Leading up to our wedding last year and even after the event, my wife and I received a lot of questions on the process we used to choose colors, produce invites and create the atmosphere we envisioned.  With our one year anniversary approaching (July 25th to be exact), I thought this would be a good time to share some of our techniques and analyze the process of branding as it relates to a wedding.

Applying the concept of branding to wedding

A brand image is the attributes one associates with a brand.  Almost as important, this imagery is how the brand owner (the couple) wants the consumer (guests) to perceive the brand.  The perception of your event is influenced by every piece of communication and every detail associated with the wedding.  The way your brand is crafted is not only an insight into the personalities of the bride and groom, but will also give subtle clues as to the tone of the big day.  For example, is the dress formal or casual?  Will the atmosphere be traditional or more laid back?  Most of these elements arise naturally due to the tastes and wishes of the couple.  However, it is important to recognize your ability to influence perception by being aware of the message you are sending.

When my wife and I first began the planning process, we didn’t set out to distinguish our event by plastering a logo over everything we did.  Rather, we wanted to create a feel that was both different from what we had seen and representative of our personalities.

The colors

For many couples, the color palette is one of the first decisions to be made.   This is sometimes due to necessity since attire typically takes several months to coordinate.  But this is also one of the first preferences to be chosen because color is a defining characteristic when it comes to setting the mood of a brand.  Most people have universal beliefs about the emotions associated with certain colors – reds are passionate, blues are calming and yellows are cheery.  Color palettes are typically selected due to the season of the event (pastels in the spring) or simply personal preference.  Because colors from the chosen attire are typically carried through to the invitations, flowers and decorations, it is important to understand the perception that color choices carry.  For example, if you planning a more formal wedding, dark bold colors are a better choice than bright colors.

Our colors were chosen due to the time of year (mid summer) and because we wanted to convey a more casual atmosphere.  We chose a palette consisting of dark blues, a garden green and shades of cream and light tan.

Below are some resources to help choose an appropriate color palette.  These sites categorize colors by tags, hex value or RGB value.

Colour Lovers (includes a wedding and fashion category)
Adobe Kuler

Imagery and logos

In addition to a wordmark, the most memorable logos have some sort of mark or icon integrated into the brand identity.  Whether it is the iconic Nike swoosh or a simple colored circle, these visual cues can be effective as a stand-alone image or as a piece of an entire identity package.

The concept for our logo came from an informal photo shoot that took place at the same spot we got engaged in Folly Beach, South Carolina.

When looking back through our photo album, this picture really seemed to jump out at us.  The pilings marked the spot of our engagement – and if you want to get really deep, 2 pilings, 2 people, one shorter than the other…coincidence?  Given our memories made at Folly Beach, the two pilings seemed like an appropriate symbol of one of our favorite spots in Charleston.  From there, we spent some time working with the picture to get something that would work with the color scheme and “feel” that we’d picked out for the wedding.  And the final result -

Somewhat to our surprise, the logo garnered several inquiries after we sent out our save the date cards.  For previous weddings, we had received invites with everything from birds and horses to seashells and floral patterns.  We were a little perplexed as to why people didn’t seem to question the use of a seashell for a wedding in western Tennessee but were overly curious as to our use of two pilings for a logo.  As some time passed, we began to realize that our logo was performing exactly as we had hoped.  Not only were people asking about it, which gave us the chance to tell our story and reasoning behind the mark, but it was certainly making an impression on the people who received the invites.  Given the response of our initial communication, we decided to use our logo on the front of the envelope that contained the formal wedding invitation.  The unique mark was immediately recognizable so our guests knew what was inside before opening the envelope.

Tying it all together

Regardless of the aesthetic quality of an identity, branding is successful because of association and repetition.  A logo begins to take on its own emotional connotation once it is associated with its respective product, service or event.

So the final step was simply a matter of incorporating our theme into each piece of collateral material.  Along with the logo, we included an abstract ribbon element to add a bit of elegance to the identity.  While we didn’t want to overtly declare a beach theme for the event, we did want to pay tribute to our coastal roots.  Along with the blue, green and tan color scheme and the pier pilings logo, silver lanterns were used as centerpieces.  From the invitations and guest book to the favor boxes and website, our branding elements were scattered throughout the wedding to produce a cohesive theme (additional images below).

At the risk of stating the obvious, my best advice would be this – make the brand your own.  Our logo and wedding identity was well-received because there was a personal connection woven throughout each piece.  Friends and family appreciated the details that were incorporated into our identity and this effort undoubtedly set the tone for a very memorable evening.

Wedding photography by Chris Smith

Photoshop is no doubt the flagship of Adobe’s creative empire. For that reason, there was a great deal of buzz surrounding some new features presented in Photoshop CS5. I won’t attempt to address every new feature because, frankly, I don’t see myself using several of them.

Performance

I put this category first not because it was the most hyped addition of the new release, but because it was the most intriguing feature to me. As a Photoshop user for over 8 years now, it can be difficult to step back and create a wish list for features that will improve workflow – after all, if there is an action that needs to be accomplished, you have to use the tools as your disposal. One aspect of the program that is not as difficult to pinpoint is performance issues while using the program. Every designer has a horror story about a Photoshop crash and it seemed that CS4 became notorious for crashing on quit, quitting while performing routine tasks and basically closing down whenever it wasn’t happy.  So when Adobe announced that CS5 would carry 64-bit support, I was anxious to test out the potential speed and stability boost.  Before installing CS5, I ran an informal test on one of my larger Photoshop files so I would have a basis of comparison (I’m running a 2.53 HGz Core 2 Duo Macbook Pro with 4 GB of RAM).  Using CS4, the 245 MB Photoshop file took 41 seconds to open.  After upgrading, I did my best to replicate the conditions of the first test and opened the same file again.  Using CS5, the file took 34 seconds to open – a fairly substantial difference.  I ran similar tests when saving and closing large Photoshop files and, although the discrepancy wasn’t as large, CS5 definitely outperformed its predecessor.

Crashing was a constant problem for me when using CS4, most notably (and inexplicably) when I had already quit the program.  Although this will certainly be the kiss of death, I have yet to have a crash after two weeks of heavy use with CS5.  In addition to starting up and closing faster than the previous version, CS5 has yet to crash after quitting.

Verdict: These certainly aren’t the most scientific tests but these refinements are enough to leave me satisfied with the performance upgrades.  Speed tests show a boost in performance and I have yet to encounter a crash….so far so good.

Content Aware Fill

Leading up to the release of CS5, Content Aware Fill was probably the most publicized innovation in the new release.  Borrowing some functionality from the clone stamp and healing brush, this feature allows you to delete unwanted elements from photos.  It works by using surrounding pixel data to fill in the selected area as if the element was never there.  Even after seeing numerous demos on the subject, I was quite skeptical that this feature would be as easy and effective as advertised.  One of my first moves after upgrading was pulling up my photo library to see this new technology in action.  I have since tested a range of photographs and also used this feature under actual working conditions.  A few of my test subjects are below:

This example is fairly straightforward – a lone tree in the middle of a field.

Content Aware Fill did a decent job of replicating the contour of the hill and the texture of the grass.  A closer inspection revealed there was a few spots that needed to be touched up with the healing brush tool in order to better blend the sky and grass.

This next example presented a few more challenges – removing elements in close proximity to other elements and handling more complicated textures and blending.

Again, Photoshop did a decent job of replicating the texture in the water without making it look like it was simply a tiled pattern.  Content Aware Fill was very accurate in replicating the subtle gradient that moved from the horizon into the sky.  As with the previous example, a closer inspection revealed some artifacts that would need to be cleaned up with the clone stamp and healing brush.

Verdict: This is definitely a useful feature and will become a part of my normal workflow. The functionality is great in terms of providing a start point and cutting down on tedious strokes of the clone stamp and healing brush. However, this will very rarely be a one-and-done deal – almost every image will need some retouching after the filter has done its thing. And like almost anything in Photoshop, you will get the best results when working at the highest possible resolution.

HDR Toning

This new feature (which can be found under Image > Adjustments > HDR Toning), is meant to give photographers and designers the ability to replicate High Dynamic Range in an image with only one exposure.  HDR photographs are created by merging three photos: an image with high contrast, low contrast and a mid-range shot.  I have recently been experimenting with HDR photography and achieving the proper effect takes a lot of practice and post-processing intuition.  So my first thought after experimenting with HDR toning was “This is cheating!”  Of course this is completely illogical since the majority of photographs undergo some level of post-processing but the ease of this functionality is impressive enough to make you (temporarily) forget the work that goes into traditional HDR photographs.

With CS4, this effect could certainly be achieved but would require several steps of image adjustments and filters.  CS5 puts all the HDR Toning options into one dialog box.  I’ve found that, when you are first learning how to use this tool, it is best to start with one of the HDR presets that Photoshop provides (located at the top of the HDR Toning dialog box).  This will help you get a feel for the effect that each of the options will produce.

For the following example, I used the “Saturated” preset as a starting point, increased the Strength, Gamma and Exposure and slightly tweaked the Shadow and Highlight to produce a somewhat subtle HDR effect.

Verdict: Part of me feels like this feature could lead to an epidemic of overused HDR effects running amok across the web.  However, when used correctly and in moderation, HDR Toning is quick and effective way to add visual interest to your photos.

Edge Refinement

One of my most common tasks when using Photoshop is clipping or isolating elements within an image.  I have never been 100% satisfied with the tools that Photoshop offers to make this process easier.  For that reason, I have relied almost exclusively on the Vertus Fluid Mask plugin when clipping complex images.  Fluid Mask is very effective at masking fine details by using advanced feathering and blending techniques.

CS5 has introduced a tool called Refine Edge that allows you to tweak a selection in order to better include or exclude fine details.  The Smart Radius function adjusts your selection to accommodate these details without compromising the more well defined portions of the selection.  From within the Refine Edge dialog box, you can also use options such as Feather and Smooth to make adjustments in one pass, rather than using the separate commands under the Select menu.

Verdict: I don’t think I will be ditching Fluid Mask anytime soon.  The Refine Edge tool is a good way to increase the effectiveness of the Magic Wand and Lasso when making relatively simple selection adjustments.  However,  Smart Radius is not as effective as the blending brush in Fluid Mask when it comes to isolating hair and creating more complex clippings.

Painting

The new Mixer Brush allows you to realistically blend color within a photograph as if the canvas was made entirely of wet paint.  Photoshop gives you the option to adjust a wide variety of settings such as the wetness of the paint, the paint load on the brush, the amount of color mixing and the flow of paint from the brush.  Combined with the new paint brush tip presets, which also carry a number of adjustable options, you can turn photographs into into painted works of art in a relatively short amount of time.

Verdict: While the technology is amazing, this is one of those features that comes across as a novelty that I probably won’t get much use from.  Not because the execution was poor (far from it) but more so due to my style of work.  I also believe that the technique will take a lot more practice than is evidenced in the samples and demo videos.  There is a lot of different options that create drastically different effects so someone who is more artistically inclined will probably have more success than I did.

Other observations…

• The new Puppet Warp tool has already proved useful to me.  Available under the Edit menu, this tool allow you to place pins throughout an image and use these pivot points to make transformations.  I see myself using this tool as a more precise version of the Perspective transformation.
• CS5 adds a convenient contextual indicator of the previously selected color and the current color when hovering over an image with the Eyedropper.

• When using the zoom tool, the new Scrubby Zoom option allows you to slide left to right rather than clicking and dragging.  I’m quite used to hitting ‘Z’ and dragging across a specific region when I want zoom so I immediately turned this option off (and don’t think I’ll ever turn it back on).
• If you are on a Mac, you’ll notice that Adobe ditched the spinning beach ball in favor of the OSX style progress spinner.  Not sure what the reasoning behind this would be but I figure it is a psychological ploy to temporarily divert your attention away from task that is processing.  I’ll admit, it seems snappier so maybe it worked (at least until I learn to hate the OSX spinner as well).

The premise of Sinek’s message was centered around the idea of a golden circle consisting of a why, how and what.  Sinek’s assertion is that innovators like Apple don’t win over hoards of loyal fanboys by selling them on the what - in this case a well designed, user friendly laptop.  Rather Apple gets consumers to purchase their products by getting them to believe what they believe:

Everything we do, we believe in challenging the status quo.  We believe in thinking differently.  (Sinek on Apple’s philosophy of doing business and answering the Why)

So the difference in this technique, which has paid huge dividends for Apple, and the traditional marketing approach is how the company maneuvers through this golden circle.  Rather than beginning on the outside of the circle and selling computers on the basis of hardware specifications, unibody designs and glossy screens, Apple builds a following by starting in the center with the why.  They target the portion of the population that also considers themselves to think differently and then moves outward on the circle, using the how and why as benefits to rationalize purchase decisions.

The “Start With Why” Principle in Web Design

Granted this idea could be successfully applied to all forms of design and communication, but for the purposes of this discussion, I’m going to focus on the web.  This principle is certainly not new or incredibly groundbreaking.  Advertisers have been using the concept of an emotional appeal for years to get consumers to buy their products: an auto maker using images of children in a car to tout safety features or a grandfather and his grandson enjoying a Coca-Cola in a glass bottle.  These concepts connect directly to the emotions of the audience the marketers are trying to reach.  Sinek’s model of starting with why is essentially creating an emotional appeal.  However, his golden circle concept demonstrates that, while companies can certainly address the what, how and why, it is the order of these progressions that is vital.

It is safe to say that the best of the best in the web design business already do this – probably without thinking about it.  They do the best work and get the most business because they believe in what they are selling.  At the highest level, the what of web design is the interface that appears to the user when they visit your site – landing pages, contact forms, images, buttons, links etc.  It is also likely that the client will be billed by the items in this category since these elements are definable, tangible concepts.  The why is usually much harder to define – after all, designers don’t typically have a line item in the invoice for what they believe.

People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it

Sinek proposes that, to truly be an innovator (in this case in the field of web design), designers shouldn’t sell their services based on offering clients six static pages, semantic markup and cross-browser compatibility.  These features should be used as benefits that help rationalize a client’s decision to hire you.  The question the designer should be asking themselves is “why am I compelled to deliver a compatible, hand-crafted site.”  In my case, it is because I believe in creating a website that is easy to use and that solves some problem.  Clients will be much more appreciative of your reasoning if you relate the benefits of your work to the features that you bring to the table – “I will offer you a fully compliant and compatible site because I believe that all of your user’s should have access to this information.”

This principle can also be used to assist in finding the “right” clients.  Granted, designers don’t always have the luxury of picking and choosing clients; however, finding the right match will go a long way towards ensuring a successful site.  The ultimate goal should be doing business with people who believe what you believe.  Clients won’t always be able to articulate their beliefs into the same technical sense that a designer may use.  For example, if a client is looking to redesign their widget-selling site, it may be because the users are having a hard time finding the product that suits their needs.  The client believes in offering the best possible experience for their customers.  As a web designer, you beliefs will probably be similar but your means and terminology may differ.  You may feel this functionality is best achieved by reorganizing the navigation and improving the search feature.  In the end, it is important to use these common beliefs in working towards the most effective solution.

I would highly recommend you take a few minutes to listen to Sinek’s model.  Chances are, you will think of multiple aspects of your profession in which you can apply these principles.

Below is the typical process that I take before beginning a new print project. And granted, it took some trial and error (and a few more errors) to perfect this method.

Find a (Good) Printer

I believe this step should happen in the earliest possible stage of a concept. Many designers probably have a select few printers that they use and trust so that relationship can certainly help jump start this stage. However, in the case that you are working in an unfamiliar territory (possible production challenges, unfamiliar substrate etc), it is always a good idea to have a conversation with your printer first. Of the various reliable printers I have worked with, they all have one thing in common – experience. The printing industry seems to attract people who love the craft and have been perfecting it for years. This experience can be of great benefit to you when it comes time to hash out a plan. Because chances are, whatever angle you are contemplating with your project, they have done something similar and can offer valuable advice as to potential challenges and the probability of a successful outcome.

Finding the right printer for a project can be the tricky part. Even if you don’t yet know the particulars of your project, a broad overview can be enough to initiate a conversation with a printer. Whether it’s an annual report, multi-page brochure or invitation, your project brief should be enough to determine if you have found the right printer for the job. In your initial meeting, there are several topics that you can visit to help assess a printer’s capability:

• Experience. As I mentioned above, this can go a long way in determining the success of a project. How long the account representative been in the industry or with the company? How about the pressman?

• Samples of Work. Most printers are happy to show off their latest creations.  In fact, you may end up getting a full blown lecture on intricacies of controlling dot gain on press.  Ask to see samples in several different categories – books, brochures, flyers, litho, flexo etc.

• Clients.  What well-known local or national companies trust that printer to produce their annual sales kit?  They may not be willing or able to disclose their full client list, but this can give you a good indication of their reliability.

Determine the Budget

Unless you happen to be working with a client who is literally printing money, chances are you will be working within some type of budgetary constraints. Before getting caught up in the details of the design and specifications, it will be important to fully understand what resources are available to you. While it is easy to think that a small budget can limit your creativity, it is part of the designers job to develop an effective solution that exists within the constraints of a tight budget. While you probably won’t be able to diagram the entire project at this stage, the budget will keep you in the ballpark and help you and the printer begin to solidify the specifications.

Brainstorming and Sketches

This is the ideation phase where you goal is to get your ideas on paper so that you can begin narrowing down a direction for the project.  It is a good idea to get a handle on the amount of content that will need to be included, a central theme and a vision for the finished product.  The more effort you put into the accuracy and thoroughness of these sketches, the better chance you have of discovering potential pitfalls before they happen.  At the end of this process, you should have a fairly detailed brief of the project that includes design sketches, budget, timeline and specifications.

Finalize Specifications – Substrate, Printing Method, Inks, Varnishes, Finishing

It may seem somewhat backwards to address printing specifications before doing any design work. However, in instances where I have had a solid understanding of how a project would be produced prior to doing the bulk of the design work, I’ve noticed significant improvements in the overall cohesiveness of the finished product. At this point, you probably have some idea of a design direction, which will influence decisions made in this planning stage. It is worth noting that there is certainly some level of interchangeability within the design and spec stages; but the more details that are finalized in the stage, the less reworking you will have to do later on. Some considerations at this point include:

• Print Medium. Obviously this will have a big influence on the design. Do you have the budget for full-color litho printing? Would two-color flexo get the point across? Would the elegance of letterpress work be appropriate? Unusual substrate? Maybe screen printing would be a good direction.

• Substrate. A solid stock choice will make a good design great. In fact, many effective print campaigns use the stock as an integral component of a central theme rather than simply a carrier for colors and shapes. I’d have to say that choosing the paper is my favorite part of the process because of the sheer variety of options and their ability to alter the mood of the final product.

• Inks. This choice will be closely tied with the previous options and will obviously play a vital role in how well your digital design translates to print.  Some options to consider here are the use of spot colors, process colors or a combination of booth.  Many clients will specify a spot color to use whenever possible to ensure their logo or vital branding elements are consistent across all mediums.  There are also specialty options like florescent, pearlescent and metallic inks that, when used correctly, can enhance a design without taking over.  While not printed in the conventional sense, I would also include considerations in this stage for options like embossing, debossing and foil stamping.

• Varnishes and Coatings. Depending on the stock, printing method and end use, you may elect to have a varnish or coating applied after printing.  Spot varnishes, especially when used in contrast (gloss or matte), can be an effective method of accentuating design elements.  Textured varnishes and aqueous coatings can be used to add durability or protect the ink from scuffing.  Some coatings and varnishes can also enhance a printed product by offering an additional tactile element.

• Finishing. This stage can involve any number of final touches including trimming, diecutting, binding, folding and assembly.

Create a Mockup or “Paper Dummy”

If your project is a simple folded invitation or one page document, this step probably isn’t necessary.  However, if the printed project includes different diecuts, multi-step assembly, unconventional binding or an experimental technique, creating a mockup is going to save you time and money.  In order for this to be effective, it is important to make the mockup resemble the finished piece as closely as possible.  This mockup should be blank pages (using the chosen stock if available), assembled as close as possible to the final product, and used to get a sense of how multiple elements will fit together (proofing colors and design will come later).  No matter how carefully I have planned, I typically discover some detail that will eliminate rework down the line.  Check for things like:

• Proper margins around the binding
• Adequate margins around the diecut
• Proper calculation for trim size
• Adequate graphic space and configuration for tabs, stacked and layered elements
• Correct weight and size for finished piece

Design

Being a designer by nature, it can be difficult to imagine doing all this work without having the bulk of the work even started.  However, I firmly believe that the design phase will proceed exponentially smoother if the previous steps are closely followed.  This workflow helps my process by giving some boundaries to work within and  narrowing down the scope of the project.  While I know that any of the previously determined specs can be modified (I am the designer after all!), having these constraints established within the context of an overall project plan reduces anxiety and allows me to work more efficiently.

Proofs and press checks

The design is done, the copy is approved and the paper has been ordered.  All that is left is ensuring that you work translates to print just as you expected.  Proofs are vital because, in the end, we are all human and we all make mistakes.  In fact, the mistakes that can be caught by proofing may have been made after you handed the file off to the printer.  One of my recurring nightmares is pick up that beautifully assembled product for the first time, turn to the back page and realize that the extra “E” in your company website is now directing users to a slightly more offensive page (loosely based on personal experience…letters have be changed to protect the innocent).  The point being – take time to review the proofs.  Remove all distractions, read it backwards and then hand it off to someone totally unfamiliar with the project.

In some cases, and depending on the proximity of your printer, you may also elect to be on-site when the project is being produced.  These press checks are useful to ensure color accuracy and check for glaring production mistakes.  You should have already proofed the copy multiple times so it isn’t necessary to re-read the entire document.  Rather, check to ensure that pages have been imposed correctly (so they assemble correctly), colors are accurate, and specialty options are reproducing as you expected.

There will no doubt be some challenges and rework that will creep up along the way.  However, if all goes (somewhat) according to plan, you should now have a finished product that blows away your client’s expectations.

Author’s note: Thanks to UnderConsideration’s For Print Only (FPO), for providing a valuable resource of categorized print projects that designers can use as inspiration.  You can find out more about the projects and designers involved in each of the examples presented by following the image links to their respective project description pages.

Like many in the design community, I have an ever-growing list of resources that I consult daily for inspiration, new techniques and commentary from some of the industry’s most experienced professionals.  This highly organic community is one aspect that is very unique to the design industry.  Access to instructional sites like PSD Tuts and Net Tuts help foster learning from within the very platform that many designers are working to improve – in this case the web.  Resources such as Dribbble, which asks designers to showcase their work in a Twitter-esque 120,000 pixels or less, encourages collaboration and critique as a means of improving various forms of visual communication.

I can definitively say that I wouldn’t be in the position I am today without the help from many of these online outlets.  These resources have allowed me to grow as a designer and learn from some of the best.  The more I explored these resources, the more my “what to write about” dilemma came into focus.  This pay it forward mentality is the most definitive reason that creatives are able to consistently create compelling design.  Of course, a large chunk of the process derives from a designers’ natural talent and ability to self-motivate; but there is no question that even the most experienced designers benefit from outside perspectives and collaboration with like-minded individuals.  There was my answer.  I write about what I know, the mistakes I’ve made, the things that have worked and the things that haven’t – all in an effort to enhance this wealth of resources that designers have at their fingertips.

Allow me to echo some of the thoughts from my About page.  For the past three years, I have been an in-house designer for Evergreen Packaging.  While in-house creative teams typically have fewer manpower resources than their agency counterparts, I have been fortunate enough to greatly benefit from this position.  Working within a smaller creative team has allowed me to learn and experiment with a broad variety of disciplines including print, web, identity, 3D modeling, photography, interactive design and video production. I love learning new techniques and teaching others so the articles on this site will vary across different design disciplines.

This blog is my effort to give back to the design community (and anyone else who wants to listen) by providing tutorials, tips and stories drawn from personal experience.  I’m excited to get started so look forward to the first “official” post coming in a few days!