Graphic Design Blog - An Ultimate Resource for Graphic Designers

Brand Logo versus Globalization

Charlie B. Johnson — Mon, 14 May 2012 11:38:02 +0000

Logo designers and brand managers have always laid paramount importance of imparting the power of their product through symbols. History has it that whether they are Mayans, Egyptian Pharaohs or Greek mythology, symbols and logos have always played a pivotal role in representing the force behind their message.

• Proposition behind the Brand Logo

In the contemporary world, the effort put in by the logo designers has become more challenging and inspirational. Since the international economic market has moved towards globalization to increase profits, the consumers can actually now sense the idea behind the logo itself. When it comes to comprehending a particular logo, the onlooker doesn’t have the time to go through the details of a sophisticated logo. Here comes the role of a brand manager who aspires to represent the product through a logo so that the particular brand can dominate globe. The strength of the logo should not only impart the brand’s positioning in the market but should have a unique value proposition that can clearly demarcate the essence of its people, product and process.

• Brand Upholds the values of an Organizations

It has always been the end-objective for every brand manager to increase the market share of their products by amplifying the significance of their brand’s equity through the logo. Both the brand managers and logo designers have to dig deep into the mindset of the consumer behavior, either through various methods of research or ‘me-too’ concept, to carve the spirit of the logo into the psyche of the consumers. Make them believe that they are not buying just a product but a brand that can only stand out through a powerful and simple logo. Obviously, the brand managers have to excel in maintaining the quality and reasonableness of the brand. They cannot afford to compromise on any of propositions, which is exuded through a logo. A logo which is a hard-hitter is also an easy-to-go, which is why brand managers have to uphold the mission statement, values, goals and objectives of not just the product but of the organization itself.

• Brand Logo and Globalization

Whenever the customer buys any product or service, it always eyes for the brand logo as it differentiates yet represents the consumer behavior and brings out various demographic attitude. However, more importantly, besides the consumer being addicted to the brand logos, they are becoming even more cautious from where the product is manufactured, especially after the upheaval of globalization. For example, if a consumer walks into a clothing store to buy a shirt, the person would actually look at the product’s manufacturing origin after the brand logo.

In the end, it is not just about the brand logo after globalization but it is also the name of the country from where the product is being produced. For example, one would prefer to buy an Apple’s product “Made in USA” as opposed to “Made in China”.

So do you really think that globalization has an impact on effectiveness of the brand logo?

22 Amazingly Graffiti Artworks – A Creative Collection!!

Charlie B. Johnson — Wed, 09 May 2012 09:32:45 +0000

One of the most infamous types of graphic arts is street and road graffiti. It is known for decades and have enhanced over the passage of time. In earlier times it was employed by the Romans as a symbol of expression and opinions against their kings. In the modern world, street graffiti is a common technique of showing governmental and humorous reviews on the surfaces of both community and personal property. But on the other hand, it is also considered as a shrewd and infamous form of art as it harasses community and personal belongings.

As visual artists, graffiti is always a creativity spot as it helps in studying novel and modern ways of showing thoughts using art. This way of artwork has rapidly crept into the area of graphic designing as well. In this post, you will witness 22 of the most surreal graffiti art done on streets from all over the world. Each and every one of these graphics is odd but interesting. You can learn a lot from these graffiti artworks.
Orignal Source of Images

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25 Photos of Invisible Man – See the Unseen!

Charlie B. Johnson — Tue, 01 May 2012 08:28:58 +0000

Remember the movie Hollow Man, where Kevin Bacon acquired the power to be invisible? Imagine how cool would it be in real life? Although there hasn’t been any ‘Invisibility Cloak’ developed similar to the one in Harry Potter, there is one artist that makes it almost possible to vanish. Liu Bolin is a Chinese artist with a Master’s Degree in Fine Arts. His famous work "The Invisible Man" features camouflage artwork that makes human beings disappear into the backdrop.

Liu Bolin’s works have been featured in various Art Museums. In his ‘Invisible Man’ project, the artist adroitly paints himself and blends into the surroundings in order to appear almost invisible. Although some people think that these photos have been manipulated using a graphic software, but they are NOT photoshopped. It is simply a brilliant display of camouflage artwork that creates an illusion of invisibility.

In this post, I have amassed 25 of Liu’s best works of ‘Invisible Man’ that will leave you spellbound.

Invisible Man 1

Invisible Man 2

Invisible Man 3

Invisible Man 4

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Invisible Man 25

5 Factors That Ruin a Graphic Designer’s Creativity!

Charlie B. Johnson — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 09:31:18 +0000

Have you ever come across a time when your creative juices stop flowing? Yes, I’m referring to that moment when you try so hard but fail to conceive a creative idea. But this doesn’t happen all of a sudden, does it? There is always a reason behind this abrupt dearth of creativity. Even the slightest of distraction can ruin a designer’s ability to think innovatively.

In the field of graphic design, creativity is one attribute that makes the real difference. Whatever you design for a client must stand out from the rest of the crowd. But there are some factors that damage a graphic designer’s creative aptitude. That is why it is crucial to known these issues beforehand so that you can beware of them.

1. Low Self Esteem:

The biggest creativity killer for a graphic designer is low self-esteem. The lack of confidence and self-worth dampens your ability to think openly and freely. Your fear of failure and disappointment creates a hurdle in the creative process. Since you don’t have self-belief in your ideas, your creativity is rendered ineffective. That is why it is imperative to keep your composure and have firm belief in your ideas.

2. Criticism:

Being a graphic designer, facing client criticism shouldn’t be a new thing for you. Every now and then, you will encounter clients that will hurl harsh words that might upset you. Some designers take this criticism to heart which ultimately affects their creative faculty. The reality is that not every client is capable of understanding true creativity. What may look original to you might not appeal to some clients. But with the right communication skills, you can convey your creative ideas and concepts to your clients.

3. Lack of Funds:

Sometimes graphic designers come up with ideas that are brilliant but unfeasible to execute. Unstable finances are yet another big factor that destroys a graphic designer’s ability to think productively. You are constantly worried about how your idea or concept will be executed with low resources. In some cases, clients fix a meager budget which doesn’t provide a designer with enough room to express his creativity with freedom. For instance, your design concept would look great on a flash-based website but the client doesn’t consider it feasible for his budget.

4. Tough Goals:

There are two kinds of stress namely eustress and distress. The former helps in motivating a person while the latter dampens an individual’s efficiency. Tough goals and difficult deadlines are all creativity killers. This is because you cannot restrict the creative thought process. When a graphic designer has too many deadlines on his head, his capacity to think outside the box is restrained. That is why one should avoid clients with impractical deadlines.

5. Workaholism:

Being a workaholic has its pros and cons. While you may be able to impress people with your endless dedication and nonstop labor, you will also risk killing your creativity. Some designers believe that they can multi-task and complete all their work well before time. But what they don’t realize is that putting too much pressure on your body reduces your efficiency and effectiveness. That is why I believe graphic designers should avoid workaholism and retain their creative juices.

Have you ever been a victim of lack of creativity? If so, then what measures did you take?

Guess the Disney Cartoons – 20 Minimalist Posters

Charlie B. Johnson — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 05:17:11 +0000

Cartoons are a momentous part of everybody’s childhood memories. No matter how old you are, you cannot grow too old for cartoons. Famous animation studios like Walt Disney and Cartoon Network have created some of the most epic and iconic cartoon characters like Mickey Mouse and Cinderella that have etched into our minds for eternity.

Recently, I came across an interesting post on re:blog that made me jog my memories about famous Disney characters. The team at re:blog has created minimalist posters on Disney’s classic cartoons using the most prominent elements of the cartoon. Some of these were easy to guess without their names, while others required a little bit of recalling.

Today, I would like to share these 20 minimalist posters and ask you guys to guess which classic Disney cartoons they represent. Don’t forget to mention which ones you guessed correctly in the comment section.

Minimalist Disney Poster 1

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Minimalist Disney Poster 12

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Minimalist Disney Poster 16

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Minimalist Disney Poster 20

Check Your Answers

5 Downsides of Starting Your Own Graphic Design Business

Charlie B. Johnson — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 11:04:51 +0000

Before you jump to any conclusions, let me make it clear that my intentions are not to shatter your dreams of starting your very own graphic design business. On the contrary, I wish to explore the downsides of being an independent graphic designer by launching your personalized business. Many designers, in pursuit of gaining monetary freedom, try to establish their own business. But not everyone gets through with flying colors.

According to the IBISWorld report on “Graphic Designers in the US”, there are over 93,892 businesses with consolidated revenues of $13 billion. But appallingly, the growth rate of design businesses is declining by 0.4% annually. However this doesn’t means that the industry is not feasible for business. The reality is that launching a new business comprises an excessive amount of uphill struggle and proper planning. Those who fail to cope up with these issues end up failing.

But sometimes, starting a business alone isn’t the right thing to do. It is accompanied by various downsides. So before you commence your own business, make sure you are capable of handling the following downsides:

1. Constant Fear of Loss:

When you own a complete design business, you also own the risks and dangers attached to it. That means you are in a constant stress and fear of loss for your entire life. If you working for a design agency or even freelance, there aren’t many personal assets for you to be concerned about. But in an independent business, there is a lot of capital and investment involved.

2. No Family Time:

It is true that when you are running your own personal design business, there are no fixed timings. Like when you are working for a design firm, it is a 9-5 job where you get to spend at least half the day with your family along with 2 weekends. But an independent business will leave you with no time for family or friends as you need to work constantly without any time restriction.

3. Less Designing More Delegating:

When you are working for a design agency or freelance, you work solo on client projects. But with your own design business, you hire staff that will aid you in your projects. Slowly and gradually, your work starts shifting from designing to delegating and in the end you end up losing your design flair.

4. Hiring Problems:

As mentioned earlier, a full-fledged design business cannot be managed single-handedly. You need a certain amount of employees on board that will assist you in your daily business projects. This is another downside as the problems of hiring the right person for the job is tiring and stressful.

5. Every Client is Boss:

Some people start their own design business with the intention of not working under a boss. But believe me, a design business has more bosses than you can ever imagine. Let me explain how. When you are working for a design agency, there are one (at the most two) bosses that you are working under. You don’t really need to tackle difficult clients as that is your boss’s job. But when you are running a design business, every client is your boss meaning you need to deal with multiple bosses at the same time.

Let me reiterate that I don’t mean to discourage anyone to start your own design business. But if you think about it, do consider the harms and downsides and see if you are ready to go ahead. So…are your ready to start your design business?

20 Cool ‘Oliver’ Appetizer Plates – Doodle Dude!

Charlie B. Johnson — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 10:08:04 +0000

Being a graphic designer, I love being surrounded by innovative and artistic objects. Right from my bedroom to the workplace, I always keep the ambiance adorned with elements of graphic design. While surfing on the internet, I came across a humorous yet brilliant artwork that startled me. CB2 is a website that showcases modern and clever home designs for difference items like furniture, outdoor, accessories and dining.

On its dining section, there are lots of funny and inventive kitchen utensils featuring a Doodle Dude named ‘Oliver’. The dinner items like appetizer plates, martini glasses and coolers illustrate the famous ‘Oliver’ stickman figure in a variety of funny scenes. Not only are these really creative, they are also a cool way of brightening up your kitchenware and make utensils more appealing.

Following is a collection of 20 cool Oliver appetizer plates and martini glasses that you would love to have in your kitchenware set.