Just Creative Design

10 Twitter Design Lists You Must Follow

Jacob Cass — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 02:00:23 +0000

Twitter just recently introduced Twitter lists, a helpful way to better organise the tweets of those you follow. Twitter lists also allow you to find interesting groups of people to keep track of via the use of others recommendations.

After much research looking into other Twitterer’s lists and via the use of Listorious, I’ve compiled these ten design twitter lists that are definitely worth following.

No Blab, Just Design Links

A list of Twitter profiles that only post high quality design links and have very little to no other ‘daily life’ tweets. An alternative to your RSS feed reader.

Top Design Blogs

Lists the twitter profiles of all of the top design blogs. Includes such blogs as Smashing Mag, Web Designer Depot, Logo Design Love, I Love Typography and many more. This is a list curated by @behoff who has some other high quality lists worth checking out.

Must Follow Web Designers

Lists the most socially active best web designers in the industry. Includes such names as Paul Boag, Cameron Moll, Fabio Sasso, Vinh Le, Jo Phillips, Johnathan Snook, Jason Santa Maria and many more.

Typography

Follows all the typography related heros, apps and resources that you will need. Also be sure to check out @ilovetypography’s typography lists.

Ad Agencies

The top ad agencies of the world compiled into one big list. Includes names such as OGILVY, Big Spaceship, BBH Labs, Ogilvy Worldwide, Leo Burnett, TBWA\Worldwide, McCann Erickson NY, Draftfcb, Critical Mass, Scholz und Friends, etc.

Logo Design & Branding

This lists the top branding agencies and twitter users that post links to high quality logo & branding resources. A must for logo design lovers. Also be sure to check out this twitter list of freelance logo designers.

Illustration & Illustrators

Lists the leading illustrators in the industry. List curated by @grainedit who also has some other great lists worth checking out.

Agencies & Studios

Lists many of the leading agencies and studios on twitter. Includes names such as Critical Mass, The Duffy Agency, BBH New York, Saatchi Design, Fantasy Interactive, booneoakley,InterbrandNY, firstborn, The Martin Agency, Richard Lent and many more.

Creatives To Watch

This is a list put together by @Behance which compiles a great list of high quality designers & illustrators from around the world.

Designers

If you just want to follow a general range of designers & creatives, this twitter list is for you. A lot of rubbish talk but hey, they all like design. Be sure to check out the rest of @freelancefolder’s lists.

You can view all the lists I follow in my profile. Also check out this massive list of designers to follow on Twitter.

Do you have a twitter list recommendation?

A quick copywriting tip to get more subscribers

Jacob Cass — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 22:00:48 +0000

I recently wrote an article for Freelance Folder about how to get more subscribers by adding an email subscription box and within the comments, Troy Peterson left a great tip on how to optimise the copywriting to maximize subscription signups and I thought it was worth sharing…

One thing that will improve your signups as well, is to replace “Subscribe” with “Get Updates”.

Many people tend to associate “Subscribe” with some type of commitment. This is typically carried over from the old days of Magazine subscriptions, where people had to commit for a year and pay a price.

Even with the name “free” on it, people are still hesitant.

I recommend trying “Get Updates by Email” or “Get Updates by RSS”.

Of course, it’s always good practice to do a before and after testing to find the best results… but, it’s well worth the small effort to make the changes.

Below you can see how I have worded my new subscription box, along with a few other minor adjustments.

Update 6/11/09: I’ve slightly updated the copy to what is seen above.

Could it do better? What’s your opinion?

Tutorial: How To Create An Iconic Logo Design

Jacob Cass — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 23:00:14 +0000

Logo design is arguably one of the hardest parts of graphic design though with a little insider knowledge, you may find it’s not so difficult after all. By understanding what makes a “good” logo and the principles behind effective logo design you will be on the right track in no time. In this tutorial you will be guided through the logo design process, from initial brief right through to delivery while being given vital logo design tips along the way.

For the sake of this tutorial we will be creating a fictional logo - for now I’ve gone with a logo that reflects the first and last letters of my name - J & C. Through the use of negative space and a few nifty Illustrator tricks we will combine these characters (J & C) to create an iconic logo design. At the end of the tutorial, you may find that your own initials can be used too.

Skills you will learn by doing this logo design tutorial:

How to use Adobe Illustrator to create a logo
What makes a good logo
Principles of effective logo design
The logo design process

You will need:

A copy Adobe Illustrator CS3+ or any another vector editing program
30 minutes of time
This EPS File OR the Helvetica Neue 83 Extended typeface.

Logo design tutorial:

1. Before we head straight into creating the logo you must understand what a logo is, what it represents and what it is supposed to do. A logo is not just a mark - a logo reflects a business’s commercial brand via the use of shape, fonts, colour, and / or images. A logo is for inspiring trust, recognition and admiration for a company or product and it is our job as designers to create a logo that will do its job.

2. But what makes a good logo? A good logo is distinctive, appropriate, practical, graphic, simple in form and conveys an intended message. There are five principles that you should follow to ensure that this is so… In no particular order, an effective logo is simple, memorable, timeless, versatile and appropriate. An example of a logo that achieves all these things is the Apple logo.

3. Now that we know the basic principles behind logo design, we should begin the logo design process. In the real world we would be given a brief, have to do research, brainstorming, etc. though for the sake of this tutorial we are creating a fictional logo design based on my initials, J & C. For now, open the jc.eps file that you can download here.

4. In this EPS, you will find the completed logo and also the outlined version of the J&C. I’ve used the typeface Helvetica Neue 83 Extended with 82pt type so if you have this typeface you will not need the EPS file. You will be needing the Pathfinder tool panel too, so go ahead and open this up. Go to Window > Pathfinder. I also find working in the Typography Workspace is the best for logo design. Go to Window > Workspace > Typography to set this up.

5. If you are using the font directly (not from the EPS), you will need to outline your text as this will turn your text into movable objects. To do this, right click on the text and click ‘Create Outlines’. After you have done this, you are up to where the CD users start off. Now you will have to ungroup your characters - to do this, select the text, right click, click ‘Ungroup’.

6. Now we are going to turn the ampersand into 3 objects rather than just one. To do this we must release the original path of the ampersand. To do this, select the ampersand, right click and then choose “Release Compound Path”. You will notice the two counters of the ampersand go black - this shows that it is now in 3 pieces.

7. From here we are going to turn the ampersand into negative space, ie. using the white space to create an object. To do this, select the ampersand and turn it to the colour white using the swatch panel. Take note not to turn the two inside counters white. Now select the two counters and the ampersand, right click and press “Group”.

8. Now that we have the logo all set up, it is time to position the ampersand. Using the select tool, select the ampersand. Position the ampersand over the J and it should look something like above. Align the left side of the ampersand with the left vertical side of the J, ensure that the J is not broken into two parts.

9. From here, using the select tool, select the C, right click on it, go to Arrange > Send To Back. This moves the letter C behind the other two letters and is necessary for the next step.

10. Select the letter ‘C’ with the move tool and position it underneath the white ampersand. I’ve positioned the ‘C’ just where it meets the middle of the ampersand as outlined with the red arrow above. Zoom in to 6400% and ensure that it is exactly in line, not just close, but exact. Precision is required in logo design.

11. You will notice that the ampersand doesn’t cover all of the C and leaves an unsightly jagged edge at the bottom, as pointed to by the red arrow. To get rid of this you will have to select the Direct Selection tool, click once on the ampersand and then once one the bottom right node. Zoom in as much as you can and drag out the node in a diagonal straight line.

12. You may think that this is the completed logo design though it is not. Although it looks exactly like the finished logo, the ampersand is still white which means when placed on another background other than white, the ampersand shows as white, as shown in the example screenshot above.

13. To counter this what we have to do is use the pathfinder tool to cut out the ampersand from the other letters. We need to make three ampersands to be able to do this. Select the ampersand and go to Edit > Copy and then Edit > Paste In Front. Repeat this twice. You will not be able to tell but there are now three ampersands there.

14. Grab the selection tool, select the top ampersand and then while holding shift, click the ‘J’. From here we want to use the Pathfinder window to cut it away. While they are selected choose the Minus Front option from the pathfinder palette. At this stage it looks like it has not done anything but it has.

15. You will have to repeat the same steps as above but for the letter ‘C’. Select the ampersand, and while holding shift, click the letter ‘C’. Choose the “Minus Front” selection from the Pathfinder palette to cut away the ampersand from the ‘C’. It will still look nothing has changed but it has.

16. There is now one ampersand left. Click on this using the selection tool, right click and click ungroup. This will allow you to select the three parts of the ampersand. Click on the large part of the ampersand and press delete. The shape of the logo is now complete. Highlight the four parts of the logo, right click and click group. This will ensure the logo stays as is.

17. After the logo shape has been completed, you will want to fine tune it and experiment with colours and typefaces. I’ve shown some variations for you just to give you an idea of what you could do, though experimentation & comparison is the key here.

18. After you have finalised the logo design, you would essentially deliver it to the client in a variety of formats including eps, pdf, tiff, jpg, gif and if you’re feeling nice, you may want to include a FavIcon too. Now that you are done, try to see if you can do it for your own initials too.

Computer Arts Photos

This logo design tutorial was originally written for Computer Arts, Issue 167. Below are some snap shots of the tutorial in print.

Update: 4/11/09

Computer Arts has just posted the PDF version of the tutorial to their website.

Recent articles I’ve written elsewhere:

Vero logo design process from start to finish in Layers Magazine
How to create a vector font monster using the glyph panel in Layers Magazine
Get more subscribers with an email subscription box on Freelance Folder

For more logo tutorials visit this page of 70+ logo design tutorials.

If you have any questions or comments, please do leave them in the comments below.

New Just Creative Design Store

Jacob Cass — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 13:00:57 +0000

Inspired by Von Glitschka’s simply awesome Zazzle store, where I just recently bought his Tickles “Evil Clown” t-shirt, I thought I’d see how opening a store of my own would go. You never know, right?

Though before I did that, I thought I should wait to check out the quality of Zazzle’s products and overall service. I didn’t have to wait long - just 5 days after ordering I received my shirt (and I’m down in Oz). I was also pleasantly surprised at the high quality of their products, especially considering their very competitive pricing.

Anyway, I’ve compiled a few products for you below, though the best thing about Zazzle is that you can customise the product to anything you want - ie. you keep the same graphic and then you can change its sizing, spacing, alignment or even change the product itself to a women’s hoody or mouse pad, among hundreds of other products.

If you want to take a look at my store, click here or click on any of the shirt photos below. All the shirts are on sale from a small $12.95.

Sultan Of Sultans

‘Sultan of Sultans’ means King of Kings and is a mixture of elements relating to this theme. Lion (King of the Jungle), Crown (Symbol of Leadership) and Space (King Of The Universe).

Excelisor Bot

This little robot is created entirely out of the Excelsior typeface. I recently wrote a tutorial for Layers Magazine on how to create your own font monster if you’re interested. There is an angled version (1st pic below) or a straight version (2nd pic below). Remember you can change the t-shirt colour to anything you like! You can also change the sizing, alignment, etc.

Just Creative Design Logo

This one I am really curious about but I thought I’d chuck it in anyway. Judging by some of the emails (one marriage proposal so far), you just never know.

Love Christ, Love Life

Although I am not a Christian, this was a recent piece of work I completed for University for an advertising campaign promoting the life of Jesus (as above). After I shared it on Twitter I had a couple of requests to actually make it into shirts, so I thought why not. Here are a few combinations below:

The below version features a small logo on the back, as well as a larger version of the “Love Life” text on the front.

Comic Sans?

This little character, like the Excelsior Bot, is created entirely out of Comic Sans. The idea is that he is saying “What!? Comic Sans?”.

Below is a version without the text.

Lightning Bolt

This is a minimalist retro t-shirt design of an electric lightning bolt coming down from the skies above.

Love Life

Similar to the other Love Life shirts, but without the cross.

My Zazzle Flash Store

You can scroll through the products using the Flash application below.

If you find anything else in my portfolio you would like made into a product or if you have any requests at all, just let me know and I will put something together for you. Anyway, interested to see how this goes.

If you have your own store, tips or suggestions, please share in the comments below. Thanks!

How to choose a logo designer

Jacob Cass — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 01:00:09 +0000

With such a plethora of choice it may be hard to find the right designer for your specific needs. Below is a short guide to help you make the right choice when choosing a logo designer. These points could also be useful when hiring a web designer, graphic designer, or any designer for that matter.

I don’t want this post to come across as self promotional, however, I’ve linked to my own examples to show you how I personally communicate to potential clients the value of my design work. For other designers, I hope this in turn, gives you an idea of how you too can communicate the value of your work.

In no particular order:

1. Success & Experience

Do they have a proven successful track record? How experienced are they? Previous identity projects will give you a good idea of what skill level your designer is at and what you can expect though this is not to say that a new designer can not produce top quality results - this point has to be considered with all of the other points mentioned below, in which case a strong portfolio is probably the best indicator.

For examples of some quality identity design, please check out Logo Of The Day, where Jeff Fisher and I feature a new talented logo designer every day.

2. Positive Testimonials

Have they got positive testimonials from past clients and colleagues?

Ensure you check the testimonials validity which can be done by looking for a web address or even by emailing the company. It’s a good idea to check if the company even exists.

3. A Thorough Design Process

Do they have a logo design process in which they follow or are they simply producing logos like fast food? A typical process does not take under 48 hours to complete which is why I wrote the article How NOT To Design A Logo which tells you to avoid design contests, logo factories, etc.

Think for how long your logo design will be in use - would you want that to be designed (let alone researched) in under 48 hours? Logo design is not a take away food store and this is why logo design does not cost $5.00.

There is no ‘typical’ time frame as every client will have different needs but for small and medium businesses a rough guide would be around 2 - 6 weeks.

4. Awards Won / Published Work

Have they won any awards for their work? Is their work published in any books or magazines? How recognised are they in the industry?

5. A Strong Portfolio

How strong is their portfolio? What is the make up of real to ‘fake’ logo designs? When I say ‘fake logos’ I refer to the logos made for fictional companies, rather than for real clients.

6. Price

The costs of the service is usually quite evident of what you are going to receive. In most cases, you will get what you pay for but don’t take price as the only indication.

How much does a logo design actually cost? In my experience, this is the most frequently asked question and the hardest to answer. This is because every company has different needs… the best approach is to draw up a customised quote for each individual client.

7. Design Affiliations

Are they affiliated with any design associations or publications? This is a good indication of how dedicated they are to their craft though is not at all essential.

As an example, I am a member of NAPP - The National Association of Photoshop Professionals and Logo Lounge, an online gallery for logo design professionals. Other affiliations could be AIGA, HOW or even a local design group.

8. Great Customer Service

Do they respond to your emails quickly? How do they communicate & present themselves? A designer should provide great customer service throughout the whole process, from the initial email right through to after sales support.

9. Business Professionalism

Attention to detail, trustworthiness, strong communication skills and time management are all vital and go hand in hand with great customer service.

10. Appropriate Questions

A designer should ask a variety of questions to find out your needs in relation to your business goals. Questions should revolve around the companies history, target market, competitors, company goals, etc. For an example of the questions asked, check out my logo design questionnaire.

In summary

These are 10 things you should take into account when choosing a logo designer:

Proven Success & Experience
Positive Testimonials
A Thorough Design Process
Awards & Published Work
A Strong Portfolio
Price
Design Affiliations
Great Customer Service
Business Professionalism
Appropriate Questions

Do you have any further points to add?

Images courtesy of Shutterstock.

Climate change is about people

Jacob Cass — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 12:40:52 +0000

As part of this year’s Blog Action Day focusing on climate change, I have Simon Owens from CARE come to talk to you about the effects of climate change and what you can do to help. I’ll pass you onto Simon now…

Climate change is not only about melting ice caps and polar bears. Climate change is about people.

Swinging weather patterns are creating disasters on a scale that human civilization has never before witnessed. For the world’s poorest people – the ones least equipped to deal with its effects – climate change is devastating their crops, livelihoods and communities.

“Climate change is worsening the plight of those hundreds of millions of men, women and children who already live in extreme poverty – and it threatens to push hundreds of millions more people into similar destitution,”

says CARE International’s Secretary General Robert Glasser.

“A concerted international response to this unprecedented challenge is required if we are to avoid catastrophic human suffering.”

CARE is working toward a world where poor people can create opportunity out of crises like climate change. But the current reality is that climate change makes poor people even more vulnerable.

For instance, agricultural production will likely decline in the poorest countries, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. Less reliable rainfall will likely affect planting seasons, crop growth and livestock health – and lead to increased malnutrition. In other parts of the developing world, flooding will likely further diminish the quality of already-marginal soil and could cause outbreaks of water-borne diseases such as cholera and dysentery.

Climate change also is hurling many poor families into “Catch-22” situations. For example, they may select crops that are less sensitive to rainfall variation, but also less profitable. As incomes decline and people are not able to eke out a living, children are forced to leave school, assets are sold off to afford essentials, malnutrition rates increase and large-scale migration ensues. The end result? Deepening poverty for tens of millions of people around the world.

What Must Be Done?

At the international level, negotiations to develop a new treaty to guide global efforts to address climate change will take place in Copenhagen, Denmark in just a couple weeks. The United States must help lead those efforts, and forge a strong agreement that caps emissions, stops global warming and responds to the effects already in motion. We must do this for the sake of all of humanity.

What can you do to help?

First, you can make a tax-deductible donation to CARE to help poor families access the tools and education they need to adapt to the effects of climate change, make efficient use of their existing resources and overcome poverty for good.

Second, if you live in the Unites States, you can write your senators and urge them to pass the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009, a critical step toward U.S. leadership in tackling climate change. U.S. leadership is critical to making the Copenhagen negotiations a success.

Third, you can join the CARE mailing list to be kept up to date on CARE’s activities and other ways you can take action in the days counting down to Copenhagen.

To donate, take action and join our e-mail list, please visit http://www.care.org/climate.

Thank you once again Simon. Image courtesy of Shutterstock.

27 Classic & Elegant Serif Fonts

Jacob Cass — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 05:20:36 +0000

“There are now about as many different varieties of letters as there are different kinds of fools.” Eric Gill

Choosing a font for a project isn’t always an easy task but hopefully this list of professional classic and elegant serif fonts will make the task a little easier… or maybe not.

Cheltenham Old Style No 2

New Century Schoolbook Roman

Berthold Baskerville Book Regular

Scala Pro-Regular

Garamond Premier

Bembo

Times New Roman MTStd

Adobe Caslon

Bodoni

Goudy 38

More Typography & Font Resources:

Have you got a favourite classic serif typeface that was missed in this list? Let us know in the comments below.

Recently Completed Work

Jacob Cass — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 10:10:46 +0000

Things have been quieter than usual on the JCD blogging scene so I thought I should let you know what I have been up to - here is a small showcase of my most recent work along with a brief summary on each.

One a similar note, I’ve just recently reached another milestone - I’ve now had a client from every continent of the globe, except Antarctica. This is something I never would have dreamed of 2 years ago when I started this blog and I find it amazing how small the Internet makes the world. Thank you for all your support and if you know a penguin, please do let me know.

Learnworks logo design - Learnworks provides on-site training, books and e-learning courses. The concept is based on the initials L and W making up books on a bookcase. Gotham Black is the typeface. Learnworks is based in the Netherlands and I am currently in the process of designing their other marketing material.

Redwave Systems logo design - Redwave is a provider of telephony systems, Windows servers, and general IT services. Notice the wave? Myriad Pro is the typeface with customisation on the D, W and A. Redwave Systems is based in California, USA.

Mindful Construct logo - Logo for a blog that focuses on empowering users to lead a more healthy life. Avenir LT Std 95 Black Oblique, 35 Light Oblique, 35 Light are the typefaces used. Melissa also kindly wrote a rather large testimonial for her time working with me - below is a snippet.

“Jacob is a pleasure to work with. He is courteous, patient with questions, reliable, and a great communicator. He is very focused on the creative process and he completed my project well before the deadline. And not only did Jacob deliver logos that I could emotionally connect to and identify with, he went out of his way to kindly advise me on how best to integrate one of the logos with my website.

Anyone who takes that extra care to help you succeed is someone worth sticking with! Jacob truly cares about his clients, and even though the project is finished, I still feel supported by him in continuing to build my business! …” Read full testimonial here.

DiCarlo Coaching logo - A male life coach, teaching men how to interact with women. Typeface is Avenir with custom illustrations for the silhouettes. DiCarlo Coaching is based in Massachusetts, USA.

Beolchi Rangel logo - This is a logotype for Beolchi Rangel, a business management consulting business based in Brazil. I wrote up a process of how I made this logotype over on Logo Designer Blog. Gotham Black typeface with customisation to the letters E, L and A. The letterhead and business card are being printed as we speak.

Matisia logo design - A Seattle based management consulting firm who deals with clients such as Microsoft & Starbucks. Typeface is Dynasty Heavy. The concept is based on profiling the fruit Matisia in which the business was named after. Matisia is based in Washington DC, USA.

Rehab Massage Website - This was a website I completed for Dennis Jablonski, a remedial therapist based in Queensland, Australia. The website is still currently being coded and the content added. The logo was designed elsewhere (not a huge fan).

Here is what Dennis said about his time working with me:

“Jacob absolutely nailed my website in his first draft, delivering a perfect result much faster than I expected!

When I contacted Jacob about designing my website I was highly unorganised, lacking vision, ideas and actual content - possibly a ‘designer’s nightmare’!

Jacob’s excellent communication skills and wealth of experience in dealing with small business clients meant he could quickly identify my needs and business image and provide much needed guidance with minimal fuss.

I consider myself very lucky to have met Jacob and highly recommend him!“

6×3m Billboard - This was a university project where we had to create a creative billboard targeting obesity. We had 2 hours to come up with a concept & deliver it. Man image courtesy of Shutterstock.

A3 Play Poster - This was an A3 sized poster for a play being held at Newcastle University.

Pip’s For Hair Logo Design - This was a logo I created last year for Pip’s For Hair - this is a photo of the logo applied to the store front. Typeface is Interstate with customisations to the two p’s.

As for now, there are 4 more logos in the mix, a website for Sikh Youth Australia, a van vehicle wrap design, a CD Digipack Album design and a rum liquor bottle on its way! And there is only 5 more weeks till I leave for a 6 week trip across 22 states of USA. Eek - but loving every bit of it.

Comments, constructive criticism and questions are welcome, as always. Have a good weekend folks!

Does being a starving graphic artist suck?

Jacob Cass — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 04:35:20 +0000

Does being a starving artist suck? Even if you are not starving, you should get yourself familiar with the books & resources of Jeremy Tuber, a designer & author based in Arizona, USA.

Jeremy and myself have been in contact via email & twitter in a very on and off fashion, though over the conversations we have had, I’ve found Jeremy’s pragmatic & practical knowledge in business to be quite profound and this is clearly shown throughout his books & resources.

About four months ago, Jeremy kindly sent me two of his books (Verbal Kung Fu For Freelancers and Being A Starving Graphic Artist Sucks) and over these last four months have found them very handy - below are two short reviews of these two books.

Verbal Kung Fu For Freelancers

Although I am not overly fussed by the design of the book itself, the information inside is invaluable and I have referred to it many a time. This book tells you how to talk and deal with your clients needs, but done in a very to the point way. It’s basically a ‘questions and answers’ book.

For example, pretend you have a client asking you to lower the price of your original quote. How would you respond? If you refer to the pricing section of the Verbal Kung Fu book, it would tell you exactly what to write and in some cases, it gives you two options to choose from.

Verbal Kung Fu For Freelancers is essentially about “how to talk to clients” and if you’re like me and the vast majority of your communication is done via email, you have all the time in the world to refer to this book to find out how to appropriately & effectively deal with your clients needs, without jeopardising your income or dignity.

I haven’t come across a book like this before and I highly recommend it. Its 166 pages are well categorised for easy referencing and is a ‘keep in your top draw’ kind of book. You also read what Steve from LogoFactory had to say about Jeremy’s books.

Being A Starving Graphic Artist Sucks

Being A Starving Graphic Artist Sucks (500 pages) is the second book I received and is much larger than the Verbal Kung Fu book. It’s a “complete resource” on how to be a successful freelancer.

It deals with such things as how to find clients & how to run your design business including thorough expert advice in areas that designers struggle in: pricing, marketing, negotiations, customer service and sales.

Although I didn’t read this book from front to back (I’ve already read similar books) it is clear that Jeremy knows how to run a design business and is certainly a book worth checking out. It really is a “complete resource”.

Discounts & Freebies

Readers of this blog can get 25% off any of Jeremy’s digital products OR get a free ebook when you purchase a printed book from Amazon.

You can click through to view all products & discounts.

Jeremy also offers free email support to any and all questions that you may have! How many authors offer that?

Free Giveaway

Update: 13/10/09 - Competition Closed

Congratulations to Jaz who will be receiving the prize pack below. Thank you to everyone else who entered - there are many questions here that will provide good ideas for posts in the future.

Jeremy has also been kind enough to donate a grand prize to one lucky winner. This will include the digital copies of:

Being A Starving Graphic Artist Sucks
Verbal Kung Fu For Freelancers
Work Smarter, NOT Harder: Contracts & More

To win: simply let us know what area you find most troublesome when freelancing and a question you would like answered relating to that area. The winner will be announced in this post on Tuesday 13th October.

Good luck!

More book recommendations:

Japan & New Zealand Holiday Photos

Jacob Cass — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 13:27:44 +0000

Throughout June and July I was on vacation travelling through Japan, Cambodia, Vietnam and New Zealand and as usual, with any major trip, I share the photos and stories with you.

I posted the Cambodia & Vietnam photos a few weeks back and now I’ve finally had the chance to go through the Japan & New Zealand photos.

The Japan leg of my Asian themed holiday was spent with my mother and was a gift for my 21st birthday. It was great to spend some quality time with her while experiencing the Japanese culture and it also gave me a chance to do things that I wouldn’t have done if I was traveling with my mates.

In Japan we went to Tokyo, Shinagawa, Yokohama, Shizuoka, Nagoya, Kyoto, Hikone, Miyajima, Okayama, Hiroshima and Takayama. Click the map for a larger view of where we travelled.

Enjoy the happy snaps and sorry for not being more descriptive, I’ve forgotten a lot of the names since the trip back in July.

Can you spot me? I am in there somewhere.

One of the craziest crossings in a shopping district.

We went on a one day tour on the first day (which was a great choice) and the tour leader was great… this is her carrying her infamous Pikachu.

Just one of many Japanese weddings we came across in the park. Apparently they have one every 30 minutes during peak season.

The harbour… this was just before we caught a ferry down town.

Walking through the ring 3 times gives you luck.

One of the tastiest meals I had in Japan - Okonomi-yaki. I enjoyed every bite, as I did for nearly every meal I had in Japan.

The choice of iced coffee was unbelievable.

Traditional Japanese cultural show.

A play we saw in Japanese. It was a comedy and you could understand what was happening without knowing the language. It was based on two people being tied up because they drink too much… but then find a way to drink by helping each other.

Geishas… we did spot a few real ones which I’ve been told is quite a rare site. These featured here were just part of a show put on for tourists.

Traditional Japanese shadow puppet show.

A deer on the way to Miyajima. Very tame.

This group were trying to take a photo when a deer walked and stopped straight in front of them!

The floating water temple, though it wasn’t floating today as the sea was out.

Bamboo forest.

One of the last standing buildings from the Hiroshima atomic bomb.

Hiroshima memorial and the Great Hall in the background.

We had an awesome ‘cook your own bbq dinner’ just on the left where those umbrellas are.

Enjoying a cold Asahi over dinner.

Sunset in Japan’s urban centre.

The view out from the bullet train.

Waterfalls seen from the train on the way to Takayama.

Sake… rice wine.

Electronic logos! I got excited when I saw this.

That’s Mt. Fuji (the third very white layer).

Crossing the valley via Gondola.

Eating black eggs at the top of the mountain. The eggs go black because of the sulphate but they taste just like normal eggs.

You can see where they boil the eggs in the pit below.

Eating the black egg.

What happens when it rains - the clear umbrellas come out! They sell them at every second store.

Food available ready to eat at the supermarket.

More great food.

Tokyo skyline.

Looking downwards from the Tokyo version of the Eiffel tower.

Part of the beautiful Japanese gardens and me in my Japanese shirt.

Got a line?

Gotta love the Japanese gardens.

Having tea at a Japanese Tea Ceremony. This lady has been doing it for 20 years!

The Japanese tea ceremony or “the Way of Tea,” is the ceremonial preparation and presentation of the powdered green tea known as matcha. The tea ceremony is highly ritualized and the manner in which it is performed. Zen Buddhism was integral to the ceremony’s development, and its influence pervades many aspects of its performance.

The green tea matcha… oh, was it bitter!

Traditional Ryokans (Japanese Inn).

Traditional Japanese wedding gown.

More brilliant Japanese food.

Ringing the bell for good luck… I think.

Samurai statue.

Outside the Emperor’s Palace.

“The Turd”

Entry to the markets.

The markets.

Which flavour?

Tasty treats.

Just one of the many Engrish titles. This one was funny because they fixed the correct English to make it incorrect.

No judging here (I only speak one language after all).

Wasn’t really a fan of this but still amazing to see what monkeys can learn.

One of the main shopping streets.

The entry to the Swarovski shop.

For the apple fanboys.

Raining madness.

Electric town, those buildings are filled with about 10 levels of non stop arcade games - a site you really have to see to believe.

Above is about one tenth of one level of the arcades.

Notice the pigs head? This was at the supermarket.

Octopus tentacles!

Crazy town. This is what I imagined Japan to be like before I left!

Hard Rock Cafe Tokyo!

The huge fish markets!

The Bullet Train - how we managed to see so much in such little time.

Have always liked these.

The Kyoto train station, an attraction in itself.

Pepsi Shiso flavour!

Beer vending machines! Just what Australia needs!

No idea what this says but I like it!

Green Tea Coke! What’s next? Web flavoured Vegemite?

The outer Moat around the palace.

Standing inside the ancient palace.

More Japanese gardens.

Enjoying dinner at a traditional Japanese restaurant.

This was one meal I did not enjoy… way overpriced fishy Sushi.

A temple amongst the urban landscape. A common site in Japan.

Eel dumpling. I had one bite and spat it out. Certainly not my thing.

Entrance to a shop. Gotta love the novelty of the Japanese.

A quaint little Japanese town.

We ordered a beer and got these ‘goodies’ with it - dried sardines!

I enjoyed every calorie.

Oh, how I miss the Japanese food.

The traditional clothes they give you before you enter the Onsens (hot baths). A new fashion statement indeed.

Posing in front of the “ancient forest”.

*insert pirate joke here*

What is a pirate’s favorite toy store? Toys ARRRRR Us.

The Botantic Gardens.

Enjoying a healthy lunch at the Botanic Gardens.

Oldschool trains.

View from our hotel room.

And a funny one to finish off… me in a Japanese sized bathtub!

New Zealand Ski / Snowboard Holiday

After I returned from my Asian themed holiday I went for a ski / snowboard holiday with 16 of my mates in Cardrona, New Zealand. Below are a few snaps.

Top of the mountain - perfect conditions!

Believe or not this is the same day! It went from slush / chains at the bottom of the mountain, to perfect at the top.

Me doing a jump - I did land it for the record

The serenity!

We went paint balling as well, which was deadly fun.

Me on the left and some of my mates.

The lake near to our hotel. Beautiful scenery indeed.

Future Travel Plans

My original travel plan for November / December was to travel through South America however I have since decided to travel through USA instead. The reasoning for this was because of the very competitive airfares, great AUD to USD exchange rate and I thought I should get more acquainted with the USA before moving to work there.

As for the trip, I am going on another Contiki tour - this time across 22 states of USA starting from Los Angeles going East, right through to New York, where I will meet my employers, Carrot Creative, for the first time.

I will leave mid November, travel around for 6 weeks, return to Australia for 2 weeks for a family holiday, then fly back to New York again in early January where I will have to settle down and get back to the real (working) world.

You may be interested in my photos from: Fiji, Europe, Australia, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia or me SkyDiving. Have you been to Japan? Have any stories to share?

Vegemite iSnack2.0

Jacob Cass — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 03:52:41 +0000

This is breaking news in Australia - we’ve released a new ‘creamier’ version of our much loved Vegemite (a vegetable yeast spread similar to Marmite). No joke it was on the front page of the Sydney Morning Herald website.

Kraft Foods yesterday announced the winning name: Vegemite iSnack 2.0.

West Australian web designer Dean Robbins, 27, beat more than 48,000 entrants to come up with the winning name. Other entries suggested were Ruddymite, Wow Chow and 2ritemite.

“It was all a bit tongue-in-cheek, really. The ‘i’ phenomenon and web 2.0 have been recent revolutions and I thought the new Vegemite name could do the same.”

Simon Talbot from Kraft Foods said: “The name Vegemite iSnack2.0 was chosen based on its personal call to action, relevance to snacking and clear identification of a new and different Vegemite to the original. We believe these three components completely encapsulate the new brand.”

When I first saw it I was like “Oh no, this has got to be a joke” but nope, it’s the real deal. A half smart marketing ploy but I wonder how long this name will last?

Update 29th September:

There may be a legal battle on for the name ‘iSnack’ but not with who you may think.

Update 30th September:

Kraft is considering axeing the name of iSnack2.0. (Thanks to Cameron for the tip.)

What are your thoughts?

Blog Action Day 2009: Climate Change

Jacob Cass — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 11:54:33 +0000

It’s that time of year again - October 15th is Blog Action Day.

Blog Action Day is an annual event that unites the world’s bloggers in posting about the same issue on the same day on their own blogs with the aim of sparking discussion around an issue of global importance. Blog Action Day 2009 will be the largest-ever social change event on the web. One day. One issue. Thousands of voices.

This year the topic is Climate Change (of which I voted for back in August) and am glad it was picked as this years topic of choice as Climate Change is effecting us all (and our children) whether we like it or not.

I don’t want to bat on like some Greenpeace activist but Blog Action Day is for a good cause and you should consider getting involved - at least check out the video below.

Only last year did this blog raise USD$1620 in funds for the Blog Action Day Poverty Fund so it shows that you can help.

What can you do now?

Blog and Twitter about it, let others know about Blog Action Day and line up a story to be posted on October 15th too. Register your blog and get more information by going to the official Blog Action Day website.

You could also add a banner to the side of your blog such as the one you see on the right side bar of Just Creative Design.

Murray Raine Puppets Website Redesign

Jacob Cass — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 02:11:36 +0000

Thought I would share with you a recent project of mine: the rebranding of The Murray Raine Puppets logo and website.

Murray Raine grew up in Newcastle, New South Wales. His initial interest and love of puppetry was triggered at the early age of six. Following a performance by the iconic “Marionette Theatre Of Australia” at Waratah Infants school, he new a career in puppetry was his destiny! Now four decades later Murray is regarded as Australia’s leading “cabaret” marionettist.

Please feel free to have a look through the old and new websites and let me know what you think. It was a real pleasure designing for Murray and his star studded cast.

Website Before - Click to view old website (opens in new window).

Website After - Click to view new website (opens in new window).

The 960 Grid

When designing for the web, it’s often a good idea to follow a grid based approach. I personally use the 960 grid system and highly recommend it. Below you can see how I have used the 16 column grid system to build a structured and stylistically coherent web site.

You can click on the images below to see them at full resolution.

960 Grid System - 16 column grid with guides.

960 Grid System - 16 column grid with guides & coloured columns.

Front page without guides.

Front page with guides.

Front page with guides and coloured bars.

Further Web Design Resources:

Comments and questions are welcome, as always.

Funny & Odd Emails Received

Jacob Cass — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 23:00:12 +0000

Image courtesy of Shutterstock

Over the past few months I’ve been storing the emails that have made me raise my eyebrow. Some rude, some funny, some odd and some you just can’t help but cringe at.

I’ve left all formatting as it was received and it goes with out saying, I’ve made each email anonymous. I’ve also provided some general commentary just in case any of the authors are reading.

Please note that my comments are all just for a bit of fun are not meant to offend.

hey jacob
i wanted a logo redesigned for General motors or the superman logo
how much would it cost.
could it be sent by wedenesday

Certainly! I’ll have the Superman logo sent to you by Wednesday!

Hi. I really would love to know what software you used to design your website. I am thinking of being a website designer and I really like the feel of your website. I just have a copy of Frontpage 2002 and it seems out of date. Thanks!

Ps I really enjoyed the blog about advertising through google business/maps. Very innovative approach at using the free tools out there. Excellent page there, ill check out your links.

Yes, he said the F word.

The first [logo] I have a small budget for. The second, which I can guarantee I will come back to you for if you give me a deal on the first, I will have a larger budget for, at least double. If you produce really good work and the stars align, larger partner opportunities may exist, which would offer you enormous exposure.

Wow. Think they need a bit of talking to from Henry Ellison.

dear Jacob Cass!

i wana a job. actuly do a job in uae as graphic designer in a signage company.

thanks

Sur, cum round Munday and u can strat straight away!

Hi ?
i’m look’n 4 a phoney creative newspaper that will print my phoney artical
in a Phoney newspaper
4 me ” its a April Fools
Joke”
can U tell me the name of such a Company ?
Sincerely Frank

I’m sorry, I can not name such a company. Sincerely Jacob.

Will you marry me?

I’m a fellow Graphic Designer…a little older than you. Just thought I’d throw that out there.

No, but seriously, great website.

“I do.”

Would you help me to grow me up? I’m chirdlike in my ideas. I’m not absolutely aware of my shorteness wh! en I thought. How I grow? By what? I have known you from “UKE”. At that time, I relly like you although I don’t know anything about you. Today, my friend give me your website ’s adress, when I come in, I recognize you and I feel happy. what’s a coincidence.

I am a father now?

Hi Jacob,

I work for a government department that doesnt have alot of money in the budget. We have a conference in Nov that i would like a logo designed so people can associate it with the conference. I am want to score some brownie points with my boss, and in return you can have a government department on your portfolio. Basically wat i am looking for is a freebie.

If you interested please let me know.

-1000 brownie points for you.

hello. I am Tom from the US. I am 14. I am starting to think of a carrer to do. I have been really thing about a grapic deisgner. Would you tell me if it is a carrer you can enjoy, or is it a carrer you just can’t wait to leave everyday? How diffucult is it? My one big quistion is what sould I do to prepare for college? What sould I buy, like a computer, photoshop(which i have and been trying to practice) and so on. and what other things. Is there any websites u suggest going to? For anything and for photoshop practice? Anything to help me! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Email: tom122323334444@gmail.com (not exact but very close)

Tip#1 Address the receiver by their name. Tip#2 Get a new email. Tip #3 Use spell checker or at least try to spell correctly. (I still replied to Tom nicely though.)

this is to inform about Nasty cartoon porn sites( i have a sick roomate) Cartoon Pornhouse & Famous Facial Toons.

Rather interesting spam message that got through the filter.

Okay ~~~~~~~

I need your photo !!! (Make CD)

Tommorow make start !!! ^^

complete product is for you ^^

just gift ! ^^

and Visit in Korea ! please ^^*

invited call in my university ?

Bye ~

Okay ~~~~~~~ indeed.

I want to write my crush with a logo designer in my local.

Write away!

Jacob, You R Proven Tht U r Gr8. Ur Creativity Is Really Cool.Wht I Find In U Is Ur Design R Simple & Unique. All The Best For Ur Future.
Dan.

Y do Ppl Write Lke This? (But thanks and all the best to you too!)

HELLO THERE, im Hari Haran from malaysia>>> Same like you i started designing since a young age>>> im 16 now so yeah GOT FEW CLIENTS>>> juz keep in touch>> i might wana ask few questioNS.. AND I GO
.. IM launchin mah website>> ill keep u UPDATED..

Up and atom!

apart of your job, I really like you. just jacob!

Blush.

I have a design that my exboyfriend created on photoshop and I would like to use it as a design on a t-shirt or hoodie if i can…?

Sigh.

helo sir wel i’ve seen ur portfolio wel its too fantastic i mean masterstroke… wel me too i’m a graphic designer actually undertaking in mauritius university.. wel i got my first deal to create a magazine for a college … wel sir i wanted to know how to deal wiz the price of the magazine… i mean its my first work n its gr8.. so sir i wanted as u r a successful grpahic designer i wanted ur xplanations plz sir can u hlp

u deal wiz de price of de magazine by checkin out dis article. hpe my xplanation was hlpful.

I like to go to school with you online. Do you know how to build action figures?

Yes, I know how to build action figures and would love to go to school with you online! How do I get started?

your a c**t and you look like a c**t lol
dont know why your doing well your
logos are crap
and your full of yourself
learn some respect
and humility
what a prick -

My second piece of hate mail, I couldn’t find the first. Oh the humility.

I love your work very much and i find you in twitter. i want to be a web designer.
I have a question about me. Please answer me:
I am continuing my web designing course should I join video editing and 2D and 3D design course. Your answer is my final decision.
i hope u will give me the right answer. Awaiting ur reply.
Thank You Very much

My answer is your final decision? Is there even a right answer?

Jacob!!

Oh my gosh! What are the odds? This is Courtney from our Contiki trip summer of ‘08.

I am taking an advanced graphic design class at the University of Georgia (in the US) and my teacher suggested we look at YOUR website as a guide when we create logos! Small world. I knew you did graphic design but I didn’t know you were this good!!

Just wanted to let you know because it was so funny!!

Courtney

It is a very small world.

- hi jacobcass
- i visited your site and found lots of interesting thing.
- i became a fan of you.
- i am an instructor in a reputed art college of eastern india.and busy in teaching product campaign design.
- i have attached my biodata with this mail for your necessery information about me.
-
- can you let me know that how can i purchage these following books for my reference.
-
- Graphic Design Down Under (ISBN: 978-3939998099) - Euro 14.95
- Logo 2 (ISBN: 978-3-939998-17-4) - Euro 19.95

Yes, they sent this email with dash points all down the side and yes they did attach their ‘biodata’ (CV).

Anyway, hope this brightened up your day! Have you ever received a funny or odd email? Please do share with us in the comments below.

20,000+ Subscribers - Comment To Win!

Jacob Cass — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 09:30:32 +0000

© Shutterstock

A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.
~ Lao Tzu

20,000 subscribers… it’s just another milestone but that’s no reason to let it go unnoticed. With help from a few generous sponsors, Just Creative Design is holding a small competition to celebrate & thank you for being part of the journey.

Thus far, there has been just under 300 articles and over 10,700 comments left on Just Creative Design so once again, I thank you for your support.

What Can You Win?

2x PSD to XHTML Conversions from Snobby Slice. ($299 each)

Winners: Alexander Koolen, Kevin Gamble

Motion +61 DVD from Heavy Backpack. ($39)
A DVD collection of work from some of today’s leading creative talent in broadcast, motion graphics, animation, film and effects; all working in the Australian industry.

Winner: Andrew Odri

$150 to spend at RSRVS.com. ($150)
Your to download any choice of typefaces, stock and images.

Winner: Steven

500 Free Business Cards from our affiliate UPrinting. Shipping not included. USA only. ($30)
Get 10% off printing by using the affiliate link.

Winner: Snowpato

2x One Year Shared & Reseller (RS2) Hosting Plans from RockStar Communications. Plan details here. ($120 each)

Winners: BebopDesigner, Frank

To Win

To win one of the prizes, simply leave a comment telling us what articles you like / dislike most on JCD and / or what you think could be improved.

All winners will be drawn at random and announced in this post on the 19th of September.

Update: 19th September

As I haven’t had a chance to go through all of the comments (very overwhelmed by the response) I will announce the winners on the 20th or 21st. Feel free to enter until then.

Update: 21st September - Competition Closed

Congratulations to the winners! Please find the winners names under each prize. Thank you everyone for your kind comments & suggestions!

Thanks again and good luck.

How To Get Clients Using LinkedIn

Jacob Cass — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 01:46:41 +0000

Chris Green from Freelance For Money has put together a short video clip showing how you can get clients from LinkedIn. I’ve humbly been “picked on” for the ego boost.

If you do not see the video below, click through to view it on YouTube.

Please do connect with me on LinkedIn, or if you do not have a profile, I recommend you to sign up now - not only is it a great way to network, show your experience and recommendations, it also helps you get your name at the top of search engine rankings - plus a lot more.

As for my advice, I say fill out your profile, build your network up and get recommendations - it’s really as simple as that.

Also, please feel free to join the Just Creative Design LinkedIn Group - a group for design discussion, advice & promotion.

When is a logo too simple?

Jacob Cass — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 05:54:41 +0000

Simplicity in logo design is what makes a logo memorable and easier to recognise, but is there such thing as a too simple logo?

There has been a discussion over on Logo Of The Day about this logo in question, many love it, many hate it. What is your opinion?

Background Info

Below is the information that Anne Wehr of iCVBook submitted to Logo Of The Day. Tom Skipp is the designer of the logo.

“iCVBook is a new generation of professional network, including an innovation called iCV : a revolutionary professional identity for people and companies. It gathers together your online and professional, social and personal identities to give everyone the best image possible. The logo is for representing the brand.

We needed two different types of logo: the brand one and an icon that will be used by users for their iCVs. So this concept allows to decline the logo.

One represents a kind of sheet of paper, a Curriculum Vitae, a file to fill in. Simple and qualitative. With the possibility to play with the color of the corner (using the colorful pantone of the website) for gif animation or declination.”

So, when is a logo too simple?

A-List Blogging Bootcamps Identity Design

Jacob Cass — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 13:48:44 +0000

I’ve recently had the pleasure of designing the A-List Blogging Bootcamps logo for Mary Jaksch of Write To Done and Leo Babauta of Zen Habits and in this article I will guide you through my design process of creating the logo as seen above.

This article was originally written for those enrolled in the A-List Blogging Bootcamp and has been edited for display on Just Creative Design.

A Brief Introduction

A-List Blogging Bootcamp is a website that offers series of short, live, online training courses for bloggers. For more information, please check out the A-List Blogging Bootcamps website.

Getting The Job

Mary first approached me after getting a referral from James Chatrand about my design services. After Mary had checked out my logo design portfolio and told me what she needed, I directed her to my logo design questionnaire which allowed me to accurately quote for the job at hand.

Research

After the paper work was out of the way, it was time to start researching for Mary and Leo’s logo design. This included looking up their competitors, researching their industry and searching for other logos of similar context.

Brainstorming & Conceptualising

After the majority of the research had been completed, it was time to get creative. Based on the design brief and research conducted, this is where I let my ideas run wild. I brainstormed and sketched down my ideas and then experimented with them on the computer. I also had breaks between these sessions so I could reflect on the designs and have a fresh perspective - this is a crucial part of the logo design process.

When conceptualising, some designers get too concerned with the graphic style and image of a piece (ie. try to depict exactly what the business does) while others such as myself try to convey a deeper meaning or some sort of visual puzzle into the logo. A good example of this would be the well known FedEx logo, designed by Lindor Leader… did you know about the hidden arrow found between the E and X?

For the A-List Blogging Bootcamp logo I also wanted to create a visual puzzle. Before reading on, try having a look at the completed A-List Blogging logo below… what do you see?

Do you see a star? A man? The letter A? A man above a podium? A light shining onto a man? A globe? These things mentioned are all open to a matter of interpretation though I am sure you will see at least a few.

All of these symbols have meaning that relate back to the A-List Blogging Bootcamp’s purpose. The star symbolises being a star (think A-List celebrity), a man symbolises a blogger, the letter A is a reference to the blog title, the light shining down onto the man shows that the blogger is the limelight, etc. You can look into as much as you like - it’s all up to your interpretation.

Logo Variations

When creating a logo design, there is a lot that goes on behind the scenes that one usually never sees… below you can see some of my many experimentations and logo variations. Please keep in mind that these are just my experimentations and were not shown to Mary or anyone except myself.

At this stage I work without colour to ensure I focus on the shape and concept of the logo, not the subjective & distractive nature of colour.

Colour

After a lot more experimentation and liaison with Mary, the logo was narrowed down to six variations. From here, I experimented with colour choices and narrowed it down to a burnt orange, grey and white colour scheme which Mary loved. The colour scheme reflects the site’s purpose quite well making it fresh, vibrant and authoritative.

Above you can see the logos in black and then the burnt orange variations below.

I presented what I thought was the strongest logo (the middle bottom logo) to Mary & Leo and this was their reply:

We both love it!

Typeface

After the logo was completed it was time to work on the typeface. After a lot of experimentation, I opted for the skillfully crafted FF Meta Bold Caps. This typeface was chosen to complement the rounded logo and to show that the blog was authoritative, not via the use of capital letters but via the use of Small Caps (a way to prevent capitalised words from appearing too large).

The emphasis of the text was placed on the words “A-List Blogging” with a complement colour of grey for the word “bootcamps”. This was done to split the rather long name up into easier-to-read sections which in turn, make the logo easier to implement on the A-List Blogging Bootcamp’s website. (The web designer slightly adjusted the logo on the website so it appears different to what you see here.)

Final Logo Design

Below you can see the final A-List Blogging Bootcamps logo. For those interested you may also like to read the article “What makes a good logo?” or “Why logo design does not cost $5.00“.

Testimonial

Here is what Mary had to say about her time working with me:

“I struck lucky with Jacob Cass: his logo design process is intelligent and intuitive. The finished product is a splendid logo with many layers of meanings - all condensed into one image. If you are looking for a logo design, entrust yourself to Jacob. The end result will be not only a striking and beautiful logo, but one that carries all the subliminal messages you want to convey. It doesn’t get any better than this.”

Comments are welcome, as always.

Great Business Tips for New Designers

Jacob Cass — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 09:00:36 +0000

This is a guest article written by Nicole White*. Image courtesy of Shutterstock.

Stepping out of college and into the world of design can be a big change for many with little real-world experience in the field. Learning how to deal with clients, manage projects, and find work can be challenge for the rookie designer, especially with freelance work. These basic business tips can help prevent major disasters and set the stage for future success in the field.

1. Always get a contract.

It isn’t uncommon to get hooked up with a friend of a family member and in these cases you may not feel it’s necessary to ask for or get a contract, after all, you know the person. This is where trouble can start. Always lay out what the expectations for the client are and your fees ahead of time so there can be no question later as to what the agreement was.

2. Ask for a down payment.

Inevitably you will have clients who are reluctant to shell out for the work that you’ve done for them, offering a myriad of excuses. Getting half the money up front will ensure you’re not left penniless while trying to get what you’re owed and that the client won’t leave you hanging partway through. 25-50% is a fair amount.

3. Limit revisions.

As with any creative project, there are a limitless amount of revisions that can be made. Some clients will be very picky and involved in the process and want to see numerous revisions of an idea. While there’s not necessarily anything wrong with wanting the best, make sure you’re getting compensated for it by placing a limit on the number of revisions or charging if they go over a certain number.

4. Get organized.

It will be incredibly difficult to manage one project, let alone multiples, and your life to boot if you don’t get organized now. Set up places to file important paper, organize your email inbox and make sure you’ve got plenty of room to store all your client work.

35 Online Tools That Make Your Freelance Career Easier

5. Work your network.

Finding work can sometimes be the hardest part of working freelance. When you’re first starting out, try using your personal connections to find yourself some work. Ask family, friends, classmates and associates if they know anyone who could benefit from your services. Most of the time, this will turn up at least one lead and get you started working.

There is no guarantee of entrepreneurial success in any venture, but taking steps to plan for the future and better manage work today certainly won’t hurt even the most experienced designers and can be a great way to start a career for newbies. Start to market yourself.

10 Commercial Fonts Every Print Designer Should Own

Jacob Cass — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 11:00:29 +0000

Image courtesy of Shutterstock

What do you believe are the top commercial fonts that every print designer should own? Issue 166 of Computer Arts magazine suggested these ten below and I thought they were a good pick. What about you?

In no particular order…

Excelsior

Excelsior is good for magazines, newspapers, posters and signage.

Perpetua

Perpetua is good for displays with fine lettering and heavy text pages.

Stempel Schneidler

Stempel Schneidler is good for display work, high-class publications and posters.

Trajan

Trajan is good for books and magazines, aged and classical looks.

Walbaum MT

Walbaum is good for magazines, journals and corporate communication.

Akzidenz Grotesk

Akzidenz-Grotesk is good for large signage and all printed material.

Avenir

Avenir is good for book sleeves, headlines, logos and posters.

Leitura

Leitura is good for signage, posters and displays.

Akkurat

Akkurat is good for text, editorial and posters.

Typography Resources

Miss a favourite font of yours? What would your top 10 commerical print fonts be? Please let us know in the comments below.

News & Connections

Jacob Cass — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 09:35:52 +0000

Image courtesy of Shutterstock

This is a general update of my future plans, articles I’ve written elsewhere and links to connect with me.

It’s Official - I’m Moving to NYC!

I posted about my new job in NYC at Carrot Creative a few weeks ago though only on the weekend did I get my US Working Visa approved. Everything is set (except accommodation) and the flight is booked for January 2010 which is when I will begin work. An exciting move indeed!

Articles Written Elsewhere

I’ve written a rather extensive article on Vital Tips for Effective Logo Design over on Smashing Magazine.

In the latest issue of Computer Arts magazine (Issue 166), I wrote their feature cover article on Cross Media Design including tips for using Photoshop with Illustrator, Dreamweaver and InDesign. The tips for After Affects, Premiere & Flash were written by someone else. The magazine is on sale now. Stay tuned for the next issue of CA too, as I’ve written a logo design tutorial.

I’ve also got an article in the latest issue of Layers Magazine (August/ September Issue) that goes through the design process for my Vero logo and bottle design. I’ve previously written for Layers, including the cover article Negative Space back in January and an Illustrator tutorial on ‘How To Create A Font Monster‘ in July. I was also featured as their Designer In The Spotlight in the May / June issue.

I will post each of the articles on this blog after the magazines go off sale.

Connect With Me

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Logo Of The Day

For those of you who do not know, Logo Of The Day is my other website which features a new logo each day…

Logo Of The Day is now on Twitter so you can get updated each time a new logo is posted. Follow Logo Of The Day on Twitter.

Become a Fan of Logo Of The Day on Facebook to keep updated on Facebook.

Enjoy the rest of your week!

Car Vehicle Wrap Design Process & Tutorial

Jacob Cass — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 12:51:01 +0000

Earlier this year I had the pleasure of rebranding Luke Arms‘ photography business One Fine Day Photography and as part of the rebrand, came the job of designing his car.

In this article I will guide you through how I designed a “custom car vehicle wrap” along with tips I learned along the way… but before I launch into that, I would like you to meet Caroline, Luke’s new company car.

© Photos copyright of One Fine Day Photography. Larger photos here.

Now that you have been introduced, let me begin…

1. Do The Research

Before you start any new project, you should get familiar with the process and subject matter and as this was my first time doing a car vehicle wrap, this was even more important.

As I couldn’t find much information on the web or have any idea where to begin, I asked my Twitter (follow me) followers if they had any tips or resources and that was a huge help, along with asking the print shop directly.

It was also handy to read the FAQ’s on these three sites: MotaGraphics, AdsOnWheels, SkinzWraps and the getting started section on CarWraps.net. Remember that your printer may have different requirements than these shops so it’s best to ask your printer for their special requirements.

2. Buy / Create The Outlines

The first step of the process is to create the outlines for the car to scale, as this is what you will need to provide to the printers.

I asked my Twitter followers if they had the outline for Luke’s Toyota Carolla 2009 Hatchback though this was to no avail (though 4 people did send the 2003 version) so this meant I had to create the outlines myself.

Before you go about creating the outlines yourself, check to see if these places stock your particular car.

Places to find car vehicle outlines:

If you can not find the vehicle wrap for your particular car model you will have to create the outlines yourself and to scale.

Below you can see how Kyle Anthony explained the process to me.

Ok, basically, when I layout a vehicle I’m doing a wrap on, if the vehicle isn’t already in one of my templates from a collection of vehicle templates from a company called The Bad Wrap, I’ll take a good side profile photograph of the vehicle and bring it into Photoshop.

Below you can see the original side photos of Luke’s 2009 Carolla that he took himself.

Kyle continues:

Once you’ve taken the photos, here are the steps to laying it out so you can design at a reasonable pace with such a large file. This is for car wrap designs that are in raster format as apposed to vector.

1. Measure the distance of anything you can use as a reference point for scaling on the vehicle, this could be the distance of a door handle, door window, wheel, anything that you can use as a measurement.

2. With the side photograph of the vehicle in Photoshop, and all of your measuring tools set to inches, (also make sure your info palette is up F8) measure with the ruler tool, the distance of whatever you measured in the 1st step in one tenth scale. Do this by scaling the image size of the photograph down to make it match up. Not the canvas size.

3. So if you measured the wide of a door handle as lets say 7 inches wide, your info palette with the ruler tool active should measure the door handle to be .7inches wide.

4. Once you get this done, change the ppi of the document to 720ppi. When designing a wrap, a popular way to design at an appropriate scale without slowing down your machine is at 1/10th scale. Once the wrap is done and the design is ready to be set to print, flatten the document, and save it as a non compressed tiff. When you send it to print, or “rip” it, make sure to print it at 1000x scale.

5. Once you rip it at the 1000x scale, the wrap will print at 72dpi, the minimal acceptable resolution for printing a wrap so that you get acceptable results, and acceptable performance when designing and printing it. This also cuts down on the ripping time, or the time it takes from when you hit “print” and from the time it actually starts printing. On very large jobs, I’ve had ripping time take excess of 4 hours.

6. That’s pretty much it, the same process can be used for all sides of the vehicle, just make sure you work off of good square photographs of the vehicle, and if you have any questions at all, email me!

If you are designing in vector format, you will not have to worry about the DPI, but the outlines should still be to scale.

Below you can see the outlines of the 2009 Carolla Hatchback to scale.

Below you can see the comparisons of the car to the outlined version.

Below you can see the aerial view of the car with the red rectangles showing suggested print areas of the car. This was for my guide only and did not reflect the final print.

3. Gather Inspiration

As with any project, it’s a good idea to know what is out there first before you begin. I’ve found a few car wrap galleries to be of assistance:

Car / truck vehicle wrap inspiration:

Car Wrap Gallery
Vinyl Vehicle Wrap Gallery
SkinzWraps
AltaPac Car Wrap Gallery (the print shop we used)

4. Create The Design

It’s probably a wise idea to sketch out some ideas before you jump straight onto the computer. Print out a few thumbnailed copies of the outlined car and start working on your designs.

After you have some rough ideas, you can go into Illustrator and draft up your proposed designs on the car. Personally I found working on the photos a bit easier than the outlined versions of the car. I also set the photo opacity at 50% so I could see the car and colour at the same time.

Below you can see the mockup with the photos set at 50% opacity.

Below you can see the mockup set at 100% opacity.

5. Recreate To Scale

After you have finished with the photo mockup, you should create it to scale on your outlined version and send it to the print shop. This step may or may not be necessary depending on your print store.

The print shop will take it from here and create the file ready for print.

6. Prepare For Print

After giving the mockup files to the printer, they create the design into a 2D format, ready for print. Below you can see what a similar project for a Ute looked like, just before going to print. The green lines are the separate sections that got stretched or wrapped around the Ute. Below this you can see the final result.

Graphics below created by Matt from Altapac.

Caroline had a similar process and after the project was complete I asked Matt if he could explain exactly how he went about doing the wrap for Caroline. Matt kindly obliged and below you can find his tips and explanation.

Here are the file I used to print and the files I used to set the files up ready for print. [Matt attached several PDFs]

I can’t say how I did it, is the way it is done through-out the industry (not really sure how they do it elsewhere) but I have found this method the best for myself and for our applicator. I will explain a few things just here and some of the things we normally do in case you need to do a design for next time.

Above you can see how each section of the car was applied, to scale.

Matt continues…

Firstly as you will be able to see that we had to include the rear bumper bar into each side section print [1]. This is because you had a gradient coming out from the rear wheel going over the rear bar and up and around the rear quarter panel. As you can see it is able to be done but we had to run a center join line in the rear bar to accommodate for this effect [2]. We normally print the rear bar as one piece so there is no need for a join line as we trim it off where the bumper bar meets the body. Because of the gradient effect we could not do this as it would have been impossible to match the gradient sections up at the wheel and where the body meets the rear bar because of stretching of the material and the like. We then had to cut the slogan in vinyl lettering which is no big deal but if we could have printed the rear bar in one section, we would have most likely included the slogan in the print to avoid applying it later.

The gradient sections [4] that were in the design I could not oversize properly as they were cropped images so I reproduced them myself so I could over size them. We have to oversize the print so it can wrap under sections and not fall short in parts as the many curves in cars can bring you unstuck and can cause headaches in the application process. I know firsthand from my mistakes thinking that I over sized enough but when it came to but it on the car it has just made it with some stretching. Like the piece I printed up for the rear tail gate of the corolla. I thought I gave them heaps to play with only to find out it only just fitted with some more stretching. Whoops.

You will notice this in the files I have sent you where and how much I over sized the print [See how far the print goes over the edge of the car & wheels, in particular the bottom edge]

Another point to look out for in parts of the car that are difficult to wrap. Bellow the doors and complex cut outs and deep recesses in front bumper bars. They can be done but possibly not and may require the design being cut up into a few pieces. In the instance of your design I tried to keep it much to your specifications as possible. This meant laying part of the design over the door handles. It’s not a big problem in cars that have flush fitting door handles but with the corolla and many new cars the door handles protrude out meaning there is a bit of conforming to do around and on the door handle with the sticker and not to mention the wear and tear that comes from grabbing the door handle all the time. If possible I try not to run the design over the door handles or place parts of the writing around the handles.

Hope that gave you an insight into how the car wrap was applied.

7. Apply The Graphics

After printing, the print shop will literally wrap the 2D graphics around the car, section by section. For the One Fine Day Photography car, it was split into 6 separate wraps; one for each side, two for the bumper, one for the tailgate and one for the top of the car. The text and the logo on the front of the car were not wrapped but were stuck on like stickers.

8. Admire

As when any work comes back from print, you just have to admire it… but sadly, I am yet to meet Caroline or Luke for that matter though I hope to do so very soon - they only live one suburb away after all.

I should also take this time to send my congratulations to Luke & Michelle (Luke’s wife) for their newly first born son, Josiah!

A Cohesive Brand

You can see how the whole brand works together - car, business card, website, twitter profile, etc.

Below is Luke’s Twitter profile, designed by Luke himself. A nice job I’ll say!

Testimonial

Below you can read the testimonial Luke gave after completing his logo design.

I hired Jacob to design a new logo for One Fine Day Photography. It was my first time working with a professional designer, and I couldn’t have been happier. From beginning to end, it was clear that he wanted to deliver a logo that would achieve my aims for it while providing a tangible connection with my current branding, encapsulating the core values of my business and designing a piece of art that we could both be proud of.

None of those things can be rushed, and although I was impressed with Jacob’s turnaround, I had no doubt that he was extremely thorough in researching my business and market, experimenting with a variety of designs, and preparing his concepts for my feedback. I wasn’t easy to please when it came to finding a design I loved, but Jacob was exceptionally accommodating with all of my requests (including the silly ones) and within a few days we had arrived at a design I could accept without hesitation.

Jacob might only be in his early twenties, but his giftedness as a designer and his command of doing business in the 21st century are clearly evident in the international following he has gained within the design community. This speaks volumes of the quality of his work and the passion he has for it. I cannot recommend him highly enough.

A Final Word

I would like to close with this quote from Jennifer Sims found in Issue 165 of Computer Arts magazine.

Take on intimidating projects - fall into holes and you’ll learn more when you’re forced to claw your way out.

When I first took on this project, I had never done a car wrap design before, though after putting my claws into it, I really did learn a lot! So yeah, take on intimidating projects - the worst you could do is improve.

What do you think of the final car wrap design? Have you ever worked on something similar? Have any questions or tips to add?

Pay The Creator

Jacob Cass — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 02:27:07 +0000

Image courtesy of Shutterstock

“Those who stand for nothing fall for anything.”
~ Alexander Hamilton

Getting paid the fair amount is something that a lot of creatives have to stand up for and in some cases, fight for. Doug Cloud, a friendly designer who I had the pleasure of meeting back in early 2008 (& later interviewed) recently left this comment on the article Why logo design does not cost $5.00?:

I always get emails from people wanting design work from me either for free or next to nothing. This is quite an insult, since I am a professional designer. Personally I think a lot of people really don’t understand what a graphic designer does, because what we produce isn’t a tangible object you can hold in your hands (like say groceries or a new HDTV) and so it’s easy to assume that it doesn’t have much value or that it’s easy to do. My hope is that people will read Jacob’s article and come away with a better understanding of the designing process and the people who make such designs.

A few hours later Eagle Imagery replied:

Doug C. Next time you get one of those, send them this.

The moral? Pay the creator what they deserve.

Update 23/08/09:

The Vendor Client Relationship Video (Thanks to Billie for the link.)

Vietnam Holiday Photos

Jacob Cass — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 04:15:29 +0000

Throughout June and July I was on vacation travelling through Japan, Cambodia, Vietnam and New Zealand and as usual with any major trip, I share the photos and stories with you.

I posted the Cambodia photos a few weeks back and now I’ve finally had the chance to go through the Vietnam photos.

Circled in green below, you can see the places travelled to in Vietnam: Mekong Delta, Ho Chi Minh City, Cu Chi, Nha Trang, Hoi An, Hue, Hanoi, Halong Bay and Sapa along with Siem Riep & Phnom Penh in Cambodia.

This was the group I traveled with throughout Vietnam. I went through the travel company Contiki on their Vietnam Explorer tour. Contiki has a very strong Aussie backing (though is UK owned) and is aimed at the 18-35 year old traveler. High energy and endurance is a must.

This is snake wine. Rice wine soaked with snakes, spiders and scorpions.

Me drinking the snake rice wine. It was pretty bitter, with a rather strong “bitey” flavour.

Fish for lunch!

Housing along the river.

Floating market, each of these boats sell different goods. This photo doesn’t do the markets justice but there were hundreds of these boats each with their own goods.

Rice paper making - a family owned business.

Bike riding throughout the Mekong Delta. This was rather scary as the paths were tiny (about quarter of the size of the path above). At one stage we were riding over bridges about 1 foot wide and you had water on one side and barbed wire on the other. Very safe indeed.

A huge snake, and yes I do have a Bomber Man t shirt. I got it in Japan a few weeks earlier.

We had to get these boats to get to our guest house. Tried rowing myself - it’s a lot harder than you think!

Being a goof.

Cu Chi tunnels - a huge underground network of tunnels that housed the Viet Cong’s base of operations throughout the war.

Me trying to fit in the tunnel - only just and with a lot of effort.

One of the jungle booby traps used in the Vietnam War or what the Vietnamese call the “American War”.

Shooting a machine gun. Man was it loud!

Crawling through the tunnels. This is actually double the size of the original tunnel - this particular one was built for tourists.

Bombshells from the war.

Huge tank at the War Museum.

I’ve definitely got bigger guns, ahem.

Just one of the disturbing images found at the Vietnam War Museum.

Update: 22/8/09

“This is a wide known photo in Vietnam and it is a Pulitzer Prize winning photograph taken during the Vietnam War. The girl in this picture is Kim Phúc - one of many victims of Napalm bomb, this photo shows her at about age nine running naked on the street after being severely burned on her back by a South Vietnamese napalm attack.”

Thanks to TuanAnh for the above information.

Ordered chaos - telephone and electricity wires.

More telephone wires.

2 Lobsters, 500grams of King Prawns and 2 beers for AUD$25. (I hadn’t eaten all day) Now that is what I call a bargain!

You can tell I was enjoying it.

The Fish Tank is one lethal drink!

7 Hour Happy Hour! $1 drinks! Why not?

Lining up for the boats.

Jumping off the side of the boat.

Jet Skiing, gotta love it!

Now that is a feast!

Parasailing!

Ocean bar… Notice the barman in the middle?

Chillaxing!

While “relaxing” on the beach, little kids come around to you and sell stuff, but we ended up taking it off them and selling it back to them (all in good fun). They were in stitches.

Each of those red lanterns are actually burning coils that last for a month and give good luck and wishes to people who leave them there.

Our hotel’s entrance.

Bike riding in the countryside.

Trekking through rice fields.

The Lotus.

Oh the serenity.

Relaxing on the beach.

Jetstar anyone?

Vietnamese cooking class.

Doubles pool - part of the nightlife.

Oops, didn’t see that.

This guy could open 5 beers at once with just one karate chop! Check out the wall too.

Left my mark (Australian flag).

Cyclos are fun yet they kind of make you feel guilty - some guy riding you around everywhere.

Imperial Citadel, Hue. (The Forbidden City)

Got a line?

Who’s hungry?

Cruising along Halong Bay.

Huge underground caves.

Very buggered after climbing many, many, many stairs!

Afternoon.

Sunset.

Nightfall.

A wild monkey.

The overnight train we caught to Sapa.

Only in Vietnam would you get served take away iced coffee in a plastic bag.

Rice fields and clouds while driving up to Sapa.

Trying to get up a very muddy hill in a bus. It took us four times to get up the hill.

…and when we finally got up the hill, this bloody thing got in the way.

View from our guest house.

Local markets.

Walking with the locals.

One of my fav pictures.

The start of the 18km trek through Sapa.

The one on the right gave me a friendship band, made similar to the pattern on her red/yellow bag. Cute.

Children selling bracelets.

The crew who came on the 18km trek though Sapa. This was probably my highlight of the tour, it was such a great experience, though bloody hot!

The end of the trek had this very refreshing & beautiful waterfall / stream.

Is it just me or does this buffalo look like a bull about to charge?

Aussie pride… and my goofy hired hiking boots.

The last day it rained (only day it did) and boy did it rain. This is the road outside our hotel’s doorstep!

Exhausted. The trip’s over.

I will post the photos from Japan and New Zealand once I get a chance to go through them. You may be interested in my photos from: Fiji, Europe, Australia, Thailand or Cambodia. Have you been to Vietnam? Any stories to share?

Your Favourite Favourited Tweets

Jacob Cass — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 13:00:49 +0000

Twitter (follow me) has a function that allows you to save your favourite tweets (much alike a bookmark) so I thought it would be a great idea to see what other Twitter users favourites were. Enjoy!

Pretty much the only reason I keep my cat is to enjoy the look of utter disgust on her face when she sees me naked. (@Munki)

Via @coffee_bee

“We invent the light to deny the darkness.” [Translated from Portugese] (”Nós inventamos a luz, para negar a escuridão”)

Via @zeva24

I owned that burger like what country music did to jessica simpson. Yum. (@jzy)

Via @davidairey

Find something that will whisper the full value of life. (@david_lynch)

Via @catticho

Note to self: When cab drivers have phone sex with their wife whilst you’re not paying for such extra services… make them hang up.

Via @Taezar

My favorite saved tweet for inspiration: Brazilian artist Will Murai http://tinyurl.com/d4hbur

Via @Jerlyn

Love Actually is awful, like being stabbed in the eye with a marshmallow for two hours. (@Olly_Richards)

Via Holly Stevens (Facebook)

No one really wants colorful websites anymore. They want answers to their products.

Via @color2life

The Evolution of a Website Design - http://ow.ly/6Jch

Via @beet09

If my cat could speak, I think she’d say f*ck a lot. (@ilovetypography)

Via Holly Stevens (Facebook)

101 Design resource sites http://tr.im/hYLm (@cristianvasile)

Via Anterpreet Singh (Facebook)

I think we should all just assume that Twitter is going to have it’s TIME OF THE MONTH, once a month. (@thattalldude)

Via @Dayngr

Laziness - when you make pasta just so you don’t have to go out to buy bread (translated from Serbian) (@Beogradoholik)

Via @marin_ostojic

Hey boys before you come home with that girl tonight remember this picture http://is.gd/mmjP

Via @myhelvetica

Great Simpsons quote tonight: Marge: “Hmm, and all this time I thought ‘googling yourself’ was that other thing.” (@Eklund)

Via @ajinnashville

The French say you get hungry when you’re eating, and I get inspired when I’m working. It’s my engine. (@Karl_Lagerfeld)

Via @nalindesign

“I think the little girl my little girl is playing with is from Slytherin House.” (@zeldman)

Via @itstartswithus

This post on Data Visualisation http://is.gd/jGY (@georgethomasuk)

Via @MarcusjRoberts

“One mans suck, is another mans awsome. lol #Terminator”

Via @mayhemstudios

avflox- ME: you wanna do it yourself? I’m like, “here’s the idea, make it happen!” [throws money] HE: are you talking about strippers or developers?

Via Damien Basile (Facebook)

“Just now I almost kept a thought to myself.” (John Dickerson)

Via @marieboyer

My own favourite saved Tweets:

SO lame. Been sleeping the majority of the past 3 days. Only reason I motivated to get up was ’cause I thought my KFC coupon expired today!

Via @faryl

My mother just rang me - she’s worried she may be getting Alzheimers. I told her to forget about it.

Via @FunnyJoker

Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, you are a mile away from them and you have their shoes.

Via @jrbradley

The coolest mustache in the history of mustaches = http://tinyurl.com/8uc69v

Via @travishines

Just overheard someone complaining about “all the foreigners”. I am at Heathrow airport, what an idiot.

Via @Joe_90

Wife: “Twitter is stupid. Y would 2K people follow U? U can’t remember 2 put garbage out.” Me: “See, that’s a tweet!”

Via @Vonster

What is your most favourite saved Tweet?

Logo Lounge Volume 5 Book Review

Jacob Cass — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 11:30:46 +0000

Logo Lounge has long been one of my favourite logo design inspiration galleries so whenever they release a new book, I know I won’t be disappointed. Logo Lounge Volume 5 was no exception.

Below you can read the description of this great logo design book:

The fifth volume in the best-selling LogoLounge series provides 2,000 totally new logos from designers worldwide. This book, like the previous titles in the series, is compiled in association with LogoLounge.com, a website that was launched by Bill Gardner in 2002. The site is dedicated to logos. Top designers and design firms are handpicked and invited to be “foundation members.” Foundation and website members each supply multiple logos to the site. Each LogoLounge book presents new logos that have been added to the site, providing designers with an invaluable source for design inspiration and a resource for design solutions.

Last year I was lucky enough to be picked as one of their “foundation members” and after submitting several of my logos, two were chosen to be featured in Logo Lounge Volume 5. You can see the photos below.

What I like about this book is that it not only features logo designs sorted by category, but it also features whole logo design case studies from high profile design agencies such as Chermayeff & Geismar and Cato Purnell. In particular, I quite enjoyed reading through the Qantas and Woolworths rebrandings.

Anyway, I highly recommend you to check out this book and while your at it, you may like to read about my other logo design book recommendations.

Front cover of Lounge Lounge Volume 5 with jacket.

Double page spread of the ‘Initials’ section. p165-66

My Peter Ryan Logo, p166

The ‘Symbols’ section, p79

My Squareroom Logo, p79

Do you have a favourite logo design book?

The “Pros” and Cons of Spec Work

Jacob Cass — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 08:00:26 +0000

In this article I outline the so called “pros” and cons of speculative work and then outline other’s opinions on the debate… If you haven’t already guessed it, I am against spec work. Let me explain - it’s worth the read.

What is “spec work”?

Speculative work (or free pitching) is any job for which the client expects to see examples or a finished piece of design before agreeing to pay a fee or compensation.

The term “crowdsourcing” is sometimes used however this is not spec work, however, some do use this term to cover up the fact that what they are actually offering is spec work. Do not let this vernacular term deceive you.

Difference between spec work and crowdsourcing:

Crowdsourcing: “Vote for our new logo, we will use the one you all like the most!” This means the logos have already been designed (and hopefully not via spec).

Spec or Free Pitching: “We need a logo, someone design one for us and we will pick the one we like.”

Spec work is a lose, lose situation. Let me explain why.

What is wrong with spec work?

While a client may feel they don’t want to invest money until seeing some work, designers should not have to prove their worth (do spec) to get a job, though this is the least part of the worry. Instead, clients should choose a designer based on their portfolio and experience and commit to building a working relationship with him or her. Only then will both the client and designer see the best results.

On a side note, talking on behalf of all designers, I would like to say that if a client can’t look at a designer’s style and quality of work (let alone the awards, testimonials or education) and put trust in their services, then they are usually not a client you want to do business with. Developing a working business relationship is all about educating the client and building trust.

An example of spec work: Design Contests

“Design contests” are one of the most common forms of spec and one of the most dangerous. A company will put out a request for a design (eg. a logo design) inviting anyone and everyone to submit work. Often hundreds of designers will submit a design, but only the chosen work, the winner, will be paid… and that is not even guaranteed - even on prepaid contests.

Let me explain the negatives of this situation for both clients and designers.

“Pros” For Clients Using Spec

Before looking at all the negatives of spec work, some claim that there are positive sides to designing on spec. I want to examine the so called “pros” of why consumers (those that need the designs) are attracted to using design contests and suggest reasons why these pros really are not so “pro”.

“Cheaper” Cost & More Variations

One of the main attractions of using spec work is the so called “cheaper cost” & the fact you get more variations & ideas. The typical scenario goes “Wow, I can get 200 different variations for $500″. On the surface, this may appear cheaper however if you dig deeper you will find that this - in nearly every case - is not so.

Please read on to view the many cons of designing via spec.

Cons For Clients Using Spec

Summarised below are 11 cons for clients designing via spec. These 11 pointers are explained in more depth below this summary.

Chance Of Plagiarised Work
Unoriginal Ideas & Designs
No Protection
Inferior Quality Designs
No Research or Development
Limited or No Revisions
Unproductive Time Wasting
The Client is not an Educated Design Professional
Unethical & Immoral (and possibly Illegal)
Little Communication & Involvement In The Design Process
You Build A Negative Relationship Built On Distrust

Client negatives of spec work:

1. Chance Of Plagiarised Work

One of the biggest reasons not to use design competitions is the fact that so many of the designs are copied from elsewhere. There have been numerous, numerous reports on theft from elsewhere especially within the logo design industry.

It goes without saying that this can get you into a lot of legal trouble if caught with plagiarised work.

And in some cases, “designers” (evil quotes there) are doing spec work with the intent of suing the company further down the road. I wonder how many people have ever thought about that?

2. Unoriginal Ideas & Designs

More often than not, designers who enter these contests are often using template work, which means the work is unoriginal and may have been used for another client. In some cases, it can lead to problems many months down the track such as when a rejected design gets used for another contest. There are also numerous examples of this happening to many unfortunate business owners.

3. No Protection

Most professional designers have an agreement or contract that they send to their clients… these contracts protect both the client and the designer while also establishing a trusting, working relationship. In nearly all jobs posted on design contest sites, there is no contract what so ever which leaves the client and designer at much higher risk throughout the whole design process. Who owns the copyright? What are the restrictions for the design? What are the terms and conditions?

4. Inferior Quality Designs

Although you can find some great individual talent on design contest sites, the vast majority of the users have little or no knowledge of what “good” design actually is, let alone know how to communicate an intended message for your company. This raises the chance that the final output will be inferior to what could have been achieved by using a professional designer.

This leads me to the next point…

5. No Research or Development

Most professional designers will have some form of questionnaire for clients to fill out to ensure that the final design will be reflective of the needs of the business and target market, unlike contest sites.

For an example see either my design brief page or my logo design questionnaire.

Without these vital components, the “designer” is only producing decoration, not solving the problem of what the design should be communicating.

6. Limited or No Revisions

Revision rounds are almost non-existent in the context of a contest. Sure, a contest winner could be hired again after being chosen to make a few changes, but in a true client-designer relationship this communication would be constant. The end result would be a collaboration instead of guesswork which also leads me to the next point…

7.Unproductive Time Wasting

Designing via contests takes a lot of time… a client will have to spend numerous hours commenting and looking through the submitted designs picking and choosing what the “best” design is which also leads me to the next point.

The number of designers who aren’t making a penny, while entering dozens of contests, is in the tens of thousands, and you just need to look at the astonishing raw numbers for Crowdspring and 99designs to see for yourself. Wasted time, in terms of unpaid designs submitted, is, quite literally, in the hundreds of years. Yes, that’s hundreds. ~ The Naked Truth

8.You Are Not an Educated Design Professional

When I say “you”, I mean the client wanting the design. The reason one hires a designer in the first place is due to the fact that they are after a professional looking piece of design - one that they could have not done them self. Alas the person needing the design is more than likely, not a professional.

So, how can a client choose the “best” piece of design if they do not even know the basics of design? The fact of the matter is, clients choose the “best” design based purely on style, nothing more. On top of this fact, do clients even know the technicalities & visual issues of what is being presented?

ie. What is the difference between vector and bitmap generated designs? What is the difference between RGB, Pantone or CMYK colours? What print, bleed & trim settings are needed? etc.

The bottom line here is that most clients are unversed in what is really needed and they should be leaving this to a trained, experienced professional.

9. Unethical & Immoral (and possibly Illegal)

Although not directly a con to the client, the fact of the matter is design contests are unethical & immoral. Period.

The very fact that there is only one winner per contest means that the other (usually in the hundreds) designers will get no return for their hard work. To put this into perspective imagine a $500 contest with 100 entries. Second grade maths tells us that each entry is worth $5… that is below minimum wage and to make matters worse, the ‘losers’ will not even receive that $5.

Essentially, design contests are like a lottery to the extent that some even question the legalities of them.

10. Little Communication & Involvement In The Design Process

When working with a professional designer you collaborate together throughout the whole design process to achieve the desired outcome. From creating the first initial design brief, right through to the sketches, brainstorming, development, feedback, revisions and delivery.

When designing on spec, all you provide is a short (often less than a paragraph) design brief and then receive the design. There is no involvement… let alone after sale customer support.

11. Negative Relationship Built On Distrust

If potential clients are asking one or several designers to show work, they are immediately establishing a negative relationship. Instead of building a long lasting relationship with a single designer, they are often asking several to submit work with little contact between any of them.

If you are still not convinced, read this article for 16 more reasons why to NOT use design contests or read some of SpecWatch ’s examples of design contests gone wrong.

“Pros” For Designers Doing Spec

The people who are “for” spec work often have these arguments saying why spec work is benefiting the world.

They claim that contest sites provide:

a world wide access & equal playing field
a choice of work to choose from
a chance to gain experience
a chance to build your portfolio
a chance to gain a small monetary reward
a chance to gain more work
a chance to meet people

But in nearly all cases, you can find this right on your doorstep, without working on spec…

If a designer is wanting to build up their portfolio and do all of the above, all you need to do is approach your local non-profit organisation (or local businesses) and offer them your skills, free of charge.

This will give you experience, allow you to improve your customer relation skills, build up your business network all while giving back to the community and getting exposure for your work. There is also a chance that the organisation will pay you for your work and the work may lead you to more (paid) work too. It’s a win-win for all and certainly not a waste of time - like spec work.

Cons For Designers Doing Spec

Apart from all of the negatives mentioned above, there are numerous more reasons why designers should not participate in spec work.

It devalues the design industry
There is a lot of work, with little, to no pay
There is no copyright or legal protection
The winning designs are chosen purely by the client’s personal taste
There is little interaction with the client
It is very time consuming

Still not convinced? Here are 10 more reasons why not to do spec work .

Grey Area: Volunteering / Pro Bono Work

Volunteering is one area that you could is a ‘grey’ area. Jennifer Bender from AIGA (American Institute of Graphic Arts) answered this question quite well in regards to AIGA using volunteered students for some of their design work. This response can be applied to the topic of volunteering & pro bono work in general.

“AIGA works with designers and firms to create promotional materials including posters, event programs, event web sites, etc. AIGA’s policy is to always provide an honorarium for design projects as compensation . While we realize it is not set at market rates, it recognizes that no design should be expected without compensation. Implementation, such as printing costs, postage and paper, are covered by AIGA and/or an interested sponsor.

The difference between this and speculative work is that our volunteer designers are never required to do work up front for free before a contract or project begins. Each designer knows explicitly beforehand the terms we are able to offer, which is meant as our demonstration that every designer’s work has significant value, knowing that there are both monetary and non-monetary considerations in any project. Designers typically send us a portfolio of their past work, then have the opportunity to review a design brief and accept or decline the project. At that time, a contract is executed with a commitment to an honorarium, after which work on the project begins.”

Official Association’s Views:

AGDA (Australian Graphic Design Association) also have a firm “no-spec” stance on the subject.

As quoted in the AGDA Code Of Ethics :

4.1 Predatory pricing (free pitching)
AGDA discourages members from predatory pricing practices such as free pitching, loss leading and other pricing below break-even. Members should be aware that such practices will damage the economic viability of their business.

and then continues on with:

6.2 Free pitching
AGDA is unequivocally opposed to the unfair manipulation of designers with the aim of garnering unpaid work (commonly known as ‘free pitching’). Client practices which do damage to a member’s business are those that award projects or commissions on the basis of the commissioner’s acceptance of unpaid design submissions (eg. unpaid competitive tendering or speculative work)

AIGA (American Institute of Graphic Arts) also has a firm “no-spec” stance:

AIGA believes that doing speculative work—that is, work done without compensation, for the client’s speculation—seriously compromises the quality of work that clients are entitled to and also violates a tacit, long-standing ethical standard in the communication design profession worldwide. AIGA strongly discourages the practice of requesting that design work be produced and submitted on a speculative basis in order to be considered for acceptance on a project.

The new AIGA President, Debbie Millman has her say on the spec topic:

“I am personally vigorously, passionately and fundamentally AGAINST designers being asked to do work on spec and neither I nor my firm will ever participate in speculative work. I have said it before and I will say it again: Speculative work denigrates both the agencies and the designers that participate. If we give away our work for free, if we give away our talent and our expertise, we give away more than the work. We give away our souls.”

Other’s opinions against spec work:

Many have spoken about their distaste of spec work before, including myself in the articles Why logo design does not cost $5.00 and How NOT to design a logo… below I quote & link to just a few more designers who have spoken out against spec work.

Andrew Hyde

“It is a major ethical flaw of both parties.”

Update 13.8.09: Check out the site WinWithoutPitching, a website dedicated to growing your firm without spec.

Steve from Logo Factory

{with a sarcastic tone} “Keep in mind that not winning any money after dozens of contests only makes designers try harder. That means, they’ll eventually get better at designing. And they’ll enter more contests that they won’t win. Which will get them even more exposure, helpful stars and comments. So, by not paying designers, you’re [clients] actually helping them be better designers. Strange as it seems, paying designers is bad. Makes them lazy.”

Graphic Push

“It insults everything about the real-world graphic design industry and the hard-working professionals that make a living building long-term client relationships, crafting deep and varied portfolios, and routinely putting their blood, sweat and tears into their work.”

99Designs: Bullshit 2.0

David Airey

“You, as the client, should know that your designer values your business. They’re not providing you with a design based purely on aesthetics, and one that took perhaps 30 minutes to create. They’re looking deep into your business plan, your company mission, your background, your way of dealing with people, and many other aspects of working practices.”

Jeff Fisher

“Those conducting such competitive ventures are not always seeking to take advantage of designers not knowing better. Some simply need to be educated about the design profession and all designers need to take it upon themselves to aid in that education process.”

When a “contest” is not a contest

GB Studio

“A potential client shouldn’t need to see free work on their own project to determine if a firm is capable of doing the project at hand. That’s what a portfolio is for.”

Why We Don’t Do Spec Work

Twitter Poll

I also held a poll on Twitter (follow me ) about those who support spec work… at the time of writing over 84% agreed that “No, they didn’t support spec work” and a further 8% were unsure of their decision.

Please cast your vote so we can get a more accurate representation. I wonder how many will change their views after reading this article?

My Own Opinion

If you hadn’t already guessed I am on the “spec work is evil” side of the fence although I am not 100% entirely against it - you could say that I am 99% against it… Spec work isn’t right for all designers (especially due to economies of scale) and all situations and I don’t think anyone would argue that, but the market exists and there clearly is a demand for it - but that is not to say that doing spec work is “right” or ethical…

Design contest sites are not the future of graphic design… nor do I see a time when it ever will be, however, in the long term I believe spec work is going to be detrimental to the design industry… both devaluing design and designers as a whole (while making the world an uglier place). And with that said, it’s sad to say that spec work is definitely here to stay. In fact, design contest sites are now now implementing “corporate services” for large studios which obviously are going to be a direct threat to large existing agencies.

Thus, my opinion is to not support spec work and if you’re with me, I encourage you to send this article to whoever you see involving themselves in spec work so they can make an educated decision too.

Summary

I would like to summarise by quoting two views on how to look at spec work one by very “anti-spec” Andrew Hyde and the other by Jeffrey Kalmikoff who holds a neutral view to the subject.

Andrew Hyde:

“Oh, we have years to watch spec work blow up. There of those of use who care about design, and are speaking up and warning off the practice. I see a house of cards being built up, a developer cashing out on it and nobody warning them of the upcoming wind storm.The warnings are now, whether the community comes to respect the ecosystem, respect their neighbors and friends (I’m not talking about just design here) is yet to be known. Part of me wants to continue writing about this, part of me wants to say ‘I did my part’ and get some popcorn.

So what now? See someone using spec (with the community sites like 99 designs or CrowdSpring)? Forward them this post. Or write your own. We all deserve better.”

Jeffrey Kalmikoff:

“The best thing to do for both sides is to get fully educated. Spend some time researching it. Spend some time talking to people on both sides. Read about the extreme examples. Read about the ones that may-or-may-not be spec depending on how you look at it. Get informed and make up your own mind about it. Sure it’s easier to only discuss this topic with people who have the same point of view as you have, but it’s also somewhat useless. Like anything - if you really care about it, take the time to see all the angles. Besides, how’s that old saying go? Keep your friends close…”

What is your opinion?

Do you have any other pros or cons to add? What is your stance on spec work? Has your opinion been changed after reading this article? Please do let us know.

Sources & References

This article has been crafted over many weeks and has been thoroughly researched and referenced. I thank all who have helped in the creation of this post. Below you will find the articles linked and referenced to throughout this article.

The Most Linked to Pages of Top Design Blogs

Jacob Cass — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 07:43:56 +0000

Yahoo! Site Explorer has a function that allows you to see the most linked to pages from any website so I ran through some of the top design blogs and compiled their most popular pages here.

The pages have been categorised into five broad categories: Freebies, Tutorials, Inspiration, Web Design and Articles.

Freebies

Tutorials

Inspiration

Web Design (+Inspiration)

Articles

What is your most linked to article? Please share with us in the comments below. To do so, type your web address into Yahoo! Site Explorer and look for the article with the most links (not your home page).

What every designer ought to know about: FSC

Jacob Cass — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 13:00:35 +0000

According to AGDA (Australian Graphic Design Association) Code of Ethics…

2.1 - A Member shall work in a manner so that as little harm (direct or indirect) as possible is caused to the natural environment.

So it makes me wonder… how many of you actually know what the logo above means? You would most probably have seen it on the back of a brochure or catalogue - well in this article we* hope to shed some light on what the FSC (Forest Steward Council) certification actually means, and how you too can use it to help sustain the world’s forests.

What is the FSC (Forest Steward Council)?

FSC is an independent, non-governmental, not for profit organization established in 1993 to promote the responsible management of the world’s forests.

It provides standard setting, trademark assurance and accreditation services for companies and organisations interested in responsible forestry. Products carrying the FSC label are independently certified to assure consumers that they come from forests that are managed to meet the social, economic and ecological needs of present and future generations.

How does FSC implement this?

FSC developed “The Chain of Custody Process” which insures trees cut from FSC managed forests will go through the FSC certified process. This rigorous 5 step process ensures that all environmental and social obligations have been followed and have achieved the stamp of approval - the FSC logo (as seen below).

For example, if you receive a postcard with this symbol on it, you will know that it has gone through 5 different FSC certified processes since it was cut down. The chain goes something like this Pulp Manufacturer > Paper Manufacturer > Paper Merchant > (Designer) > Printer > Approval from FSC.

Where does the FSC logo go and what does it mean?

The FSC logo goes on any piece of design that is printed on FSC certified paper and is printed through an FSC certified printer. It is also appears on timber and other items that are FSC certified.

Once you have completed your own design and you have put the FSC logo in its place, you then submit your design to the printer… the printer then needs to submit the piece and all specs to FSC to get the green light to print.

In most cases, underneath the FSC logo it will contain a certification number. This contains the printers ID number, percentage of post consumer waste plus any other recycled information. This information helps verify that the Chain of Custody process has been followed.

What can you do to help support FSC?

Image credit: Bunnyrel

FSC’s mission is to improve the management of the world’s forests. There are many ways you can support:

as a consumer you can buy FSC certified products
as a business in the forest products business, you can become FSC certified
you can promote the FSC by using the FSC logo on your products (you must be authorised to do so - information here)
everybody interested in the fate of the world’s forests can become an FSC member and actively contribute to the future of the organisation.

Worth mentioning

And just so you know… only 7 percent of the world’s productive forests are FSC certified. This global organisation, active in 79 countries, has an extremely ambitious agenda, a long way to go and must do everything possible to keep itself above reproach.

In saying that, worth mentioning is FSC Watch - an independent website (not associated with FSC) dedicated to encouraging the scrutiny of the FSC’s activities. FSC Watch aims to increase the integrity of the FSC’s forest certification scheme.

Have you ever been involved in an FSC project? Have you got any more information to share? Please let us know in the comments below.

*This article was written in collaboration with Jessica Mahoney.

What makes a good logo?

Jacob Cass — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 02:54:51 +0000

What makes a good logo? A good logo is distinctive, appropriate, practical, graphic, simple in form and conveys an intended message.

There are five principles that you should follow to ensure that this is so…

An effective logo is (in no particular order):

Simple
Memorable
Timeless
Versatile
Appropriate

1. Simple

A simple logo design allows for easy recognition and allows the logo to be versatile & memorable. Good logos feature something unique without being overdrawn.

While in college in the mid-70’s an instructor introduced me to the K.I.S.S. Principle of design; which translates to: Keep It Simple, Stupid. It does convey a very important design consideration. Simple logos are often easily recognized, incredibly memorable and the most effective in conveying the requirements of the client. A refined and distilled identity will also catch the attention of a viewer zipping by signage at 70 miles per hour, on packaging on the crowded shelves of a store, or in any other vehicle used for advertising, marketing and promotion. Remember, the basis of the hugely effective international branding for the world’s largest shoe manufacturer is a very simple graphic swoosh.

~ Jeff Fisher

2. Memorable

Following closely behind the principle of simplicity, is that of memorability. An effective logo design should be memorable and this is achieved by having a simple, yet, appropriate logo.

You may be interested to see some examples of bad logo designs.

Surprising to many, the subject matter of a logo is of relatively little importance, and even appropriateness of content does not always play a significant role.

This does not imply that appropriateness is undesirable. It merely indicates that a one-to-one relationship between a symbol and what it symbolized is very often impossible to achieve and, under certain conditions, objectionable. Ultimately, the only mandate in the design of logos, it seems, is that they be distinctive, memorable, and clear.

~ Paul Rand

3. Timeless

An effective logo should be timeless - that is, it will stand the test of time. Will the logo still be effective in 10, 20, 50 years?

Leave trends to the fashion industry - Trends come and go, and when you’re talking about changing a pair of jeans, or buying a new dress, that’s fine, but where your brand identity is concerned, longevity is key. Don’t follow the pack. Stand out.

~ David Airey

Probably the best example of a timeless logo is the Coca-Cola logo… if you compare it to the Pepsi logo below, you can see just how effective creating a timeless logo can be. Notice how the Coca Cola logo has barely changed since 1885? That is timeless design.

Update: 8/08/09 - Underconsideration has posted an updated timeline of the Pepsi vs CocaCola logo. Thanks for the tip off Jon.

4. Versatile

An effective logo should be able to work across a variety of mediums and applications. For this reason a logo should be designed in vector format, to ensure that it can be scaled to any size. The logo should be able to work both in horizontal and vertical formats.

Ask yourself; is a logo still effective if:

Printed in one colour?
Printed on the something the size of a postage stamp?
Printed on something as large as a billboard?
Printed in reverse (ie. light logo on dark background)

One way around creating a versatile logo is to begin designing in black and white only. This allows one to focus on the concept and shape, rather than the subjective nature of colour. One must also remember printing costs - the more colors used, the more expensive it will be for the business over the long term.

I like to work first in black and white to ensure that the logo will look good in its simplest form. Color is very subjective and emotional. This can distract from the overall design - say if you saw your logo in all red, that color may be the first thing that you respond to and not the composition of the design elements. I will not even consider submitting color suggestions to a client for review until they have signed off on a final black and white logo.

~ Patrick Winfield

One should also familiarise themself with the commercial printing process so as not to come into printing problems further down the track. Learn to know the difference between the CMYK, Pantone and RGB color systems. When designing logos, the Pantone colour system is recommended.

5. Appropriate

How you position the logo should be appropriate for its intended purpose. For example, if you are designing a logo for children’s toys store, it would be appropriate to use a childish font & colour scheme. This would not be so appropriate for a law firm.

It is also important to state that that a logo doesn’t need to show what a business sells or offers as a service. ie. Car logos don’t need to show cars, computer logos don’t need to show computers. The Harley Davidson logo isn’t a motorcycle, nor is the Nokia logo a mobile phone. A logo is purely for identification.

For further evidence of this, take the top 50 brands of the world - 94% of the logos do not describe what the company does.

Paul Rand also has a say on this topic:

Should a logo be self-explanatory? It is only by association with a product, a service, a business, or a corporation that a logo takes on any real meaning. A logo derives its meaning and usefulness from the quality of that which it symbolizes. If a company is second rate, the logo will eventually be perceived as second rate. It is foolhardy to believe that a logo will do its job immediately, before an audience has been properly conditioned.

~ Paul Rand

What makes a great logo in your opinion?

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For the extended version of this article visit Smashing Magazine: “Vital Tips for Effective Logo Design” .

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