Archive for category Quick Tips
OMG, they Killed Mr. Peanut!
Posted by Kris Sheppard in Creativity, Humor, Quick Tips on 10/31/2011
By day, I work for a high end grocery store in southern California and we receive all sorts of products that come in to be photographed for our ads. One product was this Planters mixed nut bag that had us all in the office laughing our faces off!
Obviously, they were going for more of an artistic look, showing just some elements of Mr. Peanut. I’ll tell you though, the first time I looked at it I thought to myself, “This looks like a crime scene!” Maybe it’s just me, but I fought the urge to draw in a monocle just for completeness. Or maybe he was robbed at nutcracker-point for his monocle. I just don’t know.
Anyhow, there is a lesson to be learned here: look at your concepts and ideas from every possible angle and have others give you feedback on it as well before you finalize anything in print. Jussayin’.
Doodling…not just for artists!
Posted by Kris Sheppard in Creativity, Inspiration, Quick Tips on 07/26/2011
I like to call this piece "amoebas."
What you see above is the result of taking one of my own doodles and manipulating it in Photoshop for five minutes. Here’s a little offshoot of last week’s post:
Want to fire up your creativity? Try doodling! It’s a great way to really stretch yourself sometimes. It’s not just for artists and designers, either. Get out a pen and a piece of paper and go to town!
It’s sort of like when your English teacher in school told you to free-write about absolutely anything during class, only this is drawing. So for five minutes, do nothing but draw. You don’t even have to draw on a piece of paper. Try drawing on your napkin or cup from lunch. Make your drawing interact with whatever designs might already be on there. The point is, do it!
Now, don’t you feel more creative? I thought so.
Paper Beats Computer
Posted by Kris Sheppard in Quick Tips, Uncategorized on 07/19/2011
One thing that it’s easy to do when you’re ready to design something is to jump right on the computer and start “designing.” While it may seem like the right thing to do, it’s the most common way to stifle creativity. Instead of turning to the computer immediately, try taking out your good old pen and paper. You’ll be surprised at how much creativity you’ll find when your unhindered by the restraints of your computer program. It’s much easier to brainstorm ideas for content, concept and layout on paper in this way. Trust me and try it. Sketch out some quick ideas. You’ll see.
Keep It Simple, Sparky! (Simplified Logos)
Posted by Kris Sheppard in Branding, Fun Links, Inspiration, Quick Tips on 06/25/2011
I know, you probably wanted me to go with the original KISS meaning ending with “Stupid,” but hey, I make the decisions around here! I came across the following post that had some “simplified logos” and in each case I was able to tell who the logo belongs to. There are a couple lessons that can be learned here.
First of all, here’s the link: Simplified Logos
Finally, here are the lessons:
Number one: branding can be incredibly strong. These logos are an extension of each companies brand, yet they don’t outwardly include the company name. Think of ways you can effectively use branding to strengthen your business.
Number two: it is always best to be concise. It is possible to get your message across using less. Work at what you would like to say and then work to simplify, simplify, simplify.
Parting note: I know that we’re probably not giants like the companies featured at the link, but we can still take a tip from and gather inspiration from them. After all, they started out small too!
What Do Colors Really Tell You?
Posted by Kris Sheppard in Color, Quick Tips on 10/27/2010
Colors can help to subliminally invoke feelings and set certain moods. They can also help to convey underlying meanings. I’m sure that this post will be especially interesting for you mentalists and psychological junkies out there.
Here is a list of colors with feelings and meanings they might convey.
Wait, Don’t Print it Yourself!
Posted by Kris Sheppard in Printing, Quick Tips on 09/11/2010
Pop quiz, hot shot!
Should you, or should you not print out your cards using your home printer on that nifty perforated card stock?
(Here’s a hint: no!)
It may be convenient and very tempting to do this, especially since you’d have completed cards right then and there, but it’s much better to get them printed by a professional printer. This is just as important as the very design printed on it. In fact, printing on your own might actually detract from your design!
Follow The Method!