Articles – Page 48

Composition – Knowing what to exclude

November 2, 2010

Photography is an art form, yet as photographers, we’re at a great disadvantage. A painter can approach a scene and build in dramatic light, an impending storm, a howling wolf set upon a rocky precipice, or a bald eagle swooping from the water with trout held firmly in talons. A photographer on the other hand starts with a canvas that’s already painted and has to eliminate distractions within the scene. A photographer has to find serenity amongst chaos and confusion and has to wait for quintessential events to unfold and be lucky enough they do. So how does a photographer find pleasing compositions within all this complexity?

In any photo, the subject will be the first element to attract the viewer’s attention. Ideally, the supporting details will lead the viewer around the photo while at the same time, enhance the center of interest. If the subordinate details work in harmony with the main subject, the picture will show balance and be deemed successful. A poorly composed photo will confuse the viewer and lose his interest.

Good composition starts with choosing a good subject. The subject should inspire the photographer. If the subject isn’t intriguing, chances are the photo will reflect this. What it is that provoked you to raise the camera to your eye? Was it a strong color, the shape or texture, an interesting face or was it emotional? The final composition should be dictated by the answers to these questions.

Once a good subject is chosen, selectively eliminate all distractions that impede the viewer from focusing on the center of interest. Decide what should be photographed and emphasize that aspect while viewing the scene through the camera. Study the setting and decide if what you’ve seen with the naked eye is conveyed through the lens. As you continue to ask yourself questions about what attracted you to the subject, conclude whether or not you’ve gotten to the root of the attraction. Persevere in your quest to eliminate unnecessary elements by moving to the left, right, higher or lower until all is finely tuned. Deciding what to exclude is equally as important as knowing what to include.

The truth about Mission Statements?

October 30, 2010

“Our mission: to inspire and nurture the human spirit — one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time.”

So, has Starbucks inspired and nurtured your spirit lately? No, of course it hasn’t. You wait by a counter for a few minutes, someone yells “who’s got the Grande Skinny Caramel Macchiato with whip?” and you walk out with a $7.00 cup of coffee. If Starbucks was really interested in nurturing the human spirit , there wouldn’t be dozens of Web sites and blogs dedicated to teaching people how to order a coffee there without sounding like a loser.

If Starbucks wanted to be believable, its mission statement would be:“To have as many coffee shops as possible and sell as many drinks and biscotti as we can.”

Most mission statements (it’s also cool to call them “brand promises”) are absolute BS.

H.J. Heinz is a great company with great people (you don’t get to be 140 years old by doing things badly).If you polled all 32,500 of its employees, how many of them would say they guide their workday by being “dedicated to the sustainable health of people, the planet and our Company”? I’d be willing to bet that most of the good folks at Heinz show up for work to make and sell ketchup and other yummy toppings, and that not one person left the relish-bottling night shift yesterday thinking about the planet at all.

To be fair, some mission statements are realistic, to-the-point and credible. Even some Fortune 500 company statements are reasonably down-to-earth. The ones that are short, and revolve around selling things and making money, tend to strike me as most honest. I’ll even allow that some of the sillier ones have value as well-intentioned, team-bonding rallying cries. Nothing wrong with a little rah-rah.

But most mission statements are just empty promises and self-important proclamations that have little to do with the business and do even less to drive it. Most companies tend to come up up with something they thought profound enough to put on the wall in the lobby, offer up as a good sound byte, and lead off the annual report with a bang. Nary a care whether the statement had any basis in reality, or whether the factory worker or middle manager really comes to work driven by an obligation to embrace the global village.

Not suggesting that companies don’t mean well. But this is business, and with few exceptions, for-profit business does its good deeds by employing people, making good products, creating supply chains, paying taxes, giving to charity, and so on. But all of it starts with making money, which IS the rightful mission of most businesses, and is nothing to be ashamed of or talked around. Bill and Melinda Gates are giving away more money than anyone in history, but that’s because Microsoft made them lots of money. Saving the world was not Microsoft’s original mission; they had to get a PC on every desk on the planet before they could get to the good work of saving the planet.

I think most companies can do without mission statements. They’re more likely to be met with ambivalence or incredulity than to inspire anyone. I much prefer values to missions. Having a good set of values sets the tone and comportment of the company and — if written in an honest and realistic way — gives its people a usable road map of how the business wishes to conduct itself each and every day, “on the ground.” Our employees know exactly how we want to run our company and how we want to be perceived, and that’s what makes our culture and business work. Relatable standards and guidelines, rather than vague, overarching pronouncements.

How to approach a design project

October 24, 2010

1. Check out a bunch of inspirational collections

Before putting pen to paper or mouse to Photoshop, take a step back and check out some other designer’s work. You’ll be amazed, or not. You’ll get a fantastic idea of what you should do, or maybe of what you shouldn’t do. Plus, you’re passively growing your skill set by exposing yourself to different thoughts and styles.

2. Outline and Organize

Sometimes, it’s best to step away from the creative process and start a new design with a more logical approach. Perhaps your last project went out of control and you ended up designing twice as much as you should of, or you realized you designed something that was completely not in the project scope.

Take a step back and gather your materials. Grab the information your client sent you and any tools you need. Write yourself a step-by-step to do list of what needs to be accomplished before the project can be complete. Then proceed by tackling each step one by one.

3. Go for a Walk and Take Snapshots

Outdoors, whether it’s around town or in the woods, can be a great escape for the creative mind. Take your camera with you and take a photo of anything that makes you think of the project (or that you generally like). Maybe there’s a sign that captures the feel you’re trying to create, or maybe the way the grass is blowing is just the right feeling you want to invoke through your design.

4. Start Sketching

If you’ve got an idea, go for it! Grab your sketchbook, spare paper, or whatever you like using and immerse yourself in the design. Whether or not you use your sketches in the new project doesn’t really matter. What does matter is getting your thoughts out of your head an onto paper.

Don’t forget to set an alarm if you need to be anywhere or do something at a particular time. It’s easy to lose track of time when you’re in the middle of a good sketching session.

5. Create a Project Board

Print photos, sketches, project flow charts, project specs, or anything that relates to your new project and create a project board. Use a glue stick, tape, or even staples to compile the pieces across cardboard, a whiteboard, or on the wall near your workspace.

Having this visual information directly in front of you and not tucked away on the web in bookmarks and folders can make the design process much more fluid. Plus, the act of creating the project board helps focus your thoughts and your client’s wishes before starting the actual design.

6. Schedule Your Design Time

If you know you work best at 8am or 3 in the afternoon, schedule a chunk of time to start the design. Turn off your phone and email for at least a half hour and take advantage of the design-only time.

Alternatively, if you’re looking to shake things up, schedule design time at a really strange hour. If you normally work 8-4, schedule design time for the evening or on a weekend morning. You probably don’t want to make a habit of working at strange times, but shaking things up may change your perspective for the new project.

7. Start with Your Favorite Task

There’s always one part of a project that you absolutely love to do. Maybe it’s picking out the fonts, or developing the navigation, but try starting with this single element first. It may not always make sense to start with the task you love, but you might find that the rest of the project is more enjoyable or turns out differently than you would have expected.

Alternatively, choose the task you dislike the most. Getting the awful stuff finished will make you feel accomplished and allow you to enjoy the rest of the project with fewer worries.

8. Refer to Your Best Work

Sometimes it’s good to get a reminder of what you’re capable of. Compile some of your best work and think about what made each piece great. Is there something that unites that that you can pull from for the new project? Or were they projects that you enjoyed for a specific reason? By examining yourself, you might able to replicate the results.

Why clients run away from designers

October 18, 2010

There is an old adage, ‘Old habits die hard’. Bad habits, if prolonged, develop into your second nature. Graphic designers alike, possess certain behaviors that have adverse effects on their clientele. The quality of work isn’t the only recipe of winning clients, it is HOW you go about performing your work that really influences your clients.

For graphic designers, it is imperative to understand what client personality you are dealing with. This enables you to adjust to their behavior and connect with them properly. But there are certain practices that designers must avoid since they directly affect their relationships with clients. Following are eight harmful habits that a graphic designer must beware of:

The Bossy Attitude

Graphic designers who try to solely dictate the terms of the project end up losing clients. Since every client wants his work to be tailor-made according to his wants and desires, not listening to their proposals would end them in dissatisfaction.

Too submissive:

When a client comes to a graphic designer, he is looking for someone who knows what to do and how to do. When a client tells the designer what to do, they expect them to know HOW to do it. Asking too many questions can annoy clients and drive them away. Moreover, being submissive allows clients to take undue advantage of you.

Over-Confidence:

Since graphic designing is a proper profession, one must act professional too. Over-confidence and casual attitude is a real turn-off for clients. When they approach a professional graphic designer, they expect a professional attitude as well. Acting over-confident makes your client think that they’ve come to the wrong place.

Taking things personally:

When graphic designer starts taking things to heart, clients think that they don’t have control over their emotions. They deem it as a sign of an amateur and incompetent person. I know most of you would not believe in the term “customer is always right”, but one should be competent enough to deal with difficult clients.

Sloppy appearance:

In the professional world, appearance matters. You never know your first impression might your last…so make the first one count. When client see designers in sloppy appearance, it gives a negative feeling that their project might end up sloppy as well.

Presumptuous Nature:

The problem is when the client is not taken on board with the project details and proceedings, chances are that he will get dissatisfied with the graphic designer’s work. Clients may think that you are over-confident and don’t consider his opinion valuable.

Sluggish Worker:

The effects of procrastination are simple. You fall behind your schedule and in the process disappoint your clients. Moreover, when your clients see that you have a habit of delaying tasks, they will consider you as a lazy and sluggish designer. Since they will be afraid of not getting their projects on time, they might not consider you in the first place.

Bad communication skills:

Since negotiating with clients needs convincing power, introvert and reserved graphic designers often don’t clearly state their terms and conditions. Ultimately, they end up being undervalued and underpaid by their clients.

Myths of Branding

October 15, 2010

When people think of branding, they often think of just a logo or business card. Or they think of the opposite extreme, such as Apple or Virgin, and so assume they will never have the budget to “brand effectively.”

Although dazzling branding is more than just pretty pictures, it also is something that is easily attainable if businesspeople put the right thought and effort into it.

Dispelling five popular myths about branding is key to starting that process and transforming your business.

Myth No. 1: Branding Is Hard

Branding is not rocket science. It simply requires focused thought about what you want your business to stand for and to whom, and then a commitment to communicate that message through everything you do visually and experientially.

With our clients, we offer a 10-step process to building a firm brand strategy. But once it’s built, you are never “done” nor do you ever stop being a steward for your brand once all the processes, websites, and logos are in place.

You need to constantly be vigilant and regularly do a “system check” on your materials, business practices, customer service, and messaging to ensure your brand is clear and consistent.

You also need to commit to living your values and ensuring that all your employees and partners can verbalize and live those values as well.

Myth No. 2: Branding Is Expensive

Effective branding can be done on any budget. I’ve worked with $12 million budgets and $1,000 budgets.

The real key to effective branding is making sure that you have defined, in detail, your ideal audience and that your business messages speak directly to their needs and the benefits they value.

Once you have done that, you can work more effectively with a designer to determine your logo or website experience and a writer to craft your brochure and website messaging.

Consistency and clarity in messaging (visual and verbal)—not how much money you spend promoting your brand—is what makes that brand effective and creates rabid fans and evangelists. So if you can spend only $200 on a logo, you can still ensure that it communicates exactly what you want, to whom you want to reach.

True, you may not be able to do multimillion-dollar ad campaigns or sponsor extravagant sporting events. But with clear, consistent, and strong messages, you ensure that even those three or four activities you can afford to do are laser-focused.

Moreover, since a brand is more than just your logo or advertising, you can live your brand through aligned corporate policies and processes. You can easily and cheaply craft a voice-mail message or email signature that furthers that brand. You can extend the brand to free social media that captures customers with limited dollars. And you can ensure your product or service quality and price map consistently to your brand promise.

Those are all things you need to do anyway to run your business, so you may as well align them to a strong brand for maximum “oomph.”

Myth No. 3: Branding Is Just Fluff

Brand equity can make or break a company. And if you think branding has no financial impact, just ask private-equity firms that “buy” brands for billions of dollars, all for the brand cachet or loyal customer base.

That’s the reason people will pay three times as much for a white T-shirt at Nordstrom than they would at Target. Brand translates into bottom-line sales when done effectively.

You can’t deny that if you build a strong foundation and communicate it to the right people at the right time, you will attract just the interested customer you seek.

In addition, a strong brand guides all the other marketing decisions that fuel your company’s growth: where to advertise, whom to partner with, how to price your product, etc.

Myth No. 4: All Designers Are the Same

All designers and branding firms are not the same.

Although you can save money by thinking through a brand strategy on your own, before you engage with a designer on communicating anything visually, some designers get it and some don’t. And, sometimes, you do get what you pay for in that regard.

If you are talking to a designer who does not ask who your target audience is or what you are trying to convey to them through your visual elements—and merely asks you what colors or concepts you like—you need to run the other way. Though you might spend only $100 on a designer and think it’s a steal, you will lose much more in sales and customers by not communicating the right message visually.

Good designers understand how imagery, font, color, and spacing affect the subconscious connections people will make about your company and what it offers. And they should be experienced enough to make some clear recommendations.

It’s worth it to spend a bit more on a designer and work with someone capable who asks about your brand and your ideal customer.

Myth No. 5: Branding Works Immediately

Branding and direct-response marketing are two different things.

People need to experience your brand multiple times before it sticks. You need to have it out there, present in all your customer touch points, before deciding whether it works.

Branding is about awareness and “mindshare”—the spaces you occupy in people’s minds when they see your logo or hear your name. That takes time to build. The Nike swoosh had no meaning during the first three months after it was introduced.

Avoid the temptation to change branding every few months in an effort to chase quarterly sales growth. Yes, if you get feedback that things are not working, you should make changes; but, hopefully, you will have put the up-front thought and effort into the brand strategy and messaging before implementing it so that only slight tweaks are required.

Branding and messaging can be refreshed over time—but not before customers get a chance to respond to it. And although you might be sick of your brand and messaging after three months, remember that because of all the noise in the marketplace your potential customers may not even have seen it yet.