The design department brings graphic design ideas, tips and tricks and concepts for design, printing, photography and publishing of all kinds. Everyone is welcome, beginners and pros alike. The best place to start is with the latest issue of the Newsletter
Graphic Design & Desktop Publishing
Paper Engineering: Design, Cut, Fold, POP
Discover the world of Paper Engineering - design, cut, fold, assemble and pop it up into an amazing statement ... here are videos, books and instructional aids to take you from 2-D paper to 3-D WOW! Design cards that Slide, Dangle, Move, flip and pop! 3D Projects that will deliver your message and become Treasures Paper Engineering: Design, Cut, Fold, POP ... also includes some very cool videos!
PagePlus
A lot of people think you have to purchase Adobe InDesign or Quark XPress to get all the features available to desktop publishers, but as we discover more and more powers in PagePlus X3 we're beginning to think there's a third choice! In this brief tutorial, we'll show you how simple it is to use PagePlus for Text on a Path
Elements of Shock used in Advertising
These days, some of the imagery used in advertising leverages human nature to drive home the point. This essay by Alla Babin of Bizi Marketing Solutions builds an in-depth case in favor of -- or against -- the use of certain basic and taboo human needs in advertising. We all know about it, many exploit it, and many strongly object to it. But, does it really work? Will viewers remember the shock or the product; or both?
Pop-up Cards Magnifici
Giovanni Russo Grafico is a design firm in Italy who first created in 1992. Although not a new idea, having been practiced in China for centuries, the pop-up postcards method and technique (called Biglietti a Rilievo translated: relief postcards) is so special they were awarded a patent in 1993. Come along and meet Giovanni Russo and discover why we call it Pop-up Cards Magnifici
Text on a Path with PagePlus
A lot of people think you have to purchase Adobe InDesign or Quark XPress to get all the features available to desktop publishers, but as we discover more and more powers in PagePlus X3 we're beginning to think there's a third choice! In this brief tutorial, we'll show you how simple it is to use PagePlus for Text on a Path
Book Fonts: what are they, why do we want them
Typography expert David Bergsland talks about book fonts and why their readability, legibility, smooth type color and other characteristics are important to designers. We also show you some samples of David's just-released "Amitale" book font. Follow along as we answer the question What are Book Fonts, why do we need them
Type faces speak to your readers... delivers the visual message
the next article in our series on publication design deals with selecting typography, type faces or fonts that evoke the theme, emotion, and personality of the message. All publications are aimed at a specific target readership -- it's the designer's challenge to purvey and reinforce the message to that readership using the best Type faces that speak to your readers
Newsletters: Graphic Design for Hard Times
or... let design and layout save you from the slump! You may have forgotten -- during economic down-turns, the newsletter is one of the best vehicles for pumping up identity and loyalty in both commercial business and organizations. Here, we look at enhancing the design of a nonprofit newsletter for real impact and results -- first in a series Designing your newsletter
Feature interview: Decoding Maggie
Since this month is "Design Graduation" month, we knew new design graduates would like to get a little insight into how one person grew to become a world-class, celebrated design force. See some spectacular graphics, get a fresh shot-in-the-arm -- ladies and gentlemen, meet Maggie Macnab...
Soft Soap revisited
A year after our article on a certain self-promotion from the 1970s, one of the creators of that promotion, Ron Mabey of the famed Mabey Trousdell studios -- writes to shed some light on the original creation of that controversial promotional box called ... SOFT SOAP
Designing in Ceramic Tiles
At a time when creative services may be sliding with the economy, some niche markets continue to flourish. Follow along as Fred takes a look at the use of ceramics for business signage and architectural markings -- not only a lucrative side-line, but one of high-art and lasting durability... Designing in Ceramics
The 10 Commandments of Guerrilla Marketing Design
The Dean of Desktop Publishing, Roger C. Parker returns with some do's and don'ts about Guerrilla Marketing. However, we think these ten commandments are essential for any designer in any field! It's an attitude that emphasizes the efficient and memorable delivery of information... all part of his recent book Design to Sell The 10 Commandments of Guerrilla Marketing Design
Designers Share "BEST" products & the Holidays
This month designers reflect on holiday design and cite Vectormagic Vector your Raster images online; Yousendit.com for sending huge files online and Camtasia by TechSmith video screen capture as among the favorites from 2007.
Jump directly to the Fall Fonts Festival
What's My Font?
Author and Macintosh technical expert George M Engel -- with some rants, pet peeves, and favorite type faces -- and why (along with picture samples) as a continuation of last month's article. You can even download a whimsical font recommended by George in ... What's My Font
Brown without the Blues
Joyce Dalman, a Print Broker with her own company Joyce Dalman Printing Services knows what it takes to deliver reliable color to her clients in Southern California. And if you're delivering brown for a client like UPS, it can't be just any brown. She knows how to build Brown without the Blues
Type & Typography according to George
Author and Macintosh technical expert George M Engel -- talks about one of his long time passions, type and typography -- he shares some of his favorite fonts and hard-learned tips on making a better newsletter... My Typography Demo
Creating Typography with Character
Special guest author and designer, Maggie Macnab takes a look at today's typography. She provides some thought provoking insights into taking the right approach when designing with typefaces. See samples from some of todays graphic design authorities -- so you can learn how to create Typography with Character
Designers tell their stories: What do you do?
DTG quite frequently receives email and inquiries from readers or students asking what it's like to be a designer. So, here are designers in the field talking about their experiences in this continuing series: Designers share insights into their jobs...
Design Pro or Freelancer?
Each year we get a ton of inquiries from people who want to migrate into the design profession. They write asking questions about what it's like to be a designer. You can help us paint a picture of the Design Life by filling out our brief survey. We'll start an ongoing page which includes the best, and perhaps the worst, of your comments... anonymously of course. We'll also send out prizes to those who provide particularly insightful responses. So, help out by completing the Design Pro / Freelancer Survey
Predict CMYK Color with Confidence
Remember, we told you about Tintbooks last year... today, print manager Joyce Dalman writes about the comprehensive CMYK Graphic Design Tool for building the color you want using CMYK so you can Predict Color with Confidence
Color Palettes in Design
The art of color is a difficult art to learn, and apply. So many people today think they can design a pleasing color palette, but really cannot. But one thing they can do -- seek out the fabulous Art Nouveau design and ornament period for an unlimited wellspring of ideas for Color Palettes in Design
Interview: Sara Horowitz, Freelancers Union
Sara Horowitz founded Working Today to meet the needs of the new, independent workforce -- which became the Freelancers Union, to deliver benefits to independent workers in New York City's Silicon Alley. This interview courtesy of Sessions.edu Sara Horowitz, Freelancers Union
Selecting a Color Palette
It's not hard to persuade a designer that color matters. But persuading Fortune 500 companies? You might be surprised. Color consultant Leatrice Eiseman has carved out a major career in helping companies "make correct choices in colors that sell." ... Expert Advice from a Color Consultant
Gamefull Art
So, you think you'd like to get into Games development? Follow along as Sessions School of Game Art advisory board member Jolene Spry interviews Dave Taylor, independent video game producer and long-term veteran of the gaming industry in ... Gameful Art
12 most common eBook design mistakes
The Dean of Desktop Publishing, Roger C. Parker returns with this tutorial to help make your electronic publications attention-getting, attractive, and easy to read... all part of his recent book Design to Sell 14 most common eBook design mistakes
Questions for Designers
Anne-Marie "HerGeekness" Concepcion wrote about "Telling Questions" prospective design employers may ask the job applicant. Some of the questions are obvious -- others not so. So, we teamed up with Anne-Marie to find out if YOU can correctly answer these Questions for Designers. Then Fred took it a step further and challenges you to pass the freshman digital graphics test.
Going the Extra Mile in Design
Every wondered what it's like to hold a high-powered design position in the cosmetics and fashion industry? Enjoy this intreview by Industry expert and Sessions EDU instructor Laura Schwamb, and get a peek into the life of Lara Modjeski VP of Creative, Tom Ford Beauty
Celedy Software CeledyDraw 2
Can professional Windows users in the design field exist without Adobe Illustrator? Maybe not... probably not. However, most other Windows users can indeed exist nicely without Adobe Illustrator -- here's a robust, alternative for just about anyone... CeledyDraw 2
Seymour Chwast: icon of contemporary graphic arts
We have a short visit with Seymour Chwast during his recent visit to JMU... and take a look at some of the visual design and illustration that helped shape a generation of graphic designers ... meet the Left Handed Designer... Seymour Chwast
Designing For Print On A Budget
Thomas McKenna instructor for Sessions.edu talks about the never-ending battle of the limited print budget. If you don't have much money to spend on printing, here are a few of the tricks and techniques you can use when Designing For Print On A Budget
New Typography: What difference does it make?
With the new generation of desktop publishing software, it has become much easier to set professional quality typography. Design & publishing expert David Bergsland takes a brief look at the New Typography
Graphic Design: LOGOs back to basics
Dan Antonelli is back with another thoughtful look at logo design. In this article, Dan asks if we are over-designing logos, and demonstrates a low-cost, two-color approach that takes Logo Design Back to the Basics
InDesign: Grids into Complex Tables by merging
One of the common tasks desktop publishers encounter is the need to reproduce existing forms. Design & publishing expert David Bergsland shares this step-by-step tutorial for the best way to make Complex Tables in Adobe InDesign
Spiral Binding with InDesign
A Design Cafe reader was dealing with printing a pocket booklet that needed the binding moved from 'center' between pages to the top. We came up with a solution, but then got some good advice from Anne-Marie Concepcion, the Design-Geek for Spiral Binding using Adobe InDesign
Graphic Design: An effective logo is easy to grasp
Although Dan Antonelli is firmly grounded in the sign and display industry, his logos are unsurpassed, and his knowledge of pleasing clients while not compromising their identity is relentless. In this article, Dan discusses what makes a good logo, and shows some focused examples of how an effective logo is easy to grasp
The Apple Core vs. Linear Logic
Special guest designer, Maggie Macnab provides a thought provoking essay on symbols and modern man. This is essential reading for anyone in the visual arts fields -- particularly if you're designing logos and symbols. Of that discipline, Maggie is the ultimate authority. The Apple Core vs. Linear Logic
Grand Brand Theft
Susan Kirkland is back with another insightful essay, this time on Brand and Logo knock-offs... guess who are the biggest brand hijackers? Guess who is the biggest logo hijacker? She bars no holds in this knock-out piece we'll call: Grand Brand Theft
12 most common newsletter design mistakes
The Dean of Desktop Publishing, Roger C. Parker joins us with a tutorial to help make your newsletters attention-getting, attractive, and easy to read... all part of his new book Design to Sell
12 most common newsletter design mistakes
Education of A Designer
Gary Dickson is back with a thoughtful look at learning to be a designer and what it means to be a designer... who I am, as much as what I do...
A Designer's Education
Building Colors on Uncoated Stock
Tintbooks Introduces Tintbook Uncoated -- Remember, we told you about Tintbooks last year... well, they've now completed the first comprehensive CMYK Graphic Design Tool for printing on Uncoated Paper. See the latest TINTBOOK...
InDesign CS2
Author and Macintosh technical expert George M Engel -- a die-hard PageMaker user -- found Adobe's InDesign a bit of a pain to get used to... but now he's found some new features that he really likes in the new Adobe InDesign CS2
Readers talk about racism in Design
An outpouring of response from DTG readers presents a wide range of Letters to the Editor regarding previous articles about Racism in Design
Form Follows Function... or not?
Gary Dickson is back with another of his thought-provoking articles. This time he's searching for any truth to the new theory that this is no longer the information age and that Function is Dead... Long Live Function
Adobe InDesign CS2 Speed Tricks
Here's another round of great tips from the Adobe Experts... * The Secrets of the Quick Apply command -- make your formatting more efficient! Also: * A highlighting pen effect for type; and * Collecting footnotes InDesign Speed Tricks
Designing the Holidays
Each year I like to share some of my favorite design projects perfect for holiday promotions or greetings... here are four easy techniques for your own self promotion... Unique Greetings with Fantastic Folds
Self Promotion: Soft Soap
One of the all-time best self-promotions comes from the 1970s and the Mabey Trousdell studios -- reminding us of the top four prerequisites for a squeaky clean self promotion ... SOFT SOAP Let the boys do your work!
How to design a logo of letters
Are you known by your initials? Turn those letters into a terrific signature! Desktop Publishing icon John McWade joins us this month to share some tips and tricks on getting the most out of letterforms for logos and monograms... How to design a logo of letters
Stock Layouts for CorelDRAW
For graphic designers and business publishers who need to produce professional-looking brochures, newsletters, flyers, postcards, ads, business cards, letterheads and more. For CorelDRAW Graphics Suite versions 9 through 12
Creating for Today's Print Workflow
Printing industries expert Gretchen A. Peck reports that as many as 90 percent of the digital files printers receive from customers are in some state of disrepair. Designers today must be prepared to accept new responsibilities, and think beyond design aesthetics -- Creating for Today's Print Workflow
Color Wrap: Designing with purpose
See how careful planning of the photo shoot can save money on great shots, and then how printing and folding a single sheet solution can save a ton of money. Trace a catalog project for a small business that delivers all the collateral materials they need on a very limited color printing budget... Color Wrap: Designing with purpose
Design Cafe Logo Critique
So, the Design Cafe decided to have a logo contest and let listees propose a new logo. Many submitted and these 16 finalists get the once over by other Cafe listees and some special graphic design celebrities... Cafe Logo Critique
Designing Logos
Gary reflects on designing logos, dispels some myths and shares anecdotes on what a logo really is; how some clients never learn, and what Paul Rand had to say about them. Gary says Logos are magic, but there's Nothing Up My Sleeve
InDesign CS2 Classroom in a Book
Author and Macintosh technical expert George M Engel takes a look at the latest Classroom in a book from Adobe; the experts in the tradecraft of image editing and layout design -- InDesign CS2 - Classroom in a Book
Fantastic Folds: Part Two
Now we take a look at designers' unique expressions of creativity in folding for greeting cards. The first two show some savvy design -- and extraordinary inventiveness in "Designing Cards"
Fantastic Folds: Part One
Where do you look for creative ideas in crafting a unique, creative holiday greeting and promotional mailing? One of the elements of print media is folding. It comes along with the job, and if you incorporate a unique fold, your piece will be truly memorable. Here's the first part of our series on "Designing with Paper Folds"
Inspiration in a Bottle
Discover sources of inspiration that may just take you to the next level of creativity! Designer/Author Gary Dickson asks: "Where does your inspiration come from?" ... then shares his experiences of Inspiration in a Bottle"
Picture Perfect Holiday Postcards
It doesnt take a lot of time, money or effort to create, print and mail a postcard. But when done right, postcards can be enormously effective
Babel Color Brings New Color
The BabelColor Company has rolled out the second version of "BabelColor", a color comparator and translator software designed for the Mac and Windows platforms. Babel Color Color Comparator
Patriotic Art & Design
This three-page essay takes a star-spangled march through the lives of noted patriotic artists and how their styles and talents served to define a people and their country; Patriotic art is a part of everyone's history. Here we glimpse just a few of the forms of Patriotic Art, then celebrate the lives and times of James Montgomery Flagg and J.C. Leyendecker
Airman Magazine: Patriotic Design
Airman Magazine takes to the skies with powerful photo journalism and commanding design styling... excellent lesson in Patriotic Design
Easy Single-Sheet Booklet
This favorite from the "Creative Layout" seminars shows you a neat little trick for making a complete 16-page book from a single sheet of paper!Postcard design that works
It doesnt take a lot of time, money or effort to create, print and mail a postcard. But when done right, postcards can be enormously effectiveCreative Envelopes
Someone asked how to mass-produce custom envelopes quickly by hand. It reminded us of this 1998 article in DTG about Handmade, Custom EnvelopesPublication Design Standards
People always ask for design "standards" of some form or another. So are there rules we can design by. Of course. Here's where our Newsletter Makeover Clinic tackles Publication Design StandardsPublication Design Covers
Part II of the series looks at designing nameplates and banners for publications. Nameplates & Banners, and then in part III we look at how Parade Magazine builds flexible, dynamic spreads based on moveable grids!How to be Creative?
Clare Warmke, acquisitions editor for HOW Design Books takes a moment to reflect on "Creativity" in her article: A moment of white spaceHelp for a nonprofit newsletter?
Sure... when this local organization wanted to improve their newsletter we said "You need a Newsletter make-over clinic"Brochures: Creative Folding
When you really have to get attention, look for ways to break out of the boring 8.5 x 11 three-fold concepts -- involve your reader and bring new life to that old brochureDesigning with Art Nouveau
Look back over history and never overlook the visual powers of Designing with Art NouveauDesigning for Promotion
We've run several articles on scratch pads as promotional ideas for designers. Here we visit a designer from Sir Speedy PromotionsDesigning with Ceramics
When we run across a unique sign in our travels to New Mexico we have to send this report on Ceramic SignsThe Designing Business
Although this is part of our Business department, designers can learn a thing or two in How to Hire A DesignerUnique Design Layout...
One of the more popular layouts we've presented over the years is the Digital photo tent displayUsing Color in Design
(From the Photoshop Department) Designers must always remember the powers of color. Sometimes you need a little help Using Color to Harmonize PhotosSure-fire Techniques for Creative Thinking
Take this step-by-step tutorial and see if you don't get a real surge of Creative ThinkingGenerating Creative Ideas
A frequent problem for graphic designers is falling into a creative slump. Here's a whole page to help you sharpen your creative edgesMaking your graphics work
Of course creating graphics is only part of the challenge. Getting them to print requires a bit of output file wisdomUnusual Design Layouts
If you need to stand out, then do something different... Design: Skinny Layout Templates.Other Favorites
- Layouts For Portfolio Disk Jackets
- Laser Paper Selection
- InkJet Paper Selection
- Handmade, Custom Envelopes
- Becoming A Graphic Designer
- Visual Proofreading
- Die Cutting without Dies
- Designing for CREEP
- Easy Type Modification Tricks
- T/Maker EPS Clip Art Classics
- Finding Varnish Techniques
- Spectacular design student work
- Unique Brochure Folds
Return to the Design Department, or back to the Front Page
Participate in your Design Center
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