Just Creative Design

What to get a designer for Christmas or Birthday?

If you really want to please your designer friend this Christmas or on their birthday I suggest getting them one of these presents below.

What to get a designer for Christmas / birthday.

• New Books (Or a voucher for a book store that sells graphic design books)
• Pens & Pencils
• A Large Clock
• Graphic Design Magazine Subscriptions
• Computer Goods… for the rich friend
  
  • More RAM
  • Screen Calibrator
  • New Video Card
  • New Mouse - I recommend Logitech MX Revolution
  • New Computer (Mac or PC?)
  • New 24″ or 30″ Monitor
  • A Second Monitor
  • New Cordless Keyboard
  • New Software (Adobe Creative Suite)
  • Software Updates
  • Wacom Digital Graphics Tablet
  • Scanner
  • Multi Function Printer
  • A Massive External Hardrive

• Multi Card Reader
• Multi USB Connecters
• Drafting Table
• Lightbox
• Paints
• Art Paper / Canvas
• Pantone Swatches
• Sketch Pads / Moleskine
• Grid Book
• Easel
• Blank Canvases
• Post It Notes
• A Digital Camera
• iStock Credits (or other stock sites)
• Designer Tshirts
  
• Music
  • CDS
  • iTunes Shop Credits
  • New Speakers

Here is a list of 50 gifts under $50 for creatives.

Add your own wish list / suggestions in the comments below

Top 7 Most Overused Icons, Shapes & Symbols Used in Graphic Design

Is all design looking the same to you? Are you following graphic design trends subconsciously?

These are two questions to ponder over the next four weeks in this four part series showcasing the most used techniques, effects, icons, shapes, concepts, fonts, stock images and clichés used in design today.

The Four Part Series

• Top 7 Most Overused Techniques & Elements Used in Graphic Design
• Top 7 Most Overused Icons / Shapes Used in Graphic Design
• Top 7 Fonts Used by Professionals In Graphic Design
• Top 7 Most Overused Stock Images Used in Web Design

Below is the second article of four.

Top 7 Most Overused Icons / Shapes / Symbols Used in Graphic Design

In the last article, we looked at some of the most used design elements, in this one we go a bit further and look at particular shapes / icons / symbols that always seem to appear in graphic design related work, usually because of their perceived semiotics.

These icons / shapes / symbols are neither ‘good or bad’, however they are the most common found in today’s designs. Vector stock images have been used to portray each element for simplicities sake.

Hearts

The good ol’ heart is by far the most used icon in design. Made famous by Milton Glaser’s I Heart NY design, the heart can now be found everywhere. The heart has long been used as a symbol to refer to the spiritual, emotional, moral, and in the past, intellectual core of a human being and is the most well known symbol to represent love.

Skulls

On the other end of the scale we have the infamous skull. The skull is a symbol of death and rebellion and seems to find its way onto many clothing and music related designs. Wouldn’t you agree?

Wings

The use of wings in a design is usually used to portray freedom as people associate wings with angels and birds. Wings also have the perceived values of hope, speed, elevation, enlightenment, guidance, protection and inspiration. Wings are found very often in tattoo designs and are all too often, used in combination with skulls and crests as seen in the pictures above and below.

Heraldry / Crests

Wikipedia defines Heraldry as the “practice of designing, displaying, describing, and recording coats of arms and badges. The origins of heraldry lie in the need to distinguish participants in combat when their faces are hidden by iron and steel helmets.” Perhaps this is why crests come up so often in designs (especially tattoos), they distinguish one from another… or does it?

Lightglobes

The lightglobe is all too often used to portray an idea, creativity, innovation or something new. Don’t get stuck into using these cliches, get creative.

Stylised Arrows

Stylised arrows seem to make their way into many designs without real need. They do however, get the point across (no pun intended) - they make you look where the arrow is pointing and they give a sense of motion to a design.

Silhouetted City Skylines

City skylines are usually very complex so this is a clever and simple technique used in designs to give the location of the scene without making the design too complex which is why it used so often.

The main point that I want to portray by outlining these overused elements, is to try to encourage people to use these effects in a manner that suits the design, not just because they are available. Be imaginative and creative and always make an educated choice in your designs.

Do you agree? Do these symbols come up too often in designs? Why do you think so? What other ones would you add to this list? Voice your opinions below.

Top 7 Most Overused Techniques & Elements Used In 2008 Graphic Design

Is all design looking the same to you? Are you following graphic design trends subconsciously?

These are two questions to ponder over the next four weeks in this four part series showcasing the most used techniques, effects, icons, shapes, concepts, fonts, stock images and clichés used in design today.

The Four Part Series

• Top 7 Most Overused Techniques & Elements Used in Graphic Design
• Top 7 Most Overused Icons / Shapes Used in Graphic Design
• Top 7 Fonts Used by Professionals In Graphic Design
• Top 7 Most Overused Stock Images Used in Web Design

Below is the first article of four.

Top 7 Most Overused Techniques & Elements Used in Graphic Design

Whenever you look for inspiration, you are bound to come across at least one of these techniques / effects / elements. These effects are neither “good or bad” however they are the most common elements found in today’s designs.

Stock images have been used to portray each element. On that note of stock, there was a great discussion about the use of stock art over at GoMediaZine.

1. Sunrays / Rays of Light / Rising Sun

By far the most overused technique used in design today is the infamous rays of light usually found tucked away in the background of a design or at the very forefront of the design such as in the picture above.

2. Black (or Coloured) Silhouettes

Vectorised silhouettes of people and other objects is definitely second on the list. Made famous by the iPod campaign this technique can now be seen everywhere. Notice the combination of the sun rays and black silhouettes?

3. Ink Splatter

Closely contending with number 4, ink splatters are everywhere. Ink Splatters do add a cool / trendy look to a design and they do blend well with grunge style designs however ink splatters should be used in moderation.

4. Swirls / Flourishes / Ornaments

Swirls seem to be all the rage at the moment as they are quite appealing and generally just nice to look at. Flourishes & ornaments go well together to create organic, fresh designs which is quite ‘in’ at the moment.

5. Flowing Lines

Flowing lines generally add motion and fluidity to a design which gives it a certain emotion when combined with other elements (ie. funky circles as seen above) which is generally why they come up so often.

6. Funky Circles

The funky circle colour combo is evident in numerous designs across the web and like the name suggests it does give a design a quite funky look however they are being used everywhere!

7.  Smoke Textures

These smoky effects are not as blatantly obvious as the other ones as they are always in the background of a design however if you look a bit closer, these smoky effects are everywhere.

Is design looking more and more the same? Why? Is it because of stock art? Do you think the elements above are being overused? Voice your opinions below.

70+ Graphic Design Tips

Below are some graphic design tips that were submitted by JCD readers earlier this week as part of our 5000+ subscribers celebration. Read more »

How Self-Inspired Artwork Wins Clients & Boosts Creativity

Showcasing your vast creativity, boundless ideas and unique style is the key to winning new clients. Self initiated work is a critical element of any effective portfolio and it’ll help you win the jobs you want and boost your creativity at the same time.

This was the opening paragraph of the article “Build A Better Portfolio” in the latest addition (Issue 151) of Computer Arts magazine and I couldn’t agree more. I have realised that many of my self initiated projects I have enjoyed the most. You are not tied down by deadlines or a brief and because of this you really do get a chance to experiment with creative freedom.

Use of personal projects will not only show your own range of technical skills, it may even inspire your clients. If the stuff you really love doing is in there, then you have more chance of getting paid for that type of work. For example, when I added my vodka bottle design to my portfolio, I had 3 proposals within a month in regards to designing packaging for vodka.

Below you can see some of my self initiated designs (starting with type experiments) that I have done for fun over the past year however I really wish that I had done more (and with more time put into each one) and it is my goal to do more from now on.

Have you got any time put aside to work on your own personal projects?

Experimentation with vectors and rasters. It is me on the left and a friend.

This is Excelsiorbot, inspired by Helbotica.

Just a bit of fun photo manipulation.

An illustration I did for the Save The Earth campaign.

Experimentation with layers and blending styles.

A bit more on the crazy side. Rubber bands and glue.

Anyway, hope this inspires you to do a bit more self-inspired artwork! I know that I am going to be doing more of it and with more effort put into each one.

Once Upon A Time, I Designed A Drink Coaster

Have you ever won something? Well once upon a time, late back last year I entered a state wide design competition here in Australia and I won 2nd place (you can see the coaster design below) and it made me feel so good winning, not because of the prize money ($500) but because of the recognition (there was a ceremony and everything) that I just had to enter it again this year but this time I am going for gold!

But before you get onto me about designing for spec (something I am strongly against) I entered this design competition for a good cause… it was to promote the dangers of alcohol in our state and our designs were to be distributed right across NSW (our state).

The Brief

Anyway, the brief was to create a drink coaster that explored the issues related with the usage of alcohol. We had no other guidelines except the dimensions of the coaster (95mm diameter) and that it was to be directed towards 18 to 25 year olds - the rest was up to us.

The Design That Won in 2007

Below you can see the design that got me 2nd place last year… my typography skills have improved since then, so please, no judging… I believe I got the prize due to the concept not the execution, after all the purpose of design is to communicate and I believe this coaster gets the message across loud and clear. What are your thoughts?

The Process

For this years competition, I had a total of about 7 hours to get my design completed as I had to express post the design to their office before the deadline. I only had this amount of time because I have just returned from my holiday and couldn’t do it before then.

Anyway, after some brainstorming and rough sketching I finally came to an idea I liked. I then did a sketch of the proposed design (see left below) which I then scanned into the computer and then hand traced in Illustrator (see right below). I probably would have drawn and traced the letters a bit better if I had more time, but time was not on my side, however, in saying this I was still happy with the outcome.

After this I coloured the words in eye catching red colours (they are slightly different tones of red) and placed the bottle onto a black background.

I then had to choose a slogan to go alongside the coaster of which I finally came down to the slogan “Take A Closer Look”. One must remember that the simpler the message, the easier it is to communicate. I then played around with locations of where to put the tag which you can see below.

I ended up using the one that you can see on the bottom right as I believed it was the strongest - what is your opinion?

After a few test prints and tweaking I was ready to create the back of the coaster however I will not cover the process of the back cover here.

The font I used on the final design was Helvetica Neau 87 Heavy Condensed.

Below you can see the final designs, both front and back.

As always, constructive criticism and questions are welcome.

7 Female Graphic Designers That’ll Rock Your Socks Off

In this guest article Kelly Erickson* comes back for a second guest article (find her first article here) and this time Kelly showcases 7 truly unique and inspirational female graphic designers with a brief bio on each.

The field is ever-changing, yet the rock stars of graphic design are still, mainly, men. Meanwhile, the purchasing power of the globe is in the hands of individual women… It’s time to see more women like these seven, making a mark with their own Vision. Get inspired!

Marian Bantjes: Step Away From the Computer!

Based near Vancouver, British Columbia, Marian Bantjes’ extraordinary way with communication begs to be called “graphic art,” in the finest sense of the term. Fabulous hand lettering is her trademark, demonstrating the power of a fine pen in a plugged-in world. A 2006 installation created with Stefan Sagmeister shows off her hand work in an ultra-modern context. Her spam email centerfold for the Vancouver Review will make you tear your hair out with jealousy. This is one hard-working lady, even when she’s riffing on a bit of junk mail!

Kristen Nikosey: The Art and Craft of Communication

Illustrator and graphic designer Kristen Nikosey’s work evokes Impressionist painting and Arts & Crafts style, with a distinctly California vibe. Her book illustrations are rich. Her pattern designs are meticulously casual, if such a thing is possible, with deep color that jumps off the page. In her packaging and identity work she blends today’s digital design techniques with her old-world sensibilities.

Janet Allinger: With Tongue Planted Firmly in Cheek

Irreverent humour in identity design? If you’ve got Janet Allinger to inspire you, why not! If the market can take it, this designer dishes it out. While she’s been known to do more traditional design, it’s her post-feminist comic stylings that will grab and hold your attention. Fun, funky, and a little bit in-your-face—this lady’s not afraid of being known as “edgy.”

Laura Smith: Reinventing Retro

While designer Laura Smith is at work, Art Deco will always find fresh interpretations. She’s done work for heavy hitters from Time Magazine to Major League Baseball to the U.S. Postal Service, and that’s just for starters. Classic, colorful, edited to only the necessary detail, her graphic images are nostalgic but never stuffy.

Louise Fili: Elegant Romance

Louise Fili has a special way with food packaging and restaurant identity design: the old-fashioned way. Her intricate illustrations and hand-lettered type grace brands from the most familiar, like Williams-Sonoma’s, to the most exclusive. As a book jacket designer previous to opening her New York City firm, she designed over 2000 covers, and learned the intimate art of connecting with an audience visually within a very small frame. Today she is also the author of several excellent books on graphic design.

Deborah Sussman: Urban Legend

Art director and environmental graphic designer Deborah Sussman has been creating legendary work for public spaces for decades. Deborah and her firm, Sussman/Prejza, have done interior and exterior wayfinding and signage systems for Apple, Hasbro, the city of Los Angeles, and numerous others. She may be most famous for her comprehensive graphics program for the 1984 Summer Olympics. She has a keen eye for both client and community needs, creating work that is imaginative, spare, and crystal clear.

Paula Scher: The Dame of Grande Design

Bigger is definitely better. Bold words wrap you up and pull you in. You’re hooked! New York-based Paula Scher, one of only two female partners at mighty Pentagram, is a graphic design rock star of the highest order. She’s also an author, a superb lecturer, and her work is in the permanent collections of several museums. Her clean, brash, and inventive use of typography has influenced a generation of young designers.

Barriers? Sure. Glass ceiling? Maybe. These ladies have their eyes on the prize, not the ceiling. As a result, they’ve busted right through it. Rock on.

Editors note: For some further reading check out this great discussion / article… Where Are All The Female Designers? or maybe check out the controversial article where Milton Glaser states that “Women will never be design rockstars“.

*About Kelly Erickson: I walk in the shadows of all the giants and emerging leaders listed above, and of so many more women and men. Great thought and design is all around us. Future rock star business owners: as the owner of VisionPoints, The Experience Designers, I’m obsessed with your success. For more writings about Experience Design, visit the Maximum Customer Experience Blog.