RGB vs. CMYK

Additive vs. SubtractiveThese days, everything is done over the computer – bill pay, socialization, even ordering take out. In most cases it’s cheaper, more efficient and more environmentally friendly. So it’s to no surprise that it’s now standard practice for graphic designers and print shops to provide digital proofs instead of an actual printed hard-copy proof. This is exceedingly more cost effective and the turnaround time is just about as fast as the designer can make the change and hit save. The only drawback of this process is that the client needs to be aware that the colors that they are seeing on the screen will slightly vary from the colors that they will see on the actual printed piece. This is due to the fact that the colors on your computer monitor are created using additive light (using the colors red, green, and blue (RGB))and output devices use subtractive light (using cyan, magenta, yellow, and black (CMYK)). Let’s explore the differences. Continue reading “RGB vs. CMYK”

Brainstorming – Essential for Finding the Right Solution

Brainstorming
Kickstart Your Next Brainstorming Session

Some clients come to us with a clear vision of what they want their final project to look like; some even bring in sketches, reference images or brainstorming notes. But sometimes clients like to leave the whole creative process to our design team, which is perfectly fine as well. Either way the client and/or our design team (and sometimes both of us together) should have a brainstorming session to get some ideas flowing about what direction the design should go in. Here are a few things to keep in mind when brainstorming for your next project (actually…keep these tips in mind for any type of brainstorming session!) Continue reading “Brainstorming – Essential for Finding the Right Solution”

Web Safe Fonts – What Are They?

Web Safe Fonts
Though there are many creative fonts out there, using websafe fonts is crucial for uniformity and searchability.

If you were to look at our portfolio, you will notice something about every website that we’ve created: The body text font and the navigation fonts are relatively standard across the board. You’ll notice that we do not use all types of fancy, decorative fonts unless they are used within the graphical elements of the site. I know, you’re probably thinking to yourself, “there are THOUSANDS of crazy creative fonts out there, why are you sticking to the basic Arial, Times New Roman stuff?” There are 4 main reasons why we stick to the basics when talking about body copy and navigation. Continue reading “Web Safe Fonts – What Are They?”

Color Me What?

Color Psychology
Color has a major influence on our emotions and decisions.

One extremely important aspect of design is color. Many people (especially those without an eye for design) would not give a second thought about color usage and how it affects people’s emotions. Yet it is an extremely powerful tool (so powerful that there is a plethora of color psychology courses out there that delve deeper into the effect color has on the brain). I’m here to simply go over the basics with you and to help you understand why it’s so important when creating your company branding materials. Continue reading “Color Me What?”