Where most people see trash, Stefanie Nieuwenhuys spies opportunity. After discovering tiny, diamond-shaped wood chips on a workshop floor at Kingston University in London—the leftovers of some architecture student, no doubt—the fashion master’s student was reminded of a secondhand snakeskin bag she once purchased. Scooping them up, Nieuwenhuys set to work, layering the wooden scraps onto fabric like reptilian scales.

The result is an arresting “biomimetic” collection of corsets, floor-length evening dresses, trousers, and neckpieces that marries modern laser-cutting techniques with a couturier’s delicate yet exacting touch.

Eschewing virgin resources, Nieuwenhuys worked with bio-waste firm InCrops Enterprise Hub in Norwich to obtain discarded pieces of plywood, which she then laser-cut into precise forms. Glued onto unbleached organic cotton, the brown-and-ecru “scales” created a “simulacra of nature, without discarding nature’s inherent harmonies,” she tells Ecouterre.

Nieuwenhuys worked with a bio-waste firm to obtain discarded pieces of plywood, which she laser-cut into precise forms. She believes in creating designs that are not only timeless but also keep traditional craftsmanship alive. “I believe in using what you have available and letting nothing go to waste,” she says.

Click here to read more
Reference: http://www.ecouterre.com

Why you should pay a professional to do your copywriting (and how to get the best bang for your buck!)
Why indeed? You passed English in Grade 12 (with a distinction, I might add). Why can’t you just write the copy for your website yourself? I mean really, how hard can it be? Well, it’s not hard at all.
Anyone can write. But it takes a professional to write effective copy. Engaging copy. Copy people will actually read. Here are 5 reasons why you should hire a professional to do your writing:

1. Knowledge and expertise
   Writers have an excellent understanding of written language and its finer nuances. They are able to use their skill to your advantage and pieces that will bring you message across in the most effective way possible. They will also ensure that the copy is grammatically correct and without any spelling mistakes.
2. Objectivity
   You can argue that you should write the copy yourself because nobody knows your business better than you do. But therein lies the problem. Because you are so intimate with the subject matter, you may leave out important details that you take for granted or not explain things clearly enough for others to understand. Good copywriters are quick studies and are able to discern what information is relevant to your target audience. 

3. Consistency
   Any and all written pieces, whether online or off, forms part of your company’s corporate image. Just as it is important to keep the visual aspects of your image consistent, so too should your written communication. A copywriter can help you develop an appropriate “tone of voice” for your company and ensure that it runs throughout. 

4. Clarity and brevity
   Copywriting is an art. In today’s fast-paced world, people seldom have the chance to plough through a multitude of pages to find the information they are looking for. Copywriters are able to take huge amounts of info, distil it down to its essence and bring the message across as simply as possible. 

5. Save time and money
   You may think that going the DIY route will save you a few bucks, but consider this: how much is your time worth? Writing quality copy takes time. Time you probably don’t have. Rather than wasting your time battling with a blank piece of paper, get a professional to do it for you. Yes, you will have to pay for the service, but it is worth it.

Getting bang for your buck
So you’ve decided to use a professional copywriter… now what? How can you make sure that the end product is something you (and the writer) can be proud of?

Give a clear and detailed brief
Let your writer know exactly what you want and, if possible, do it in writing. A verbal brief is ok for a straightforward job, but for anything more complex than a one-liner it’s always better to give a document for your writer to refer back to. When preparing your brief, be sure to answer the following questions: who, what, where, when and why. Then add any other info you think might be useful – you never know what your writer will be able to use.

Give your writer enough time
As I’ve said before: copywriting is an art. It takes time to craft the perfect text. Just because a headline consists of only 5 words doesn’t mean it is a five-minute job. Copywriters often review and rewrite their work a couple of times before submitting it to the client. Give your writer enough time to fine-tune the copy before you need it. Also, leave enough time for your writer to implement any changes you might want done.

Using a copywriter can be highly beneficial to your company if you give him all the necessary information and opportunity to practise his craft.

For more tips and advice, download my FREE eBook “Step by step guide to find the perfect Designer” here: http://creativepiranha.com/free-guide

Ok, so you have seen this funny looking black and white Tetris-looking thingy in your favourite magazine and on menu special stands in restaurants, but you didn’t bother to find out what it was, because it looks complicated, right? Well, its not! Here are some easy to understand info on how it works and how you can use it to market your business or service in a clever and effective way.

What is this black and white block picture called? It is called a Quick Response Code. QR Code for short. In essence it is a barcode, which can be scanned using most modern smartphones. These codes can store higher volumes of data than normal barcodes such as URLs, Map co-ordinates and text.

What is it used for? QR codes are getting hotter nowadays in all forms of marketing. Once the barcode is scanned, you can let it do almost anything that your heart desires. The most common uses are to take you to display a message, take you to a specific website, YouTube video, Text or save contact details that you can save on your phone. Simple as that.

How can I use QR Codes in my business? Here are only a few ideas on how you can use these codes to promote your business:

1. Wear it: Put it on your promotional items like a business card, brochure or even a T-shirt to allow easy scanning at networking events.

2. Video it: Use it as a link to your YouTube video

3. Track it: Use it for tracking and monitoring campaigns using analytics

4. Eat it: Restaurants can use the code to send customers their menu for online ordering

5. Tour it: Estate agents & Tour operators can send a virtual tour of a place

6. Win it: Use it to promote competitions in printed media or point of sale items

7. Compare it: Nutritional information on products and groceries

8. E-mail it: Use it as your email signature on all your email communication

How do I use it? Most smart phones already have a built-in QR scanner. If you don’t already have a built in QR Reader on your phone, you have to install it on your phone. Once installed, you can scan away forever! Point your phone camera to the following image and scan/shoot the code. The code will then send details to your handset. If you have to use the scanner application that you have downloaded, use the App to scan the code. How do I create a unique code for myself ?
QR codes can be easily generated by various types of QR code generators. The more detail you insert into the text fields in the generator program, the more detailed the code will be, which sometimes will make it difficult for all handsets to scan, so try to keep it simple. If you want to use a URL, you can go to http://goo.gl/ to shorten the URL.

There are hundreds of sites that you can browse to create a custom code for yourself. Here is a short list of different QR Coding sites you might want to try out:

http://qrcode.kaywa.com/

http://www.qrstuff.com/

http://invx.com/
http://www.beetagg.com/
http://www.snapmaze.com/

http://delivr.com/qr-code-generator

http://qurify.com/en/

Get your phone rigged to use this awesome marketing tool to your advantage.

Well, what are you are going to use them for? To get your own set of unique QR cards, contact us now!

For more marketing and graphic design tips and advice, download my FREE eBook “Step by step guide to find the perfect Designer” here: http://creativepiranha.com/free-guide

Most of my clients are confused when choosing the right platform for their business and needs. Hopefully this article might help to clear up some confusion and help to make the decision process easier.

Some Web designers have very strong opinions on whether it is better to use HTML or Flash when creating a new website. And while the arguments on both sides are equally valid, it all boils down to this: what is best for you, the client?  Well, it all depends on what you want to achieve.

Okay, so let’s consider the options:

What is HTML?
Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML) is the standard format for designing websites. It is one of the earliest languages ever developed and is supported by any kind of browser on any kind of system.

HTML PROS

Accessibility
Anyone who surfs the web will be able to view your website, no matter what browser or device they are using.
Speed
HTML sites load fairly quickly. In this get-it-done-now world, speed is definitely a huge advantage!
SEO
A website built in HTML is easier to rank higher on search results through Search Engine Optimisation (SEO). This means that more people will find your site when they search your keywords.
Widgets
There are tons of interesting widgets you can add to your website like Google maps and Twitter to create interaction.
Easy Updating via CMS
If your website is designed with a CMS (content management system) back-end, you will have the ability to update your own site if you like. The most popular CMS software includes: Joomla, WordPress and Drupal, just to name a few. They are also freeware available on the web.

HTML CONS
Fixed
HTML doesn’t support flashy or gimmicky animations. But have quite a few basic transitions that can make a site more appealing.
Fonts
Your choice of fonts is limited to system safe fonts for large bodies of text which usually includes Arial and Verdana.

Here are a few examples of HTML based websites:
www.kulula.com
www.sproutmarketing.com
www.leshotelsdesaintmartin.com
www.creativepiranha.com
www.cheekymonkeybar.co.za
www.sababali.com
www.on-cor.com

What is Flash?
Flash is a programme created by Macromedia to be used as a web design tool. A website built in Flash requires a special plug-in to be viewed.

FLASH PROS

Visual appeal
Flash websites handle graphics and animation much better than HTML sites. This makes the site visually more interesting for the user.
Media
Flash sites handle the upload of audio and video easily. In fact, most players on the web is Flash-based.
Fonts
You can use any font you want in a Flash-based site.
Interactivity
Flash lends itself to different ways of interactivity with the viewer.

CONS
Need a Flash Player
You need to download a Flash Player in order to see the site. There are also some devices that don’t support Flash.
Printing issues
Printing from a Flash site is not a straightforward task.
Long loading times
Because Flash can be so complex it negatively effects the loading time.
Keep it updated
The complexity of Flash sites makes them more difficult, time consuming and costly to update.
SEO Ranking
A website built in flash is very difficult to rank through Google’s Search Engine Optimisation (SEO). This means fewer people will find your site when they search your keywords.

Here are a few examples of Flash based websites:
www.okaydave.com
www.mono-1.com
www.sectionseven.com
www.2advanced.com

Looking at the pros and cons listed above, it is clear that each platform has its own merit. But, as stated before, which one you choose depends on what you want to achieve.

If your website is the primary site for your business, it might be more prudent to choose HTML. Potential clients might be put off by having to first download the plug-in to view your site, the slow loading time and the difficulty in copying info on a Flash site.

However, Flash could be appropriate for a promotional microsite or a site where user interaction will be beneficial. If you can afford it, have both!

For more tips and advice, download my FREE eBook “Step by step guide to find the perfect Designer” here: http://creativepiranha.com/free-guide

We’ve come a long way since the first website went live in 1990. In the past 21 years, websites have gone from being niche oddities to everyday necessities. Today, there is a creative website design on just about every subject and for every use: from finding a designer for your wedding invitation to finding a problem to any solution that you might have. Yup, just about everyone and their dog has a website nowadays. So why shouldn’t you?

The truth is, no matter how small your business, a website is practically non-negotiable in any marketing mix. Here are the top six reasons you should have a website:

Be credible
A website shows that you are serious about your business, that you’re not just another flash in the pan. This is also the perfect place to give potential customers more information about your business and to give them a sense of who you are and what you stand for. Do not be shy to be different. Make use of creative designs and ways to grab your potential client’s attention.

Sale Sales Sales!
When looking for something specific, most people use the Internet as their first port of call. And, as with the lottery, you’ve got to be in it to win it. Your product or service may be superior, more creative, cheaper or better suited to their needs, but if they can’t Google you, chances are they won’t give you their business.

Growing your customer base
Running with the big dogs has never been as easy as it is today.  Because sites aren’t ranked according to company size, one-man operations can now easily compete with multinational corporations. By making use of Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), you can improve your site’s ranking. And once you’ve got them hooked, it’s just a question of reeling them in. A well-designed site can sway potential customers to use you instead of the big boys.

Save money
Advertising can be a costly business, especially when going the traditional route. There are more than 20 million potential customers online right now… why not market to them? A website is essentially an ad for your business that runs all day, every day!

Save time
Every business has Frequently Asked Questions: “What are the dimensions of this product?” “How long will delivery take?” or “Can I have that in red?”. By answering these questions on your website you will have more time to focus on other aspects of your service delivery. A well-designed website will make it easy for your customers to get the information they need, when they need it.

Be in touch
With a website, your business is available 24/7. This means your customers can look at your goods or services when it’s most convenient for them, even at three in the morning! You can also build up a database by getting customers to register on your website. You can then use their contact details to inform them of promotions you might be running, or just to send regular newsletters to maintain top-of-mind awareness.

Keep it up!
Merely having a website is not enough. Just as a real shop needs to have a revamp every once in a while, so does your virtual shop front. If your website is looking like a tribute to the 1980’s, it might be time for a change! In 2011 we’ll see more user interaction a la Web 2.0, clean, straightforward designs that improve loading times and single page layouts that encapsulate all the important details about your business.

So, whether you are designing a new website or updating an existing one, your web designer will help you develop an online presence that will work for your business!

For more info and tips for website design and graphic design that works for you, contact Creative Piranha or click here to download your FREE guide:
www.creativepiranha.com/free-guide

Colour influences our lives in more ways than we can imagine. It can change our emotions, our mood, even our appetite! School children perform better in yellow classrooms and patients recover quicker in blue rooms after major surgery. But this effect is proving to not only be purely psychological. Recent studies have shown that colour causes physical changes too. Ships have long since abandoned yellow as part of their decorating repertoire, as this cheerful colour unfortunately increases instances of seasickness. Some prisons have even taken to painting the cells of aggressive prisoners pink because research has shown that people are physically incapable of becoming aggressive in its presence – their heart muscles can’t work fast enough!

Seen in this light, it becomes clear why colour plays such an important role in graphic design. Besides the effect each colour has on the human psyche, each colour also evokes certain feelings and has its own hidden meaning. It is crucial to choose the right colours for your brand or logo and, by making use of colour psychology, you can say a lot about your company without having to say anything at all.

Basic colour psychology:
Although colours can have different meanings depending on context, here are some basic meanings of everyday colours:

Red – Energy, life, vitality

Blue – Dependability, wisdom, calm

Yellow – Optimism, creativity, happiness

Green – Growth, support, harmony

Orange – Ambition, happiness, innovation

Purple – Sophistication, mystery, respect

Brown – Reliability, stability, friendship

Black – Authority, power, intelligence

White – Purity, cleanliness

Choosing a colour scheme:
Here are a few questions you can ask yourself to arrive at the perfect palette:

Who are you?
The company behind your brand or logo will greatly influence the colours you choose to represent it. Some colours, just like businesses, are inherently more serious than others. A law firm, for instance, has a much more sober persona than a design studio. And while electric green may be the perfect choice for the studio, it may not give the gravitas required of lawyers.

What do you want to say?
Your company’s brand promise and personality also plays a significant part in arriving at a suitable colour scheme. Take cars for example. The silver Mercedes Benz logo says: “I’m classy, I’m classic, I’m reliable”, while the red and yellow Ferrari logo says: “Look at me! I’m fun, I’m sporty and I’m fast!”. Knowing what message you want to bring across will help you in your colour choices.

Who are you talking to?
Certain groups identify easier with certain colours than others. There is no better illustration of this fact than the toy industry. Go into any toy store, head for the girls’ section and you are bound to be submerged in a sea of pink. But head to the boys’ section, and you’ll be hard-pressed to find anything with even a smidgeon of rose. Why? Because girls like pink and boys don’t. Make sure you consider your target market when choosing a colour scheme for your brand or logo.

Where are you?
A last consideration could be where in the world your logo or brand will be seen most as different cultures give different meanings to colours. For instance, white is seen by Western society as a symbol of purity and is worn by most brides on their wedding day. However, in many Eastern cultures, white is the colour of mourning. A white dress would surely raise a few eyebrows at a traditional Chinese wedding!

By answering these questions, your graphic designer can help you choose the right colours so your brand can communicate successfully.

For more info and tips for website design and graphic design that works for you, contact Creative Piranha or click here to download your FREE guide:
www.creativepiranha.com/free-guide

Getting ideas are often quite easy and simple, but the execution of the idea is where it gets difficult. This book helps you with that easier-said-than done-part…

Being a creative and being somewhat disorganized is usually the norm and designers and artists gets labeled as being chaotic in their workplaces, but it needs to be exactly the opposite for ideas to flourish.

Creative people usually have a million-and-one great ideas, but usually don’t get to pull them off successfully, because of numerous obstacles. At first I was a bit hesitant to buy a design-related book with no pictures. But I gave it my best shot! In his book, Scott Belsky illustrates the importance of being organized in your everyday life and gives simple examples to help you do so.

The first part of the book focusses a lot on “Taking action”. Action steps are explained in detail as the major role player in completing your creative project. The Author, Scott Belsky offers plenty of research and evidence to prove that what he is saying is of great value to his reader. He also explains the importance of how you should develop your own system.

“…A methodology is only effective when it is practiced consistently. While every person’s system is different, the most productive people pay attention to the finer details of their rituals to keep themselves engaged.”

Firstly, I have learnt to make different kinds of lists for projects, prioritizing, having a proper schedule, I managed to increase my workflow and speed. I tend to get distracted with all kinds of communication – emails, phone calls, texts. I realized how to proritize and used his methods to leave my less important ideas and push my important ideas to completion. Each project can be split into three components: Action Steps, References, and Backburner Items.

Secondly I realized that I needed to put myself (and my work) out “there” by making use of  Social Media to share my ideas with other people and how to use the feedback of my friends and fellow Social Media. Criticism is often hard, but it is the best way to learn from your mistakes and to excel quicker.

Finally and probably most importantly I have learnt how to push through the difficult phase. The phase where I usually put the project “on hold” for a while, and often indefinitely, and to actually finish the project that was once just a figment of my imagination.

The final chapter is possibly the most valuable to most creatives. It helps you to manage yourself, which is possibly one of the most difficult tasks to complete “Most creative leaders can trace their greatest obstacles to something personal—fear, insecurity, or self-imposed limitation.”

“…For the creative mind, the cost of waiting for conviction can be too great to bear. Waiting builds apathy and increases the likelihood that another idea will capture our fancy and energy.”

Making Ideas Happen is a definite must read and an excellent resource for every single person that has loads of creative juice, but battles to take his or her idea to the next level and finally to completion.

Animation is the high-speed display of a string of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or in order to create an illusion of movement. It is an optical illusion of motion.

Animation is becoming increasingly more popular since the enormous progression in Computer Graphics. It is becoming more vital in everyday marketing, advertising and promotions because of the powerful and often realistic visual appearance. Nowadays, animation is also extensively used in the field of entertainment and film industry.

Different types of animation:

Traditional animation
Traditional animation can also be called cel animation. This process was used during the making of most animated films in the 20th century. Every single individual frame is drawn out on paper where every frame differs very slightly from the previous one. When the series of drawings were done, they were transferred the transparent sheets that were called cells. Hereafter the ‘’empty’’ images were colored in and photographed (one by one) onto motion picture film.

Stop motion
This type of animation is created by physically moving and manipulating real objects and photographing them frame by frame to create the illusion of movement in a scene.

2D animation
2D animation is created using 2D bitmap or vector graphics. The animation techniques used for this type of animation includes tweening, onion skinning and morphing. This type of animation can quite often be seen in everyday Powerpoint presentations and Flash animation, which is mostly used on websites.

3D Animation
3D Models are created by using meshes that consists of hundreds of polygons. These polygons form the wire mesh under objects, characters and scenes.

An animator can turn these objects into reality by firstly adding realistic lighting, textures and camerawork where after the characters or objects are manipulated to move in a certain way.

The use of Animation in TV commercials gives the advertiser the ability to produce an imaginative world where the viewer can sometimes get lost in and won’t be possible in reality.

Other animation techniques:

Erasure animation
This is a technique using a flat 2D medium which is then photographed while the artist creates and manipulates it. The image changes constantly.

Sand animation
This different animation technique is created on a light box type surface. The backlit surface enhances the negative space created by the sand that is moved on the white lit surface.

Flip book animation
A flip book is often an illustrated children’s book, but can also be a series of photographs. The series of drawings or photographs differ slightly, and when the book is flipped, an illusion of motion is created.

Just like individuals, every company or brand has its own uniqueness, character and identity. A company’s corporate identity is the group of attributes and values that company has, its reason of being, its spirit and essence. It is the collection of pieces, features, thoughts, methods and techniques that your brand needs to be exclusive and different from its competitors. A successful identity differentiates a company and brand from its competitors and helps customers or clients to distinguish, understand and identify with the brand.

A corporate identity is more complex than one would imagine. It describes the corporate tone of voice, the unique values and the efficiency of its services or products. The image reflected by the company’s personality or identity, will make the company identifiable and different from the rest and it will also determine its value in the business world. Your corporate identity is to all extents and purposes the face of your company i.e. if your logo is old-fashioned, your company will be perceived to be conservative and uninspiring and dull.

Corporate identity is often seen as consisting of three parts:

•    Corporate design (logos, uniforms, corporate colours etc.)
•    Corporate communication (advertising, public relations, information, etc.)
•    Corporate behaviour (internal values, norms, etc.) (Source: Wikipedia)

Ultimately it is important that the right prospective customer remembers your logo and corporate identity at the right time and know where to get hold of you effortlessly. In order to make a business successful it must become a recognizable, trusted and consistent brand.

One of the key elements in having a successful business is to have a brand that is familiar, trusted and reliable. Firstly, it needs to be a brand that potential clients have confidence in. Secondly, it needs to appeal to the customer and finally gets woven into their every day life. An finally, it needs to be distinctively different from its competitors in today’s visually cluttered lifestyle.

The corporate identity comes into being when there is a common ownership of an organizational philosophy, which is manifest in a distinct corporate culture – the corporate personality. At its most profound, the public feel that they have ownership of the philosophy. (Balmer, 1995)
In the present-day, the concept of corporate identity has a tactical focus.

The structure sketches a conceptual model through which an organization can understand, supervise, and control the development of these intangible assets. The idea is relatively simple but its effective implementation can be profoundly demanding. Chances are that the firms and organizations that master this challenge will, most probably, be the ones that will endure and flourish today’s unstable business world.

In this digital age, some people tend to forget the importance of business cards. Your business card is a visual depiction of your company, an advertisement, a networking and lead-generating device all combined into one.

It is your most precious marketing tool and a vital element to becoming memorable. Sadly, too many people have business cards that are tedious simply gets lost into the thousands of boring business cards and blend into the jungle, never to be remembered, seen or used ever again.

The good news is that a business card is more powerful than you might think if you utilize it correctly. Making all that happen on an area that will fit in a wallet can be easier said than done, but it is possible. It doesn’t matter how you use your business card, it won’t be the marketing component it should be unless it looks professional, is legible, and helps prospective customers to remember what you are about, what you offer and why they should rather make use of your services.

Here are 10 excellent tips about getting the most out of your business cards:

1. Use a logo:
Have a professional designer create your business logo. The logo should be a memorable mark that prospective clients will remember and identify with. Read more about logo design here.

2. Develop a slogan:
If your service is not instantly clear from your business name, create a one-line slogan that will help people remember what you sell. Make sure you include this slogan on your card.

3. Include your website address and/or email address:
Customers and prospects will want to know your website address and your email address. This way prospects can read more about your company and services in their own time.

4. Content:
The following information should be placed on your business cards:

* Company name or logo
* Company slogan
* Name
* Title
* Email address
* Web address
* Telephone number
* Mobile number
* Fax number

5. Make it legible:
Use font sizes that are big enough to be easily readable. Be sure the type color stands out against the background of the card, too. Remember, your aim is to produce a business card that clearly communicates what you do and how to reach you. For determining the sizes of your typography, keep the following guidelines in mind.

Limit your card to one or two font types and don’t use ornamental or unusual fonts for your name and contact info, unless it’s right for your business image. Use readable but not too generic fonts. Font sizes are measured in points. Address and Contact details should be not smaller than 6 points. Add 1 point if your typography is inverted (light typography on a dark background).

Your name should be around 9 point or set in a bold typeface. The title or designation should be 6 to 8 points

6. Alignment:
Pay attention to alignment. Left alignment is the easiest for reading. Too much centered text can look messy and is hard to read.

7. Use good card stock:
If you decide to go the paper route, make sure you have your cards professionally printed on good durable business card stock.

8. Be different:
A good business card is a conversation starter. Make your business card stand out from the masses. Be Creative and Unique. Spend the extra money to make sure you are completely different form the rest. The sky is the limit!

9. Shapes and Colors:
Use a different Size or Shape or Die Cutting – Just make sure it enhances the product or service that it is designed for. Red and Black are card colors that tend to stand out more.

10. Non-Cards:
Who says a card has to be a card? It can be a coin, a figurine, a sticker, a personalized chocolate or a Rubber Stamp. Maybe try to use an alternative to paper. Try Fabric or use leather or Vinyl. Keep in mind that a non-standard size or shape cards still needs to fit in the 3.5 x 2 inch size to fit in most wallets and cardholders.

Now that you have your cards, you have to use them! Stash them in your jacket pockets, in your car, briefcase, wallet and purse. You will never know when you need to give it to a prospective client!