Nonetheless, there comes a time when you need to negotiate what is and isn’t part of the project. When that time comes, you’ll need to address client demands in a couple of ways.

Before The Project Begins

Set out everything about the project beforehand, and get it in writing.

The first step of managing client expectations (and therefore limiting the number of demands they make) is making sure they know what they will be getting for their money. By clearly laying out the terms, goals, expectations and intended results of the project before starting, you ensure everyone is on the same page. The clients know what they are getting, and you have laid down clear boundaries before things start getting complicated. This can be covered in the contract or in an email, but you must make sure clients know that they are agreeing that this document will form the basis of the project.

This document should also make you aware of any potential problems you may have with the client, so you can decide whether you want to proceed or not.

Let the client know how often you will get in touch with them. This is part and parcel with the first tip. Often, clients get nervous that you aren’t working on their project because they haven’t heard from you when they were expecting to. If you tell them when you will be getting in touch with them, they can rest a little easier.

A weekly report detailing everything you have done and how that has moved the project towards the goals outlined in the initial agreement will reassure the client and can prevent any worry before the client has a chance to think about it.

As The Project Is Running

Communicate, communicate, communicate. Most client demands are based on their worry that you are not doing enough for the project. By keeping them constantly updated on the project’s progress, you can avoid many client demands.

Figure out how much time they are paying for, and stick to that. Often clients will try to get the most for their money, and while this is understandable, it is up to you to make sure your work is profitable. If you give a client too much extra time, you are making yourself unavailable for other paying clients, and that’s not fair to you.

Be firm and clear when you figure out how much time you will spend on a project, so the client knows exactly how much they can get from you. If they want more, they can pay for it later.

But build a little leeway into the plan. Most clients know they want when a project kicks off, but they won’t be able to anticipate how the project will evolve. It is up to you to give yourself some room to change course without your work becoming unprofitable. When working out project costs, charge a little bit more than you need to. It will allow you to give your clients some extra time without resenting them, and it will make your clients feel great that you are able to give them a little more time than they thought they would get.

If Things Get Tricky

Listen to your client. If your client wants something new out of the project, listen. If they have a problem with the way you are doing your work, listen. Let them say everything they need to say, and pay attention. After all, you can only find solutions that work for everyone if you know your client’s perspective. In fact, you may find that their ideas will make the project better.

Know the kind of client you’re dealing with. When you know what kind of client you’re negotiating with, you can know how to structure your answers to get the desired result. If you’re dealing with someone who likes dealing with facts and figures, appealing to his or her emotional side won’t work. Some people prefer being shown the big picture, and they won’t be convinced by loads of details.

With these tips, you should be able to avoid client demands that are too difficult, and you should be able to work the reasonable demands into the project plans.

The moment is fleeting and easy to miss. But you can be sure that by making people stop to glance at your business card, however briefly, they are committing it to memory. Job done. But how to create this magic moment?

There are several techniques you can use to add the ‘wow factor’. You could try printing onto textured paper to create a tactile and unique calling card. Or you could opt for a brightly coloured version to create a ‘magpie effect’ that catches your prospective client’s eye just before they reach for their card case.

Countless businesses have found success through more quirky and off the wall solutions. Maybe you shun paper and go for fabric, ceramic or plastic printed business cards. Or maybe even plump for a conceptual approach and use printed objects that reflect your business offering or service, such as a piece of branch for a dog walking company, or a printed clothes peg for a home laundry and ironing service.

There are other approaches too, that don’t rely on concept-conscious tricks. Perhaps you go for the all-out corporate cleanliness, as favoured by Patrick Bateman; perfectly balanced typography on a pristine (and pricey) white watermarked card. Or perhaps you choose a more down-and-dirty approach, and add an element of grunge.

Here we take a look at some excellent examples of lo-fi design; the techniques, colour palettes and influences they employ to produce a creative and unforgettable business card.

This powerful business card uses an iconic graphical treatment and a military-influenced colour palette to create a striking visual effect. Note the subtle use of stars within the lettering and the way in which the typography repeats the business name; building a business reputation that packs an unforgettable punch.

This bold example has been printed onto a custom duplex paper. The minimal usage of red metallic ink on the crest and on the reverse adds a touch of polish to an otherwise understated concept.

Striking use of colours on a black background really help this business card to stand out. The haphazard application of the brush-effect visuals showcases the creativity and artistic flair of the company and adds a left-field edge.

Even non-creative organizations can use grunge-inspired design to great effect. Take a look at this business card, printed using silver ink and copper foil onto black card. Far from diminishing its professional appearance, it creates a look that’s on-trend and current within the corporate realm.

Paint splashes, a monochromatic colour palette, asymmetrical image placement and flashes of turquoise make this business card look anarchistic yet polished at the same time.

This example shows three business cards as part of a series for a graphic design company. From the print-bleed on the black and white version, to the scratchy typography and translucent twisted rainbow on the colour option, they show a home-made and ‘unfinished’ look that shouts creativity, style and edge.

The way in which the orange background on this card is slightly bleached-out helps the vibrant typography, sunrise and parrot emblem to really stand out. Also note the slightly aged appearance of the edges; creating a well-travelled look that reflects the global nature of the company.

This example, for a graphic designer, has a seriously understated colour palette and paint splashes to create a grunge-inspired style. The strategically placed paint drops on the reverse serve as emphasis to the company’s key services and the cut off text on the card’s front lends an effortlessly artistic flair.

Iconic placement of the initials and beautifully balanced typography are contrasted with the worn and flawed blue background on this card to create a Saul Bass homage that is instantly striking.

These business cards are part of a collectible set. The design treatment is bold and abstract, with increasingly complex card designs being reserved for prospective clients who have more of an interest in innovative graphic design.

I hope you enjoyed this post, feel free to leave a comment below and tell us what you think!

Infographic design falls somewhere between web-design, print design and data visualization and research. Let’s see what makes a great infographic, shall we?

1. Defining The Concept & Goals

Just like any other project, whether it’s web-design or print, defining goals and careful planning are the first keys to success.

Before you dive in and start researching the topic of your infographic or open up Photoshop, ask yourself this:

Are you trying to make it go viral or are you targeting to a specific crowd? What’s the ultimate goal?

Obviously if your goal is to inform people working at a big corporation, the information and design will be very different than if your goal was to make your infographic go viral on the web. Same goes with age, gender, cultural difference, location, etc… your client should be able to provide you with some guidance about this.

Then, in order to better define the concept, it is safe to assume you can use the same methods you usually use when you design a website or a brochure—planning is key.

I usually write down a list of things the project needs and then as I work on the project I’ll check items off the list as I complete them. There’s a lot of lists and tools out there, just pick the one that best suits your needs and roll with it.

2. Reliable Sources & Authority

Once you’ve settled on what the goals are and have a rough draft of a plan or checklist, it’s time to start gathering information and data.

This is probably the most important part of the whole process. It’s more important than the actual design if you ask me. If your data and information is wrong, the design itself won’t matter much. Only use reliable, authoritative, and trusted sources.

Forum posts, Yahoo Answers and quick Google searches are not reliable sources. They can certainly take you to the real authoritative sources or provide leads, but don’t rely only on them.

Tools like that should be used only to strengthen your research, do not use the information you find via those tools as is— always back everything up by crediting sources like Wikipedia, Government pages, established publications and blog, and trusted survey results for example.

3. Flow of the Data & Design

The data you chose to display on your infographic needs to flow very well. It should read effortlessly and be very easy to scan.

A lot of infographics seem to be all over the place and display one thing here and one thing there without any kind of flow. The design of the infographic needs to scream the client industry. Creating a cartoonish, fun and vibrant infographic for a bank or a financial institution probably won’t work. So keeping in mind who the client is extremely important.

For some inspiration, I would highly recommend having a good look at the portfolio of companies who specialize in infographic design such as oBizMedia or Infographic World, or blogs and publications like datavisualization.ch or Mashable.

4. Client Feedback

It’s no secret that the customer isn’t always right, but remember that their feedback is extremely valuable.

You have to remember that you got hired to design their infographic because you are the design and research expert, never forget they’re the ones who probably know the most about their company or industry though—there’s nothing wrong in asking your client for feedback and even to provide some industry-specific information or resources.

Always trust your judgment though. If something they suggest wouldn’t yield them the best result then it’s best to not do it.

Your Turn To Talk

Have you ever designed an infographic? Care to share your own tips and tricks? We’d love to hear your stories and how you go about designing infographics. Of course if there’s any resources you think would benefit the community make sure you drop a link in the comment section.

Expect to see a lot of textures, great photography, imagery and real-life elements as well as the use of skeuomorphism. Huge background images are also very common on travel websites — just to inject a good dose of realism of course.

Go Hawaii

Everywhereist

Australia

Utah Travel

Know About Cuba

Tennessee Vacation – Spring

Lake Lona

Really Wild Challenges

Alaska Zip

Clover Cottage

Cathedral Mountain

Ski Alpine

Lenordik

Jacksonville Landing

Bahamas

Cookie Sound Blog

Inspired By Iceland

République Dominicaine

Experience Washington

Live Africa

Emploi Manche

Dublin City Pub Crawl

Visit Philly

Baja Vacations

Surf Camp In Portugal

Travelllll

Mountain Company

Visit Jordan

African Budget Safaris

Anders Dan Anders

Travel Buzz

Indigenous Tours

Egypt

Definitely Dubai

Visit Idaho

Lake Crackenback

MacAllan Ridge

Trapp Family

See Monterey

Lanyon Holiday Cottages

Go Glamping

Ausmag

Tennessee Vacation – Fall

Orchid Bay Belize

Edgewater

Your Turn To Talk

I hope you enjoyed this post. Of course feel free to point us to well-designed travel and tourism websites we may have missed. Have you every designed a travel website? If so, care to share some of your own tips and tricks with the rest of us by leaving a comment below? :)

With this tutorial we will cover some advanced topics of Matte Painting, Lighting, Creating custom brushes and much more interesting stuff related photo-manipulation.

Required Resources

Before we dive in we’ll need many resources and images. The list is below:

mountains 1, mountains 2, mountains 3, mountains 4, mountains 5, mountains 6, mountains 7, mountains 8, mountains 9, mountain trees, snow ground, winter tree, birds brushes, ship, model, light house, ship 2, ship 3, balloon, radio tower, refinery, worker 1, worker 2, worker 3, worker 4, worker 5, worker 6, pipes, crane, sign board, clouds brushes 1, clouds brushes 2, clouds brushes 3, small boat, luggage

Step1:

Open a new canvas in Photoshop with the dimensions Width=2560px and Height=1440px.

Step2:

Now using the Brush Tool Sketch a rough outline of the concept. Once the sketching is done it would become easy for us to list out the properties required for the scene.

Step3:

We will start creating the scene from the mountains.

The most important principle that we have to consider while doing this step is the Lighting. In this scene we will assume that the light is casting from the left side.

Import the image of the first mountain and place it on the left side of the canvas as shown. Then similarly import multiple images of the Snow Mountains and place them as shown. To merge them together erase the edges using the Soft Eraser.

Step4:

In this step we are going to create the sky for the scene.

Import the image of the sky with distant mountains onto the canvas and place it as shown behind the previously created mountains. Then duplicate the sky image and place it side by side as shown to get a natural looking sky.

Step5:

In this step we are going to create a ground covered with snow on which our character will be standing.

Cut the image of the snow covered land and import it onto the working canvas and place it as shown. Now duplicate the image and move it to the either side to complete the ground.

Step6:

As we can see that the color of the ground doesn’t match with the color of the environment, hence we are going to color correct the ground in this step.

Merge the ground layer together before color starting the color correction process.

With the ground layer selected go to Image>Adjustments>Hue/Saturation and set the Saturation to -46. Now by using the Curves set the RGB Curves as shown to Blend with the environment. Using the Brightness/Contrast Increase the Brightness of the ground to 23 and set the Contrast to 17.

Step7:

This is the most important step where it requires maximum concentration to achieve the desired output.

Zoom in to the area where we want to create a uniquely shaped mountain that matches our fantasy scene. To create the hill in the shape we designed, cut different areas of the original snow mountains and arrange the layer in the desired shape using the Move Tool (V). The below image shows the procedural steps of the process.

In this step we will be creating the inner side of the mountain, which doesn’t receive direct sunlight. Cut the inner side of the original mountain into a separate layer and transform it into the desired shape using the Move Tool (V).

Then by using the Lasso Tool (L) cut the layer as per the design we sketched. Similarly following the previous steps complete the rest of the hill.

Step8:

As we are creating a fantasy scene where ships float in the air, we need to create a lighthouse that directs the ships.

Cut the image of the lighthouse from the original image using the Magic Wand Tool (W). As we can observe the light focus on the lighthouse is in the opposite direction with the light in our scene. Hence flip the lighthouse Horizontally using the Move Tool and scale down the size of the lighthouse to make it appear as if it is resting on the top of the hill.

Step9:

A lighthouse is never complete without the light, hence in this step we are going to create a lens flare to illuminate the light from the lighthouse.

Import the image of the lens flare onto the working canvas and place it on the lighthouse and set the Blending Mode of the layer to Screen.

Step10:

In this step we are going to convert a normal wind sail ship into a flying fantasy ship.

Create a mask around the ship using the Magic Wand Tool and separate it into a new layer. We don’t require the ship to very long. Hence cut the rear part of the ship and move it towards the right as shown. Since this ship floats in the air we need to create a tail for navigating purpose.

Select a mask in the shape of the rear wind screen and duplicate it into a new layer and flip it vertically and place it as shown. Then erase the mast pointing down wards.

In this step we are going to create the base for the ship. Using the Brush Tool paint the blue colored strip at the bottom of the ship as shown. Then paint the small flipper which every sail has.

Step11:

1) Now import the ship onto the working canvas and place it as shown.

2) Since it is located far from the scene it should appear a bit blurred. Hence we need to add a Gaussian Blur of Radius=0.5px to the ship.

Step12:

In this step we are going to create a re-fuel station floating in the mid air where all the ships come for refuelling with gas. Mask out the fuel tanks from the original image and import it on to the working canvas and place it as shown.

Step13:

In this step we are going to give the re-fuel station a proper station and make it fit the prospective of the scene.

Erase the side grill and the unwanted rods at the bottom. In this step we will be creating a base for the black fuel tank. Cut a part of the black fuel tank in semi-circle shape using the Pen Tool (P).

Then place the semi-circle shape at the bottom of the tank as shown. Now cut the conical base of the white tank and place it as shown to represent the base of the rear tank, which we previously erased to remove the unwanted rods.

As we can see that the pipe in the bottom seems to end nowhere. Hence we are going to extend the pipe and join the end to the bottom of the black fuel tank.

Select a mask in the shape of the pipe using the Pen Tool (P) and separate the selection into a new layer and place it as shown. Then repeat the procedure multiple times to complete the shape of the pipe.

Now by using the soft brush paint the shadow on the end, which we created.

Step14:

In this step we are going to create a light glow effect on the front fuel tank. Create a mask in the shape of the tank using the Pen Tool (P), then by using the soft brush paint the sun shine with white color on the tank as shown.

Step15:

In this step we will be creating some random pipes on the white tank.

Mask out the image of the pipes and the round grill into a new layer and import it on to the working canvas and place the pipes on the white tank as shown.

Duplicate the pipes layer and convert the layer into silhouette using the Levels. Then place the silhouette layer under the main pipes layer and move it slightly towards the right to match the shadow to the direction of the sun light.

Then add a Gaussian Blur of Radius 1.2px to the shadow layer. Then lower the Opacity of the shadow layer to 71%.

Step16:

Since the Re-fuel station is located in the mid air we need to create a radio receiver through which the station get the data and the information of the traffic. Mask out the radio tower from the image and import it on to the working canvas and place it at the bottom of the Fuel Station as shown.

Step17:

In this step we will be creating the indicator light at the tip of the radio receiver.

Place the image of the lens flare on the tip of the radio receiver and change the color of the lens flare to red color by changing the Saturation level to 88 using the Hue/Saturation. Then change the Blending Mode of the layer to Screen.

Step18:

A fuel station is never complete without the workers working on it. Hence we are going to add some workers working on the fuel station.

Cut the image of the worker from the original image and import it on to the working canvas and place him on the fuel station as shown. Similarly add few more workers working on the fuel station.

In this step we are going to create a worker operating the crane to inspect the hot air balloon. (Hot air balloon will be added in the step20.).

Mask out the image of the crane and place it on the fuel station as shown. Then mask out the crane operator using the Magic Wand Tool (W) and place it at the end of the crane as shown.

Step19:

1) Merge all the layers of the work station and the workers and color correct the whole work station using the Curves to blend with the environment we are creating.

2) Since the fuel station is situated far from the scene we need to add a Gaussian Blur of Radius=0.5px.

Step20:

In this step we are going to create the hot air balloon that keeps the fuel station floating in the air.

Import the image of the hot air balloon and place it over the fuel station as shown. Now we need to color correct the balloon to blend with the environment.

With the balloon layer selected go to Image>Adjustments>Hue/Saturation and set the Hue=196 and Saturation=12.

Now by using the Curves elevate the blue color and reduce the green and red curves.

Now again open the Hue/Saturation and set the Saturation to -45.

Now by using the Exposure set the Exposure=0.14, Offset=0.0061 and Gamma Correction=1.16.

Now with the fuel station layer selected change the Exposure settings to Offset=0.0184 and Gamma Correction=1.00.

Step21:

Using the Times New Roman font type “REFUEL” on the black fuel tank and reduce the Opacity=40%.

Step22:

In this step we are going to create a man waiting by the Stop waiting with his luggage for the ship to arrive.

Import the image of the man on to the canvas and place him on the right side as shown.

Now create a shadow of the man casting on the ground as shown, to create a natural depth.

Now import the image of the luggage and place it near the man as shown and cut the base of the luggage as shown to make it look as if it is placed behind the small rocks covered with snow.

Step23:

In this step we are going to add few tree branches covered with snow.

Also assume that these branches are located close to the scene, because this assumption will create a clear idea in mind while working on the Depth Of Field (DOF).

Cut the snow-covered branches from the image and place them on the working canvas as shown. Since we assumed that the branches are close to the scene we need to add a Gaussian Blur of Radius 2.4px.

Step24:

We need to create more traffic to make the scene look busy with heavy air ship traffic. Hence using the Magic Wand Tool cut the image of the ship and place it on the right side bottom corner of the scene as shown.

Step 25:

In this step we are going to create a distant ship.

Usually when something is seen from a very long distance the object seems to be dissolved with the color of the surroundings.

Import the image of the ship and minimize it and place it behind the hills as shown. Then select a mask around the ship and fill in the color #a2c8dd, then reduce the Opacity of the layer to 65%.

Now add a Gaussian Blur of Radius 0.7px to the ship to maintain the DOF.

Step26:

Now by using the Cloud brush paint few clouds in the scene to make it look like the scene is shot in a high altitude.

Step27:

Now paint some birds flying by the mountains and the balloon as shown.

Step28:

In this step we are going to create a signboard. Since the mode of transport here are the flying ships we will name the signboard as “SHIP STOP”.

Import the image of the signboard and place it as shown on the working canvas. Now to create some rugged surface near the base of the signboard cut the stones covered with snow from the land layer and place it by the base of the signboard as shown. Now by using the Times New Roman font type “SHIP STOP” using orange color.

Step29:

In this step we are going to create some snow flying by the scene. For this we are going to create our own custom brush for the snow.

First select soft round brush of size 18. Then open the Brush properties and change the settings as shown.

Then paint some snow as shown using the white color.

Then add a Motion Blur with Angle= -11 and Distance=33px to illustrate the motion of the snow particles.

Conclusion

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial. Please feel free to leave a comment below and share your thoughts and if you’re looking for a great deal check out this PrintPlace Coupon Code ;)

As usual, the theme is free to use in both private and commercial projects. The theme is based upon the Twenty Ten WordPress theme and requires WordPress 3.0 or higher to run.

Visit the demo or a large view.

The upper area contains a slider where you can place extra emphasis on your most important pages. The main area can include the content of your latest blog posts. On the right side you’ll find an overview of latest blog entries as well as the latest tweets.

The upper area of the sidebar features five latest comments. You can place any widget under it as it is defined as a dynamic sidebar. Also, right above the footer you’ll find a Flickr gallery in case you wish to showcase your latest shots. The footer itself is designed in a pronounced blue, giving it a nice contrast to the rest of the design. There you you can place your widgets such as Pages, Categories, Archives, and others. A soft upper area, a useful middle area, and a strong footer are the essence of this theme.

Download the Theme for Free!

The theme is released under GPL. You can use it for all your projects for free and without any restrictions. Please link to this article if you want to spread the word. You may modify the theme as you wish.

• live demo
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• download Splendio (Theme + Plugins) (zip, 0.8 Mb)
• download Splendio (Theme + Plugins + PSD Sources) (zip, 6.4 Mb)
• download mirror (zip, 6.4 Mb)
• release on the developer’s site

Behind the Design

As always, here are some insights from the designer:

“Releasing a theme on Smashing Magazine is always a challenge for us at DesignDisease. A challenge we look forward to. Splendio is a theme where we try to solve the empty space that exists around most themes with a joyful rhythm of lines and squares, complimented with a light color palette. The specialized header images complete the package, as it can be used both in a static or randomized manner.”

Thank you, DesignDisease! We sincerely appreciate your work and your good intentions.

Fotolia offers the largest image bank of free and affordable royalty free photos and illustrations perfect for any medium, web or print.

Photographers and designers constantly update Fotolia with thousands of new photos and illustrations each day, while photographers and designers receive commission from each photo sold and revenue from advertising on the free section.

Similar to the music or film industry, we believe that every artist’s (photographers and designers) image is a work of the soul and protected by intellectual property rights. Fotolia is convinced that the principle reason for illegal pirated use of protected images is mainly due to the high price barrier created by other agencies.

Fotolia provides a compromise between photographers and buyers, by protecting a photographer’s intellectual property rights and offering high commissions, while legally lowering the price barrier so that everyone may enjoy/afford these beautiful images.

In addition, Fotolia challenges the traditional closed agency model by offering the opportunity to monetize their talents to everyone, hobbyist or professional, whatever their fame, status, or size of portfolio may be.

Thanks to a collaborative online model, Fotolia is able to offer individuals and professionals (advertising agencies, press, small business, graphic artists, designers) the greatest image collection in the world for free or as little as $0.75.

The theme features an elegant design that uses a dark (brown) content area against a light page background accented by a spiffy floral pattern reminiscent perhaps of libraries of old estate manors in the movies (or if you own one).

The theme features a two-column design and is widgetized for easy customization. It also uses two plugins (which we’ve included in the download file) WP-PageNavi and WP Categories and Posts to streamline the navigation and for you to modify the “In Other News” section in the content area. The theme also features quick links (via icons) to your social network pages (Twitter and Facebook) at the top of the page.

OneNote Theme

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Plug-ins Needed:

• WP-Page Navi
• WP Categories and Posts

This work is licensed Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 License. This means you may use it, and make any changes you like. Just leave the credits on footer to respect the designer’s work.

So, when we redesigned the main site, we knew we knew we had to release it to the masses. For those who aren’t familiar with the old theme, it can be described as a dark, oceanic, with long curvy stripes. All shapes morphed to curves. You can download it here!

The theme is fully widgetized as all our themes are. The plugins needed are included in the theme files so there is no need to download them again. After installing WP-Page Navi deselect the option of using the default css style for this plugin.

DesignDisease Theme

• View DesignDisease Theme demo
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Plug-ins Needed:

• WP-Page Navi
• Subscribe To Comments

This work is licensed Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 License. This means you may use it, and make any changes you like. Just leave the credits on footer to respect the designer’s work.

Enjoy !

@Update 02.07.2010

DesignDisease Theme Blogger Version:

• Download
• Demo

We evolved from the spectacular curves to the abstract world of straight lines and squares. We made the content a bit more visible by enlarging the portfolio images and designing on a much lighter background. We did not make this design to be “vintage” because we don’t want to look back. What we do with this new design is put forward a new way to use regular shapes.

Because of the release of this new design, we will release in a couple of days the previous theme as a Free WordPress Theme, which over the past couple of years, a whole lot of people have asked for. Stay Tuned!

Also, if you’re here, please follow us on twitter.