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DTG Magazine Table of Contents
Do you LOVE fonts? What's in YOUR Fonts list?
It's all happening this month in the DTG Typography DepartmentSuggest a font... suggest a type site... share your favorite downloadable font... show us your latest type, logo, lettering or typography masterpiece... if we think it's cool, we'll send you a gift, just for participating. Participate by posting your favorites here
Jump right in to the 14th Annual Fonts Festival
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
Fractals Part 3 : Using a Fractal Effectively in Your Design
Fractals can be the graphic designers' best friend! In part 3 of this series, creative digital artist Pam Blackstone talks about the unique possibilities of fractals for print materials, web design, book and magazine illustration, product packaging, fabric and textile design, industrial design, merchandising, and more. These colorful creations can be very effective design solutions
Live Typography in Illustrator Patterns?
Picture this: you've built a great pattern using letters or typography in Illustrator, and the client calls to update the text! OH NO! You'll have to start over. Not if you get plug-in for simultaneous interactive editing of multiple objects in this fantastic new plug-in Artlandia LivePresets for Adobe Illustrator
Text becomes art, photos become text
We told you about ArText several years ago and now Simon Leung of ArText is back with art he specifically created for the 14th Annual Fonts Festival. He's been working on the software and now it offers some awesome new capabilities to use random Freestyle typography when generating art based on your digital photos! Fantastic! See the spectacular workings converting photos to text with Artext
Back to Design School ... online and at home
Do you really have to go to school to learn more about design? Yes, it's best... but the next best thing is self-learning -- and here, Fred recommends the best online video training, training/learning books and even a visual extravaganza to help sharpen your creative edges. Free video tutorials, chapters, advice for those who want to go Back to (Design) School
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
Fractals Part 2 : Infinite Art Equals Infinite Possibilities
Fractals can be the graphic designers' best friend! In part 2 of the series, creative digital artist Pam Blackstone discusses the real design possibilities of using fractals to describe tone, mood, and even image. She also points out why this is such a versatile file format for Infinite Possibilities
Luba Lukova: Social Justice 2008
Somewhere between Picasso's wood-cut years and German Expressionism, Luba Lukova has carved a deep niche in social graphic design -- one that will not be erased for decades and generations to come. The messages are stark, undeniable, and slam you right between the eyes. If you cannot own it, at least see Social Justice 2008 Luba Lukova
Worldwide Identity, Inspired Design from Forty Countries
There is more to being a designer than using tools to re-form and regurgitate our thoughts. There is more to design than balancing concept with execution. Maggie Macnab reviews a blockbuster book by Robert L. Peters that examins the very intent of design with regards to Worldwide Identity
7 Point System for Adobe Photoshop CS3
George M Engel takes a look at Scott Kelby's 7-point system for working with digital photos. He says: "I would classify it in the Intermediate to Professional user level... a typical Scott Kelby Photoshop book: Great graphics; Extremely well put together; Comprehensive and well thought out. 7 Point System for Adobe Photoshop CS3
Tracy Martin : Photo Folio
It's always a pleasure to visit DTG readers and their portfolios -- and sometimes, maybe one out of every so many hundreds of entries, along comes one with true vision. When we looked at Tracy's images were then frozen to the moment. Photo Folio: Tracy Martin
Designers discover fractallicious fractals!
In the DTG Graphics department, creative digital artist Pam Blackstone specializes in fractal art and begins a series of articles to introduce you to the design possibilities found in the wonderful, colorful, amazing world of fractals. So get ready for some eye-popping good fun with fractals that are Fractallicious!
Photo Folio: Jerry Jividen photos saving wildlife
Jerry's folio submission arrived and we immediately took a little trip over to his photo site where we found a huge diversity of great shots... but the story in this post is saving wildlife through photography!
Jerry Jividen: photos save wildlife
Illustrator CS3 Live Color
Design guru Geoff Blake joins us for a look at some awesome color power... Geoff sez:
"You're gonna love Illustrator's new Live Color command. It remaps the colors in your artwork -- reducing artwork to a specific number of colors with just a few mouse clicks, creating eye-popping color combinations"
Blow up those JPGs
one of those frequent questions we get all the time is "How can we enlarge our JPG images, or shots downloaded from the web?" Sooner or later, if you have a digital camera and a computer, you're going to want to enlarge an image. This time we're challenged with enlargements over 1000 percent... but we solved the problems with a good dose of Genuine Fractals
Picking up the Pieces of my Life
This month George relates a little problem he had downloading some graphics for his May newsletter -- which turned into big problems after turning off his Windows anti-virus software... Lessons learned ... again!
Pixelmator Draftsman GPU-powered image editing tool
Pixelmator Draftsman GPU-powered image editing tool to create, edit, and enhance still images - features rulers, guides, grid, snap, color balance, auto enhance, curves, and polygonal lasso tools and much more. continue reading...
Business: The Land of Difficult People
From Tibet to Mexico to the Balkans, every culture has its own cherished folktales. Now, Terrence L. Gargiulo and Gini Graham Scott, Ph.D share their wisdom for dealing with typical workplace characters drawn from the world's treasury of folk stories -- in the Land of Difficult People continue reading...
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...
Color Schemes with Accents
Industrial Design professor Christiane English uses GenoPal, demonstrating methodology for picking a neutral light color, creating close variations, adding accent, then adding shadow colors to your palette -- all in harmony -- Like a Cherry on Vanilla Ice
Light, Bright, Color, Right
... how color palette can make your vision sing, using colors to evoke a feeling, mood, sense of time or place. Let's take a look at some works of this year's Designing Women, and see how they use color to bring their visions into full light! Building Color? What's in your palette?
Decoding Design
George Engel reviews Maggie Macnab's awesome new book all about symbols in graphic design -- he includes pictures and some links you're sure to enjoy! This is recommended for everyone Decoding Design: Understanding and Using Symbols in Visual Communication
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
Economic Apocalypse: Eight Steps Your Company Can Take to Survive It
The private business sector is in trouble, and the final showdown is coming. If you're one of the 75 percent of mid-sized companies that's not increasing in value, it's time to adapt or die. Private business guru Rob Slee explains what you need to do right now to stay alive. Become a Midas Manager
Direct Marketing Primer
Lynne Saarte and Janice Jenkins present a four-page primer on direct response marketing. First, Janice addresses "generation y" marketing. Topics covered are using your database, marketing with postcards, and measuring your direct response marketing campaign.
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
Viewsonic VX2235 LCD Display
Next, George Engel shares his experiences in purchasing a new 22" display -- and points out several good criteria when shopping for displays. If Santa brought you some cash, and you've been wanting a new or second computer monitor, then read George's review of the Viewsonic VX2235 LCD Display
Digital Cameras: Good, Bad, Ugly
I've been testing digital cameras for some time -- even destroyed a few! This year the quest was for a durable camera for video that would stand up to extreme sports, while giving good image qualaity. I tested a few really good ones, and a few real dogs. Hopefully I'll help you make a smart decision on purchasing your next Digital Camera
A quick Tune up for your computer
Is your PC not running like it used to? Bogged down by too many startup items, slow to load, slow to restart? Maybe it's time for your annual end of the year PC tune up! Wesley Warren of Vexcom.com shares these tune-up tricks for your Annual PC Maintenance: A quick Tune up for your computer
Creating a Photo-Painting
Who else could supply the ultimate tips for using Painter than the award-winning fine artist, designer and educator Cher Threinen-Pendarvis! In this three page excerpt from Cher's latest work, we follow the works of Master Photographer and Digital Painter Michael Campbell as he creates a masterpiece painting from a photograph...
Web Design Tutorial: How to build tabbed navigation in CSS
If you've ever fumbled over setting up good, accurate CSS coding for navigation buttons, then you'll really appreciate this article by Rachel Andrew, excerpted from The CSS Anthology: 101 Essential Tips, Tricks & Hacks, a CSS book by Rachel from SitePoint.com... Creating tabbed navigation in CSS
Book Review: Non-Designer's Design & Type Books ~ Deluxe Edition
Back in the Fall Fonts Festival you read George's insights into type and typography. Well now you get to discover one of George's most inspirational resources on type and design -- from one of our favorite authors of all times, Robin Williams! Non-Designer's Design & Type Books
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
MAJOR EVENT: Icograda World Design Congress with Maggie Macnab
Special guest author and designer, Maggie Macnab reports on the meeting of the Design World minds at the 2007 Icograda World Design Congress in La Habana, Cuba. Over 600 designers, teachers and related professionals gathered from 57 countries to discuss the current state of design ... Icograda World Design Congress
Painter: Photo to Woodcut
Painter is one of the premier natural medial programs, and ideal for converting that coveted vacation shot to a graphic work of art -- follow along as award-winning fine artist, designer and educator Cher Threinen-Pendarvis shows you how noted artist John Derry created his Pagoda Woodcut
Promotional ideas of the season
We're back again with more ideas on using scratch pads for your seasonal promotion -- this time I've included templates, layouts and even a starter kit. If you haven't put your promo into motion yet, perhaps you should ask What's a little padding between friends?
The Padding Magic Padding Press
When you read the padding press articles and instructions here, you might be asking yourself how to get a padding press. Hugh Lyman, engineer and inventor contacted me to show me his new padding press design -- and this is a knock-out -- the one you need is the Padding Magic Padding Press
Business: Rise of the Designer / Copywriter
Marketing-savvy designers who complement their design service with copywriting can expect more lucrative projects and plenty of on-going work. Marketing consultant Shaun Crowley looks at a few copywriting designers who no longer tell their clients "I'm a designer not a writer" -- see Rise of the Designer / Copywriter
Top Level Domains
When you're starting to craft a website these days you have to hit the URL running -- even before you've started the planning and coding process. In this essay, Tim Clukey of the Plattsburgh State University Communications Department, shares these insights into domains on the web. Taking it to the Top: A Short Survey of Top Level Domain Options
Software Review: Klix saved my Photos from doom
How much are your digital photos worth to you? Priceless? An old favorite of George's is resurrected under a new name and new company -- with a Mac OS X version that actually saves your photos from corrupted digital camera media... Klix (Image Recovery)
Jump into the Annual 13th Annual Fall Fonts Festival
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
Painter To Photoshop & Back Again
Many Photoshop users think the word "Corel" is a thing of the past. However, those truly in the know will say Painter does it all. We do get a lot of questions about using the two together -- so we turned to the award-winning fine artist, designer and educator Cher Threinen-Pendarvis with her excellent tips for Using Painter with Photoshop
Review: Marshall McLuhan ... Everyman's McLuhan
"McLuhan was right." said the Reporter, June 1976 -- You thought "Global Village" referred to the internet? Right? You thought "The Medium is the Message" referred to MySpace, or Google? Right? Maybe, maybe not. But you won't know for sure until you discover (or re-discover) Marshall McLuhan! I'm including this book review not just because it's a visual treat -- but because everyone should experience the thoughts and words of Everyman's McLuhan
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
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
Video Marketing Tips
The use of videos on the Internet brings numerous advantages. Marketing expert Adriana Iordan shares advantages, tips and tricks for video marketing tools and techniques. Video Marketing Tips
Business Marketing & Advertising: Branding vs. Direct Response
Unless you're a ubiquitous consumer products company, the value of branding is far, far less than the value of direct response. Joel Walsh, web marketing and search engine expert explores Small Business Marketing And Advertising: Branding vs. Direct Response
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
How much should I charge
In the Design Cafe I provided an answer to one of the most frequent questions we receive -- about pricing creative services. Whether you're a new designer, or a new freelancer, you need some basic starting points to answer the questions...
* How much should I charge??
* How do I find and get new clients?
* Lead Services: Pros & Cons
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. sponses. So, help out by completing the Design Pro / Freelancer Survey
Business: The ultimate design brief
Your design can only be as good as the brief you worked from. The best projects are borne from briefs that are open enough to inspire ideas, while being specific enough to feel workable. Shaun Crowley shows how you can elicit these kinds of briefs by providing clients with The ultimate design brief
Customers & Gaboon Vipers
A little humor from the pages of the Naked Serviceman -- those customers that are like nails scratching on a blackboard when they call.. You pick up the phone and you recognize the voice -- and know that you've been struck by another Gaboon Viper
AdWords Campaigns?
There can be no good commerce without proper marketing. Adriana Iordan shares tips and techniques for proper marketing to boost sales reaching a specific range of potential customers. AdWords Campaigns?
Designing an interactive PDF newsletter
Publishing expert Rob Cubbon shares tips and tricks on how to use Adobe InDesign to make an interactive screen resolution PDF ... Designing an interactive PDF newsletter
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
Beach Blankets and Business
You'd love to spend a week lounging on the beach with your family. Problem is, you're an entrepreneur with no time for such frivolities. Right? Wrong! Ty Freyvogel shares six summer suggestions for entrepreneurs who want to pursue profits and still have a life
Epson R260 Printer
A little wit and common sense as author and computer guru George Engel, asks:
WHY WOULD A GRAPHICS-WISE GUY throw away a perfectly good Photo Printer that's getting 5740 x 1440 dpi pictures?
Well, you'll just have to read his review of the Epson R260 Printer
Major Event: Removing Backgrounds with Katrin Eismann
This is the ultimate tutorial for selecting fine images, delicate objects, wispy hair, and removing the background to replace it with a totally different image. This is the absolute best, anywhere when you have questions about Selecting hair and fine details in Photoshop
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
Designers talk about Freelancing
Sooner or later where there are graphic designers, illustrators, photographers, or other creative practitioners, question always come up: how much to charge, how to get new work, should I broker printing, where should I go for help? Designers talk about freelancing
Essential tips for Freelancers
Following our series of tips and advice for freelancing, we discovered one listee excelling in the field of web design, with this important advice, and a delightful web site and blog to back it up. Here, Lori Leach-Forster shares her Tips For Freelancing.
Continues: Index 2 | Index 3 | Index 4 | Index 5
Return to the Design & Publishing Center
Design Law Department
Law Reference |
What to do to avoid theft |
What are your rights? |
What is "Fair Use"
Basic Copyright Law |
Basic Trademark Law |
Basic Patent Law
Design Business Forms
Consulting Agreement |
Assignment Receivables |
Contract Clause: Damages
General Release |
Pledge of Personal Property
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