Infographics are a powerful design tool. They soar into a realm where bar charts, pie charts, and raw data can never travel: instantaneous emotional connection. Let’s look at an example from USAID (below). At first glance, the poster’s strong symbols and clear typography lead us in and boldly declare the theme of the story. The [...]
"Techy Designer" Archive
Tips and tricks from our Techy Designer. Love gadgets and web DIY? Tired of reading about chocolate? This is your sweet spot.
You Know When You’ve Been Tango’d
Who can forget my bullish prediction that purple would be a design trend in 2010? Well, as it happened, Pantone—the self-appointed “global authority on color”—respectfully disagreed, giving their nod to Turquoise instead. To be fair, Pantone’s picks tend to lean toward fashion, home, and cosmetics. (This year’s shade—Honeysuckle—is likely a bit too pretty-in-pink for that [...]
My Smartphone Love Affair
Swept off her feet by a sexy smartphone, this Content Bureau designer wonders how long it will be until she’s replaced by a newer model …
Typography Tenets: More Design Tips for Non-designers
You’ve worked hard to create a singular voice; visual focus is just as important. Here are some quick guidelines to avoid common font mistakes and help keep your docs looking pro.
Keywords Can Help Your Designer Choose the Perfect Imagery
When a marketing manager works with a designer, great communication is essential. Many of your designer’s questions are automatically answered if your company has clear branding guidelines—including logo, templates, and color schemes. But there’s always room for design creativity, and that often involves choosing the right imagery to tell your story. Let your designer know: [...]
On The Importance Of Font Selection
Cleveland Cavaliers’ coach Dan Gilbert was understandably upset when Lebron James snubbed his hometown. He pulled no punches in his very public letter to Cavs fans, posted front and center on the team page on nba.com. Except when he chose to typeset his post in the most mocked font of all time: Comic Sans.
The Ultimate Whiteboard Chart
We tip our caps to a master of the visual interpretation of data, Tom Wujek of Autodesk, who manned the whiteboard at the ultra-brainy Singularity futurism conference in the spring of 2010.
Context Between Content: The Importance Of White Space
You may have heard the proverb: “Do not speak unless you can improve the silence.” When it comes to design, silence is the empty—or negative—space in your layout.
Living on the grid: Design tips for non-designers
When it comes to design, there are a few simple principles you can follow to vastly improve the results. One such guideline is the grid-based layout.
Creative block? Try a worthwhile dilemma.
One of the challenges of working as a designer is that creative muses don’t respect business hours. Sometimes a brilliant idea strikes at bedtime; inconvenient perhaps, but still usually pleasant. More troubling is when you’re on deadline and can’t find inspiration. Every creative has her or his own techniques for breaking the block. One of [...]
