Blog &bull Business
Why You Should ALWAYS Check the Details … Again!
November 18, 2009
image by Warren Brown
Designers can be a finicky bunch. We can spend hours poring over Pantone colour books or font catalogues to get the right look for our work. A lot of us still put in the time to make sure a website looks the way it was intended even in Internet Explorer 6 (a [...]
Website Checklist: What You Need to Get Your Site Launched
October 27, 2009
image by alibree
I find checklists useful when I’m planning a new project on a big scale, and let’s face it: a lot of websites fall into the category of big projects!
I’ve compiled this checklist to assist anyone who’s planning to get a website for their business or professional activities. It helps to have the [...]
Window-shopping: the Future of Design?
September 24, 2009
image by Chor Ip
Graphic design is a fast-moving industry, and one of the biggest trends in recent times has been the emergence of “try-before-you-buy”: crowd-sourcing companies and ready-made design retailers. These companies allow prospective buyers to view designs before paying any money, and the asking price is almost always low.
That’s very attractive to a particular [...]
Busting the myths: what Graphic Design ISN’T
May 27, 2009
image by nicolasnova
For a bit of fun I’ve put together a list of things that Graphic Design Isn’t, based on my own experiences and those of others. I hope this will be helpful for designers and clients alike.
Urgent! How to handle those last-minute design requests
March 11, 2009
Image by Alex Kehr
Good designers know how to make realistic deadlines and then stick to them. But there are times for every designer when an urgent job materialises and must be squeezed into the work schedule.
Some designers dread getting the phone call or email requesting work to be carried out at breakneck speed; others thrive [...]
E-cards or traditional cards: which are better?
December 27, 2008
If you’ve been participating in the holiday season, it’s likely you’ve been part of the seasonal exchange of greeting cards. Most are traditional paper-based cards, although there are also plenty of e-cards landing in in-boxes at this time of year. That’s no surprise, as many of us are spending increasing amounts of time communicating via [...]
What is the cost of compromising on good design?
December 3, 2008
Image by tanakawho
Let’s face it, there are times when designers and their clients don’t see eye to eye over a project. When all else fails a designer may comply with client requests which are at odds with their own professional judgment, simply to make the client happy. But is this an ideal solution in the [...]
How to adapt during an economic downturn
October 28, 2008
Image by Foxtongue
We live in interesting times. The worldwide financial downturns have led to a great deal of uncertainty for small business owners and independent contractors (freelancers), including designers. On the plus side, small operators are in a better position than their larger counterparts to adapt to changes in business conditions, even drastic ones.
In recent [...]
Less is More: Top Designers’ websites
October 14, 2008
Designers wanting to advance their careers are sometimes advised to concentrate on creating a personal brand. With this in mind, I decided to look at how some renowned graphic designers present themselves and their work online.
Most of the designers shown here have personal websites to showcase their portfolio. There are a few sites representing studios [...]
Design checklist: What clients should provide their designer
October 8, 2008
Image by kennymatic
Preparation is key to successful management of any project, and design projects are no different. The more preparation that both client and designer do right at the start, the more smoothly the work will go.
I find checklists can be very useful, so I’ve prepared a checklist of things that clients should provide their [...]
