Graphic Details Opens New Office in Tampa
Graphic Details, a Washington-based design firm, has opened a new office in Tampa, Florida. The company has been developing websites and print collateral for corporations in the Washington and greater San Diego, California, area for the last 20 years. With the opening of the new Tampa office space, Graphic Details will be able to better serve its growing corporate client base.
What is a Professional Graphic Designer?
Dictionary.com defines graphic design as “the art or profession of visual communication that combines images, words, and ideas to convey information to an audience.” A graphic designer is responsible for arranging and using elements on different types of media such as a poster, brochure, stationary, a billboard or a website.
Web design vs. print design
Designing for print media versus designing for the web can be a completely different experience. To better understand these differences, the two can be compared in major topic areas: types of media, audience, layout, color, technology and careers. Remember we’re looking at the graphic design side of web design, not the technical side.
As a web designer, we create:
- color palettes
- Flash movies for the entry page
- custom graphics for the navigation
- collage headers
- Banner advertising
As a print designer, we often create:
- Magazine advertisements
- Product design and packaging
- Business cards
- Logos
- Brochures
- Book covers and interiors
- Corporate annual reports
At Graphic Details the role of a graphic designer is very broad and the list of types of design created fit into both lists above, but the basic difference is that when designing for print our client will end up with a finished product that someone can hold in their hand, and when we design for the web the client will generate work on an ever-evolving piece of art (website pages) viewed on a computer monitor.
Call Graphic Design today for a free quote for your next project: 360-298-1244
San Diego Landscape Firm Launches New Web Site
A new Web site for Chris Drew Construction Landscape of San Diego, CA, has just been designed and launched by the web development team at Graphic Details. The new site can be seen at: http://www.chrisdrewlandscape.com
Graphic Details’ director of Web development, Angie Roberts, is responsible for creating the new look, feel, and content for the new site. “We have designed a site that is easily navigated, with precise text, pertinent information and current photos,” said Roberts in a recent conversation with landscape designer, Chris Drew.
About Chris Drew Construction Landscape:
Chris Drew Construction Landscape has had its roots in the San Diego, California, community since 1973. Their goal is to provide superior service to all their clients. They take great pride in the professional quality of their work, from our exceptional masonry and concrete finishing to soil prep and plantings.
This outstanding landscape design firm offers design & installation of landscapes, hardscapes, irrigation systems, water features as well as seasonal color management and plant maintenance for their clients. They exhibit uncompromising excellence in all aspects of a landscape project, from design to execution. They collaborate with award winning designers and architects to bring creativity and imagination to the landscape process. Visit their new online photo gallery by clicking here.
Book Cover is Important, but Content Makes the Difference
The book cover for Amelia Painter’s hospitality guide may have attracted the attention of innkeeper Kathleen A. Janke, owner and operator of the Gracehill Bed & Breakfast in Townsend, TN, but the contents is what is now praising. Here is what she has to say about the book:
“The first third of Ms. Painter’s book Opening and Operating a Bed and Breakfast in the 21st Century is a reality check for aspiring innkeepers. The middle third is for any innkeeper that needs ideas on how to increase business. The last third is a well organized overview for the web/internet neophyte like myself. If I implement a quarter of the ideas this book generates I’ll need a vacation from my own B&B vacation hotspot!”
A book’s cover design is always important, but if you aren’t putting outstanding content on the pages, your word of mouth sales just won’t be there.Friday Harbor, Washington: 360-378-1305
Fostoria, Iowa: 712-260-5372
Blog Design
Definition Of A Blog
So what is a blog? According to Wikipedia (a great source of constantly updated info), “A weblog, web log or simply a “blog,” is a web application which contains periodic time-stamped posts on a common web page. Weblog is a portmanteau of ‘web’ and ‘log.’ The term blog came into common use as a way of avoiding confusion with the term server log.”
Put Your Blog On Your Web site’s Server
Many people new to blogging tend go to out on the Internet and choose a blogging service and set up a free account, this is not the best way to go, but it does seem to be the choice of many new to blogging. We suggest you go with a custom designed blog that is hosted on the very server that hosts your company’s Web site, because it will help with the search engine rankings for the site overall.
If you decide to try a free blogging service first, most provide you with a standard blog template. But this template will suffer from a cookie-cutter design, and if you don’t personalize it your blog may become lost. If you are going to go with one of these free blogging services, be sure you somewhat customize the template.
To be noticed your blog needs to make an impression - as there are more than ten million blogs out there.
LOG SEARCH ENGINES & BLOG NEWS
Technocrati is a real-time search engine that keeps track of what is going on in the blogosphere — the world of weblogs. Technorati tracks the number of links, and the perceived relevance of blogs, as well as the real-time nature of blogging. Once you have your blog live, you’ll want to subscribe to Technocrati.
Choose A Book Cover Designer With Experience
When you’ve put all the long hours and dedication it takes to create a book, you want your book cover to do the interior pages justice! To be effective, your book cover design should:
- Enhance the desireablity of your book. Does the cover design make a person want to pick up the book and buy it? Will booksellers want to display it in stores?
- Incorporate the book’s theme. Does the cover design effectively convey the authors message, style and voice?
- Be designed with creativity and originality. The design should be different, tasteful and unique.
Having an experience book cover designer work with you will help to ensure a uniquely suited book cover that will capture attention and be among your best assets for success.
“Angie Roberts at Graphic Details recently acted as a consultant in design of the book cover for my new book titled Opening and Operating a Bed & Breakfast in the 21st Century. She offered my graphic designer quality advice, creativity, attention to deadlines, and reasonable pricing partnered with conscientious business professionalism.
She has assisted in making both my graphic designer and my book look great.” ~ Amelia Painter (www.ameliawrites.com)
Contact Angie Roberts with Graphic Details at: 360-378-1305 to obtain a quote for your book cover project!
Contact Graphic Details BEFORE you advertise!
Newspapers. Magazines. Radio. Television. Yellow Pages. Before you advertise in any medium, contact Graphic Details. We’ll consider your target market, the benefits of your product or services and what sets your business apart. Then, we’ll create an effective campaign to help establish your marketing effort.
Washington Phone: 360-378-1305
California Phone: 858-581-6007
Iowa Phone: 712-260-5372
Logo Design Strategy, Tips and Pointers
Think BIG …. Think LONGTERM when creating a new logo for your business or organization. Colors, shapes, fonts, sizing and much more play an integrate part in your final logo design choice. Be involved in the process … this identity will follow your company for years and it should be simple enough to embroider on shirts and caps but look professional enough to be the main focus of business cards. Your logo should be a business/organization lifetime investment, one that will become your corporate identity, and increasingly important as your business expands and grows. Changing your logo down the road is expensive and confusing to loyal customers. Why not get it right the first time? If you follow the strategies, tips and pointers below, you’re on your way to creating a business identity that will last your business/organization a life time.
On your mark….
You’ve decided that your organization or company needs a logo … either to enhance your established image or to create a new one. You may need a logo design repair, or a completely new custom design. If you have an existing logo, decide what you like/dislike about it then search out other logos that you “love” to show your designer at the beginning of the process. This will allow him/her to see your vision more clearly and make the entire design process easier for everyone.
Get set ….
Consider the future use of your logo (stationery design, etc) when deciding on color. Some logo designs “scream” a particular color (ie. a tree with purple leaves just wouldn’t cut it unless your company was named “The Purple Tree”) but an abstract or font based logo can incorporate colors you find attractive. Reproduction costs (ie printing, screen printing) can increase with the number of colors used so be sure and talk with your designer if final output costs are a concern.
Go ….
Now step back and let the professionals handle it and remember, a logo can (but does not have to) convey what your business/organization does. Think outside the box, think long term, think simple. A logo (ie Nike swoosh) should be able to grow with your company and not limit it’s marketing abilities, therefore abstract is often a good choice. Have your designer do 3 totally different designs so you can judge for yourself what will work in the long term and what might be too limiting.
Be sure the format your designer is creating in will allow you to size your logo from very, very small (on a ball point pen) to very, very large (a trade show back drop). This is called a “vector format” and artwork created this way is scalabe to any size without losing quality. (Again, think long term…just because your company/organization does not do trade shows today does not mean you never will.)
And then while making the final decision, remember it’s all about image! Don’t look at your logo image through your eyes but rather through the eyes of the potential customers you are hoping to secure. How your target audience will perceive your company through that first introductory marketing event — whether it’s through a business card in person or via the Worldwide Web - is all important. You never get to make a first impression twice! So make it a good one!