels, with each pixel assigned a color.  When you zoom in on a raster image — like a .jpg photo of your family reunion — you soon see the pixels in Aunt Sally’s face (or was that acne?).

Raster art is terrific for photographs, because it can capture and show very realistic gradients in color – like the highlights and shadows in people’s faces.   Newer digital cameras can take very high resolution photos, so you have to zoom in a LOT before you see Aunt Sally’s pixels.

The downside is that the file sizes can be very high — in the 20-40 megabyte range — and image quality can be lost when the file is re-saved as a JPG.

Vector art is based on mathematical formulas – not pixel colors. So instead of a series of colored blocks to create an image, a vector art file is composed of “instructions” that tell the computer to show a curve with a given length and bend, an area of certain color, etc.These instructions take up far less space than an equivalent raster image — so a 40MB raster file may only be a 800KB vector file. That smaller size makes editing much more efficient, because your computer isn’t freaking out while trying to render your changes. And it  makes them much easier to manage and share.

The other huge advantage of vector is that the image is crisp no matter how far you zoom in. So you don’t have to worry about a graphic being pixelly when you blow it up for a large sign, binder cover, etc. Vector art can be viewed and printed at any scale — whether business cards or billboards!  As an .eps file, it can be read by any vector-based graphics program, and even imported into Microsoft Word as clipart. This means that the same logo file that looks great on a business card will also look great on a billboard.  The bottom line — for print design, a vector logo will always look and work best. Any design agency will typically start with a vector logo, but can easily export Web-friendly files from this format.

One more thing — a raster image will either be grayscale or CMYK  color for print. If you have a logo with one or two colors, you’ll still pay for a 4-color print process using a JPG or TIF image. If you use a vector image, you can specify Pantone spot colors and really reduce your printing costs!

If you only have a logo that is raster (JPG) based, I can help you turn it into a vector graphic that can be used on many different applications. Just contact me at anita@lolaludesign.com.

The following is from a handout that Stacey Anderson gave us at an eWomen event. She is a professional organizer and a really great speaker. I just had to share this valuable information. My additional comments are in teal.

• Be concise and to the point
• Use templates for frequently used responses
• Don’t leave out the previous message thread
• Read the entire email again before you sent it. This will save you embarrassment!
• Do not over use “Reply to All”.
• Use a meaningful subject line. Before responding to that email, or when you save it- change the subject line so that you can better understand what the message is about.  Perhaps add the date, topic or other specific details in the subject line.  And when sending an email make the subject line as specific as possible.
• Avoid using URGENT and IMPORTANT
• Avoid long sentences – try to keep entire email to one screen shot
• Use proper spelling, grammar and punctuation
• Use a signature that includes your address, email, and telephone number. If you want to set an expectation of when you will be checking and replying to email, include your business hours.
• Don’t reply to spam – mark as junk mail and delete
• Take care with abbreviations and emoticons
• Try not to use attachments – paste the information in the body of the email. If you must send a file that can’t be copied/pasted, send it using a service like YouSendIt.com. The recipient can download it from a link and there’s a lessened chance of the email getting blocked by spam filters (a common occurrence at larger companies).
• Know that what you write is permanent and can be sent/forwarded to anyone
• Mailings – use the BCC: field or do a mail merge so email addresses are not visible
• If you CC: someone on an email, specify what you expect from them so everyone knows if they need to respond or not.

If you would like more tips about taming your email, contact:

Stacey Anderson- Professional Organizer, Speaker and Author
www.organizedinnovations.com
425-785-5239

Are you an individual or small business that knows you need some sort of logo to help identify you from competitors? Do you have no idea what you want in a logo, making it hard to talk to a graphic designer? Below are some quick tips to help articulate ideas to shorten the design process and potentially saving you some money.

1. Look at the logos of other businesses in your industry. Do your competitors use solid, conservative images, or flashy graphics and type? Think about ways you want to differentiate your logo from your competition.
2. Make a list of your values and circle the top three. Values are what appeal to your target market and are true to you as business. These things are so important that they become rules to guide your company. Values are who you want to be and how you get there. They are your culture.
3. Make a list of brand attributes (metaphors, descriptive words and symbols) and circle the top three. The brand attributes are personality traits that reflect the idea that businesses can be viewed in much the same way that people are. We react emotionally to all our interactions with them. It’s important to ensure that these interactions are consistently on target with just the right business feel and tone of voice.
4. Now that you have a list of values and attributes, what images, symbols, or colors come to mind when you think of them? Make a list of them.
5. Round up a group of other people in your network. Share your values, attributes, images, symbols, etc. to get feedback. Often, you are too close to your ideas. Your network can see your business as a consumer/client and give you valuable information. They may come up with ideas you haven’t thought about. Be sure to write down all ideas, no matter how outrageous.
6. Your logo should be clean and functional. Your logo should work well on a business card or a billboard. A good logo should be easy to reproduce. Icons are better than photographs since they can be deciphered when scaled small. If you include too much detail, think about what it will look like scaled really small or on a fax.
7. Using all the information you have gathered, sketch out some ideas on paper. Logos can be one of three types: font-based, consisting primarily of a type treatment; an illustrated logo that literally illustrates what your company does, such as when a house-painting company uses an illustration of a brush in its logo; or an abstract graphic symbol, such as Nike’s swoosh, that becomes linked to a company’s brand. You don’t have to be an artist. If your shape doesn’t look quite like it should, make a note of what it should be. The point is to get a rough idea to share with a designer.
8. Explore your colors. One thing you need to be careful of as you explore your color options is cost. A five-color logo might look gorgeous, but the price won’t be so attractive when you put it on stationary. Try not to exceed three colors unless you deem it absolutely necessary.
9. Take your rough sketches and ideas to a graphic designer. Shop around for a graphic designer. If the price seems high, look at it this way—remember that a good logo should last at least 10 years. If you look at the amortization of that cost over a 10-year period, it doesn’t seem so bad. Sure, you can find a cheap designer, but you often get what you pay for. A graphic designer can take your ideas and give them some finesse, as well as make them digital. Since you have done your homework, you cut down on the amount of time a designer has to brainstorm with you, which could potentially save time and money.
10. Next steps. Be sure to get several versions of your new logo. At a minimum, you should request a color version, a black & white version and a reversed version. Depending on your design, you might also want both a horizontal and vertical version. Insist on getting vector versions of your logo (.eps) with the fonts converted to outlines. You don’t’ need to know what that means and you might not even be able to open the file, but it’s extremely important. You need to safeguard these files as any other business asset. Any time you work with a print company, print designer, web designer, etc. be sure to give them these files. They will love you! Have your logo designer also give you JPG or PNG versions of each version of your logo so you can use it in email, Word docs, etc.

With a well-designed logo, potential clients can instantly discover how your business can serve them.