There is a relatively new maxim that suggests how important your choice of font is. Now, not a lot of people take the time to personalize their choice of font-face. However, when it comes to print and Web material where the choice of font type is almost as essential as what the text says, understanding what psychological impacts (subliminal or otherwise) the choice of font would render is important. So much so that a lot of research into this issue has already been conducted.

Graphology: From Handwriting to Font-Face

Graphology, the study of handwriting and how it reveals a writer’s psychological inklings, has found a new point of interest in the many different font-faces available today. Apparently, some font types have a different persona than others.

The curves or loops of script font for instance, are may appeal more to the feminine psyche than the male while the straight and strong lines of font like Verdana could quite easily appeal to the masculine psyche. But aside from the age-old male-female delineation of how things are perceived, there are a number of other perspectives in the psychology behind fonts.

Making an Impact Through Form, Not Just Content

It’s becoming increasingly apparent in research how the form of the font used in print relays messages of its own aside from what the content of the text explicitly conveys. As such, some research into the possible inherent uses of font in rhetoric is underway. The greater number of already published studies though, focuses on the legibility, suitability, and persona of fonts.

Legibility

Obviously, the way a font is designed would influence its legibility. The impressions of stability and conformity in some font types have the edge over more radical font-faces when it comes to professional and academic materials and the like. This legibility factor is becoming increasingly important in today’s modern world where readers and audiences would prefer text that is easily read and scanned for specific important info.

Suitability

Some fonts are more legible, some aren’t. But beyond their legibility, their suitability where they will be used is another big factor. For instance, the respected and trustworthy Times New Roman is better suited to professional correspondence and corporate brochures, while the curves of Georgia is better suited for girls’ nights out invitations.

Personality

But perhaps more interesting is how particular fonts have corresponding personality traits which can be associated with them. Therefore, a letter sent to your boss will need to use font that is respectable and appealing, otherwise it won’t obtain your desired effect.

When you think about it, the font-faces we choose become our modern handwriting. When it comes to designing print material or even Web media, fonts have subtle and overt influences on our audiences, so we can’t simply pick one out offhandedly. In the second part of this blog post we’ll delve deeper into choosing fonts for specific print media.

We’ve touched slightly on the psychology and different perspectives on the influence of font-faces. Now we’ll look into the application of this research into print media and marketing. We would focus on the three perspectives mentioned in the previous post: legibility, suitability, and personality. We’ll also divide print media categories into single page media (or at least media with fewer pages), and multiple page media.

Single Page Print Media

Among the print materials that fall into this category are business cards, flyers, and leaflets. The reason we didn’t bunch them up together with multiple page media is because often print media with many pages would need to carry a motif or theme throughout many pages or folds, whereas single page material just presents the message in a single serving.

When it comes to single page media, legibility is not as much an issue. After all, there’s only so much space in one page or fold – whatever graphic elements included into it should not hinder the text. But the text itself should be able to stand alone and influence the audience in a preferred manner. For instance, a doctor’s business card should use very respectable and professional fonts (think Times New Roman, Bookman Antiqua, and the like). Allowing a bit of imagination, a professional landscaping artist’s card could feature Verdana font. Of course, the subliminal message in choosing Verdana might be lost to people who don’t know the significance of it. Suitability and personality tend to be restricted – there’s not much white space to fill, and most of it often used for graphic elements.

Multiple Page Print Media

Here’s where the factors of legibility, suitability, and personality take a more focal role. Brochures and pamphlets fall into the multiple page category, and as we all know, these print media communicate more data (and employ more sales pitches) than single page media. There are a few points to remember:

Legibility – Ensure the text is readable. Remember, your audience wants to know the bottom line fast – don’t confuse them with swirly text where they can mistake C’s for G’s. Just like in the Web, choose fonts that are readable and scanable in themselves without relying on layout techniques and desktop publishing technology.

Suitability – In a nutshell, fonts that are suitable to the media work well with the overall motif or theme. If there is no motif or theme (there should be), the text should at least work well with the colors, lines, and curves of the layout. It may be barely noticeable, but font-faces that clash with the layout can irk subliminal areas of your audience’s psyches. This means they need to overcome this quirk in perception before being able to digest the actual contents of your print media.

Personality – Last but not the least, the personality your choice of font conveys would be associated with the personality of your business. The problem with this factor is that it depends mainly on popular perception and general conventions on stereotypes and preconceived notions. To be safe, you might want to stick with font-faces that are generally accepted to have a certain personality that works well with your layout and message.

The depth and breadth of the nitty-gritty of the psychology of fonts is pretty confusing. Hopefully, we’ve tackled above the important points that would make a difference in your print media.

Whether your marketing efforts for Labor Day sales include postcards, sales letters, emails, or even a simple icon on your website, you are sure to find something from the following graphics. The list below includes icons, backgrounds, photos, and more that are perfect for giving your Labor Day marketing pieces the holiday feel they need for getting customers excited about your Labor Day sales. Keep in mind that some of the following need to be purchased for royalty-free rights.

http://www.bilerico.com/2007/09/labor_day_keeping_the_holiday_in_focus.php

http://thepresidiomotel.com/blog/?m=200808

http://www.fg-a.com/labordayclipart.shtml

http://kelpschd.deviantart.com/art/labor-day-at-it-s-best-96754363?q=boost%3Apopular%20labor%20day&qo=45

http://whitewinterzroze.deviantart.com/art/Labor-Day-97025208?q=boost%3Apopular%20labor%20day&qo=27

http://depositphotos.com/5437086/stock-photo-Businessman-Labor-Day-Sale.html

http://www.askabouthugo.com/all-about-design/free-happy-labor-day-design/

http://www.photopox.com/labor_day.php

http://www.vectorstock.com/royalty-free-vector/labor-day-vector-222251

http://www.dreamstime.com/labor-day-clip-art-illustrations-image14997368

http://www.illustrationsof.com/223782-royalty-free-labor-day-clipart-illustration

http://www.illustrationsof.com/223469-royalty-free-labor-day-clipart-illustration

http://www.clipartof.com/portfolio/pushkin/illustration/labor-workers-hand-holding-up-a-wrench-over-a-grungy-american-background-223466.html

http://www.freevectordownload.com/Free_Downloads.asp?id=48

http://free-download-vector.com/2010/04/illustration/firework-celebration-vector

http://mocii.com/free-vector-graphics/usa-flag-backgrounds-vector/

http://www.aivault.com/2009/07/02/exclusive-freebie4th-of-july-us-flag-background/

http://logos.co/design/royalty-free-vector-logo-of-an-american-flag-by-patrimonio-598

http://www.clipartof.com/portfolio/patrimonio/illustration/baseball-player-batting-over-an-american-flag-circle-1052655.html

http://depositphotos.com/5056572/stock-photo-People-with-box-with-the-inscription-labor-day..html

http://www.123rf.com/photo_7701834_america-labor-day-sale.html

http://www.123rf.com/photo_9945949_labor-day-sale-vector-flyer.html

http://www.123rf.com/photo_10214667_design-for-labor-day-with-worker–s-hand-holding-a-hammer.html

http://www.123rf.com/photo_7572938_labor-day-barbeque-background-with-place-for-your-text.html

Many projects require you to design for mulitple types of mediums: postcards, posters, websites, billboards. You can start with a MASSIVE Photoshop file or instead use Illustrator for your designs. Since typography is central to almost any design, Illustrator is the ideal tool if you are going to be using your design in multiple sizes.

Two type tools of interest when designing in Illustrator include the Area Type Tool and Masks (clipping or opacity). This article walks you through each of the options that make conforming type to your every desire possible.

Option #1 — Area Type Tool

The Area Type Tool allows you to type within the area of a path. For example, if you have a square you can simply type within this area and manipulate the square later and the text will dynamically update. For this article, we will use a star shape to show you how to make the most use of the tool’s features.

In Illustrator, open a new document and draw a shape of your choosing or use an existing project of your own.

Now, within the Type Toolbar, you can select the Area Type Tool. To enable the tool to work, you must select the area you want the text to adhere to by clicking along a path.

Now you can type within the area of your shape and the text will conform to it. But this probably isn’t enough. You may need to be able to manipulate how the type moves within the shape. Using Times New Roman and default settings, our star pattern looks like this:

To get the type to adjust more appropriately, open the Paragraph window (Windows -> Type -> Paragraph):

You can use various options like hyphenate and justify to get the text to fit the shape better.

For more detail work, double-click the Area Text Tool in the toolbar where you can tweak how closely the text adheres to the area paths. Make sure to check the Preview box so you can see your changes in real-time. Notice the red plus sign in the images above? This means that some of your text cannot fit inside of the area (the star in this example). Click on the plus sign to create a new container or enlarge your area (star).

Option 2 — Clipping Masks

Clipping masks are either on or off, meaning that you can either see what is being “masked” or you can’t. This is different than Opacity Masks (discussed later) which allow you to see what is being masked based upon how much opacity is applied.

We will start off with a block of dummy text for demonstration purposes.

Going back to the star shape, place a star in the middle of the text as shown:

Before applying the Clipping Mask, open your Layers window (Windows -> Layers) and make sure the two shapes on your Artboard are arranged so that your new star is immediately above the text block and in its own layer, like this:

With the entire layer selected (not just one of the shapes), at the bottom of the Layers window is the “Make/Release Clipping Mask” button. Press this to apply the clipping effect.

Your final result should look like this:

You can move the mask around by selecting the star shape layer (highlighted in the above example) and the text area is still fully editable allowing you to change the font, colors, etc.

Option 3 — Opacity Masks

If you want even more control of masks, reach for the Opacity Masks option in Illustrator. This gives you a great deal more ability to manipulate the effect, but it’s a bit tricky. There are other ways of doing this, but this process means you won’t miss anything important.

First, start with a block of dummy text.

In the Layers menu, select the layer. Now open the Transparency tool (Windows -> Transparency).

In the Transparency tool, click the fly-out menu and select Make Opacity Mask.

Now, in the Transparency tool, unlock the opacity mask by clicking the chain symbol.

Now, still in the Transparency tool, select the mask (the black shape next to the text layer) by clicking on it.

Using any tool you want, create a shape. We’ll stick with our favorite — the star, of course!

Wait! Nothing happened! No fear. With your shape you just drew selected, change the foreground color to a shade of gray.

Now that you understand the tool a bit better, click the Gradient Tool and apply the following using the Windows -> Gradient toolbar:

To move the entire set of layers around, simply click the layer in the Transparency window. To only move the mask, click the mask in the Transparency window. The only downside to this approach is that to edit the underlying text layer, you must first release the opacity mask, so you may want to make sure you have your text perfect before playing around with an opacity mask.

Illustrator has some very awesome text features, of which masks and area type are only a few. However, with these two tools under your belt, you have lots of cool text effects at your fingertips and now have a good basis for moving on to more difficult tools. What kind of effects have you been able to come up with these three tools for creating dramatic type in Illustrator?

There’s still time to get your Christmas greeting cards designed and printed! The key to quick, quality designs is to start with the right resources. Once you have quality stock images and fonts, you can quickly put the finishing touches on the design and send it to the presses.

Stock images are necessary for the background of the front of your greeting cards. Some people design with a solid color or a very simple gradient background, but these are not quite as engaging visually. For businesses looking to get some last minute marketing in for the holidays, simple designs probably won’t have the response rate you hope for because the greeting cards go unnoticed. So look for graphics that are exciting!

Fonts are another way to get attention, but require restraint. An exciting script font is great for the centerpiece of your design, but put any other messages in a simple font that is easy to read. Try to avoid any more than 2-3 fonts on your design as too many fonts can be confusing and distracting.

Check out these resources for stock images and fonts. Let us know how you used these resources to come up with your designs!

Stock Images

Whether you need actual photos or just an abstract background to set the tone, these collections have everything you need to get going.

35 Abstract Backgrounds (PNG, JPG)

Here’s a collection of 35 Christmas backgrounds that you can use ranging from snowflakes to snowmen to Santa.

10 Christmas Backgrounds (PNG)

This is a set of 10 designs in different colors. Combine them or use a single image as your background. The large file size makes them perfect for printing.

Retro Christmas Backgrounds (EPS – Vector)

Need some vector Christmas backgrounds? This set of 34 vectors runs the gamut of vector designs and are easy to use. Since they’re vector designs, you can make them fit any size of greeting cards you need.

Stock.xchng

With thousansd of stock photos free for use, Stock.xchng is one of the most popular stock image sites on the Internet. A quick search for “christmas” produced around 1,000 high resolution photos.

DeviantArt

If you’re looking for designs on the edgier side of things, check out Deviant Art. Over 320,000 images are available in their Christmas photography section, but you should check to be sure the artist allows for personal or professional use without permission. Not all Deviant Art designs are safe for work.

Fonts

This collection of fonts focuses on script or handwriting fonts to give your designs an exciting, seasonal flair.

Google Webfonts

Looking to match up your greeting cards with an email campaign design? Google Webfonts are the perfect choice. You can design your printed cards using these fonts and apply them using CSS to any online-based designs.

DaFont

One of the more popular websites for all things typography is DaFont and they don’t disappoint with more than 80 fonts just in their Christmas category. Don’t find what you need? Do a search for curly and handwriting fonts to find more.

1001 Fonts

1001 Fonts has a nice collection of handwritten, calligraphic, and celtic fonts that are free for personal or commercial use.

FFonts

The collection at FFonts is also a great place to start and they have a large collection of Wing Bat fonts that have Christmas shapes — great for adding holiday design elements to any design.

Font Squirrel

While not the largest collection, Font Squirrel has a number of excellent font families from which you can choose.

As a graphic designer, your most important asset is your imagination. Whenever you visualize and guide a concept into fruition, it is your imagination that is at work. It practically fuels your very being. To maintain and care for this valuable asset and keep your creative juice flowing, you may want to remember the following tips:

Always keep a pen and paper

You never know when the next big idea will hit you, so make sure to always have a pen and paper handy wherever you go. Doodling and random sketches based on spur of the moment ideas can help improve your skills as well as sharpen your creativity.

Don’t be afraid to make mistakes

Not that you should deliberately commit them. Opening yourself up to mistakes means you should not be afraid to take risks. Learn from any setbacks that come your way, whether in creating a layout for a commercial poster or conceptualizing any artwork. They can help inform your creative decisions.

Be inspired by other works

Consider checking out online design sites and galleries to learn and get useful insights. A little inspiration from other creative individuals can charge up your creative spark.

Surround yourself with inspiring people

Speaking of other creative individuals, you may want to hang out more with people who can help guide you into becoming a better designer or artist.

Stay positive

A positive attitude can certainly bring out the best in people. By having a generally optimistic outlook, you are allowing yourself to think creatively without any censure from your inner critic (everyone has them, don’t worry).

These days, almost anyone with a computer and Internet connection can create his or her own website. Web 2.0 has made everything simple and user-friendly. However, this was not always the case. There was a time when even a simple text-filled web page would require so much time, effort and complex coding.

Here is an infographic that gives you a look back on the journey that web design has taken (and continues to take) – from its humble beginnings up to the innovations it enjoys in the present day.

Infographic via Carrington College Graphic Design Program

Once in awhile an artist finds their calling quite by accident. Carlo Cruz has such a story. As a photographer, Carlo works by day in the fields of architecture but by night, Carlo photographs bboys.

For Carlo, the world of breaking is a sub-culture of passion, spontaneity and discipline where authenticity is vital. He often recounts stories from bboys trying to make this profession a viable source of living that only a few manage to succeed. Nevertheless, the tireless tales of effort driven by one cohesive passion somehow makes it all worthwhile.

Capturing bboys and bgirls in action is an art form of its own. The moves must be captured at the moment or at a quick freeze. Besides catching the moves as they happen, bboys are also very sensitive to the authenticity of the moment. The only way to capture a real bboy in action is to allow for spontaneity and a photographer must thrive in these moments. He believes that the essence of his “break” series is that they were captured leaving a stamp to each of his subject whether it was done in a fleeting moment or a signature freeze.

Carlo also uses Photoshop to help achieve his dramatic effects. Utilizing toning techniques, Carlo presents images that push the limits of reality and often blur into surreal animation-like scenes. The end results to an image reality that is catered to not only bboys but to all photography and art lovers as well, a result he hopes that help bridge the gap between this sub-culture and to an accepted art form – one image at a time. He admittedly use photoshop but only to enhance the image that was taken but not as far as to make composites.

Armed with a Canon SLR for the vast majority of his work, his lens of choices are Canon 16-35 F2.8,  Canon 70-200 MKII plus a 50 F1.2 for those shots in which he wants to achieve a shallow depth of field. A few strobes, pocket wizards, a light stand, gels, masking tape and plenty of batteries are some of the other “must-haves” he brings with him to every shoot.

Cruz has shot b-boys in various locations: throughout California, Atlanta, Detroit, Seattle, New York, Philadelphia, Colorado, Vegas and Dubai to name a few. In every case, he was amazed how people from all walks of life, creeds, religions, and races could come together for the love of dancing and in some ways sees it as an expression of life and freedom.

You can see the work of Carlo Cruz on his website http://www.carlocruz.net. He is based out of Long Beach, California where he is a freelance photographer and still actively working on his “BREAK” series. He has now accumulated over a hundred photos of Bboys/ bgirls and is still growing every day.

Managing a freelance design business involves many challenges. As a freelance designer, you need to be prepared to manage different projects as well as your finances and other important business matters on your own. Hiring assistants is a great idea – only if you have the budget for it and as a freelancer, this rarely happens.

Thankfully, there are many tools available for you that can make your life a whole lot easier. Such tools include:

• Remember the Milk – great web-based application that makes task management a pleasant experience. Users are allowed to create multiple task lists, which can be edited to accommodate any changes and requirements of a project.
• Collabtive – also a web-based project management software, which can help you handle collaborations on any number of projects and tasks with its file management and timetracking features along with role-based permission management. It also provides messaging and instant messaging features for easy communication.
• Invoicemachine – a great web tool that allows freelancers to manage, create and send professional-looking invoices without hassle. With this application, you can easily track which invoices have been sent and paid as well as those that are due by filtering according to period, client or status.
• Billings – another invoicing tool that makes the task easier to accomplish. It also iPhone users to create and send invoice even on the go.
• Skype – A VoIP app that allows users to have a professional number and place cheap calls both locally and internationally. Ideal for faster and real-time communication with clients and collaborators.

These are just some of the great tools that designers can use to keep up with the challenges of running a freelance business. Feel free to add your own prefences in the comments below.

A “Do-it-yourself” design concept is deceptive. For outsiders, a DIY project may seem so simple to create yet in reality, a lot of aesthetic consideration is involved behind every design. In producing interesting DIY things, skills and the insight to work with any available material are important. In this regard, French designer Pierre Lota is a DIY genius. He can create awesome design pieces from improvised materials and make it appear so simple as shown in this video of eight design projects done in less than a minute each.

A product of  prestigious art and design schools – École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs, Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Arts Appliqués et des Métiers d’Art and École Boulle – Pierre Lota is trained in the practice of creating new design concepts. One of his more prominent design projects includes light fixtures for Kaer & Splann, which make use of glass acrylic blades to “reflect the luminance of the LED and the materialization of light.”

Muralist Jason Hulfish knows how to make any child’s fantasy come alive. Fairies, dragons, sports, and underwater adventures are just some of the themes of his murals for children’s rooms. He designs the rooms by painting from floor to ceiling and even incorporating custom furniture like starfighter or pirate ship bed to complete the experience.

When not busy painting children’s rooms, he sometimes lends his talents to paint common areas of establishments such as the Brooks-DeBartolo Collegiate High in Tampa and the Ronald McDonald House at St. Petersburg’s All Children’s Hospital. His work has also been featured TV’s “Extreme Makeover Home Edition.”

Samuel Silva is not your regular artist. Aside from that fact that he is actually a lawyer, he is also a master of using a not-so-ordinary drawing tool – the ballpoint pen. While most of us use ballpoints for doodling, he uses them to create photorealistic drawings.

Redhead Girl – Ballpoint Pen

Tiger – Bic Ballpoint Pen

Silva is so good at his craft that you’d mistake his drawings for actual photos. Breathtaking and so lifelike, his incredible works are now starting to get people’s attention. Not bad for someone who does his art only as a hobby.

Cupid Kitten – Ballpoint Pen

Vixen – Ballpoint Pen

These drawings are 100% ballpoint pen creations. Each drawing would take between 5 and  50 hours to finish. According to Silva’s DeviantArt page, he has eight colored Bic ballpoint pens he got from both online shops and local office supply stores. (He used six of the pens plus a black one in drawing the Redhead Girl). For his technique, he explains that he simply crosshatches the ink colors in layers since they dry quickly and cannot be erased. This allows him to create the illusion of blending as well as the illusion of using other ink colors that he doesn’t have.

Who would have thought that ordinary ballpoint pens are capable of producing such amazing drawings. But as Samuel Silva said in his DeviantArt page, “It’s not about what you use, it’s about how you use it.”

Miles “Mac” MacGregor began acrylic painting and  doing graffiti in the mid ’90s. His main focus is the life-like rendering of human faces and figures. He has since developed his own unique style of rendering – utilizing repeating contour lines that look like ripples and evocative of Turing patterns and indigenous North American art.

No Doubt is an American rock band from Anaheim, California. Formed in 1986, the band achieved mainstream commercial success following the release of Tragic Kingdom in 1995. Push and Shove, their sixth studio album, is set to be released this month.  EL MAC expertly lent his hand in the creation of the album cover.

The artist did four wood panel acyrlic painting of each band member from photo references. Each panel makes up the entire cover.

According to Mac, he locked himself in his studio for about six weeks to work on the wood panel portraits. The challenge in his technique is getting the lines to work both up close as harmonious abstract shapes  and from a distance,  forming realistic images.

From the final result, it is safe to say that he was successful in overcoming that challenge.

A light-based color mode, the RGB color scheme is the visible color spectrum that a computer monitor emits. As such, it is ideal for graphics meant for websites, desktop wallpapers and digital publications. RGB color is not intended for print media  as RGB-based images typically have a resolution of 72 pixels per inch (ppi) instead of 300, which the standard minimum for print. Enter RGB Colorspace Atlas.

RGB Colorspace Atlas is created by American artist Tauba Auerbach. It’s a set of massive 8 x 8 x 8-inch hard-back tomes that shows the RGB color scheme in a print medium.

A great way to visualize all the hues in existence, these wonderful books of colors were produced through digital offset printing. It is case bound with airbrushed cloth cover. The page edges are airbrushed as well.

Aurbach designed the binding with book artist Daniel E. Kelm, who bound the book at his studio,  Wide Awake Garage, with assistance from Leah Hughes.

There’s still time to get your Christmas greeting cards designed and printed! The key to quick, quality designs is to start with the right resources. Once you have quality stock images and fonts, you can quickly put the finishing touches on the design and send it to the presses.

Stock images are necessary for the background of the front of your greeting cards. Some people design with a solid color or a very simple gradient background, but these are not quite as engaging visually. For businesses looking to get some last minute marketing in for the holidays, simple designs probably won’t have the response rate you hope for because the greeting cards go unnoticed. So look for graphics that are exciting!

Fonts are another way to get attention, but require restraint. An exciting script font is great for the centerpiece of your design, but put any other messages in a simple font that is easy to read. Try to avoid any more than 2-3 fonts on your design as too many fonts can be confusing and distracting.

Check out these resources for stock images and fonts. Let us know how you used these resources to come up with your designs!

Stock Images

Whether you need actual photos or just an abstract background to set the tone, these collections have everything you need to get going.

35 Abstract Backgrounds (PNG, JPG)

Here’s a collection of 35 Christmas backgrounds that you can use ranging from snowflakes to snowmen to Santa.

10 Christmas Backgrounds (PNG)

This is a set of 10 designs in different colors. Combine them or use a single image as your background. The large file size makes them perfect for printing.

Retro Christmas Backgrounds (EPS – Vector)

Need some vector Christmas backgrounds? This set of 34 vectors runs the gamut of vector designs and are easy to use. Since they’re vector designs, you can make them fit any size of greeting cards you need.

Stock.xchng

With thousansd of stock photos free for use, Stock.xchng is one of the most popular stock image sites on the Internet. A quick search for “christmas” produced around 1,000 high resolution photos.

DeviantArt

If you’re looking for designs on the edgier side of things, check out Deviant Art. Over 320,000 images are available in their Christmas photography section, but you should check to be sure the artist allows for personal or professional use without permission. Not all Deviant Art designs are safe for work.

Fonts

This collection of fonts focuses on script or handwriting fonts to give your designs an exciting, seasonal flair.

Google Webfonts

Looking to match up your greeting cards with an email campaign design? Google Webfonts are the perfect choice. You can design your printed cards using these fonts and apply them using CSS to any online-based designs.

DaFont

One of the more popular websites for all things typography is DaFont and they don’t disappoint with more than 80 fonts just in their Christmas category. Don’t find what you need? Do a search for curly and handwriting fonts to find more.

1001 Fonts

1001 Fonts has a nice collection of handwritten, calligraphic, and celtic fonts that are free for personal or commercial use.

FFonts

The collection at FFonts is also a great place to start and they have a large collection of Wing Bat fonts that have Christmas shapes — great for adding holiday design elements to any design.

Font Squirrel

While not the largest collection, Font Squirrel has a number of excellent font families from which you can choose.

One of the single most powerful tools in Photoshop is the Clone Stamp Tool. With this feature you can work magic on photos that need to be touched up or have items removed. In the photo below, the woman has a small mole on her face that needs to be cleaned up. The two versions below show the power of the Clone Stamp Tool when used properly.

1. Open an image you want to touch up or use the one above by going to File -> Open.

2. It is always a good idea to copy a layer just in case you want to start over or do not want to replace an original. Right-click on the layer in your Layers window and select “Duplicate Layer” to create a copy.

3. On your new layer (likely called “Layer 1 Copy”), select you Zoom tool or press Z. Drag the mouse over the region you will be working on. In our case, we will zoom in on the mole we will be removing.

4. Now, select your Clone Stamp Tool and observe the features along the top toolbar that you can use to control the attributes of the Clone Stamp Tool.

5. Adjust the Brush settings to have a master diameter of 45 px, hardness of 0%. You can also click on the setting in the options in the drop-down menu.

6. With your mouse on the image you are editing, press the Alt key and notice how the mouse pointer changes to a crosshair. Put crosshair over a section of the picture that does not have a blemish or does not have the element you want to remove and left-click.

7. Hover your mouse over the mole we are removing and center the Clone Stamp Tool as best you can.

8. Left click and watch the magic happen!

9. Zoom out by typing 100 in the bottom left corner of the window.

There you have it! You could do this with much greater care by keeping the brush smaller and taking parts of the blemish out a little bit at a time.

This should get you started with the Clone Stamp Tool. You can play around with the pressure of the clone tool to take out eyebags, imperfections and even dirt that may have been from your camera lens. Have fun and don’t be afraid to try new things with the tool as you can always Step Backwards with Ctrl + Alt + Z.

We truly apologize for the absence of images on most of the posts on the site. We are doing our best to get all images back up and running. Thank you for understanding.

Brochures are an excellent marketing media for informing clients of products, services, or company, but they can only do their job when clients are intrigued enough to open the cover. Most designers know the vital importance of capturing attention with a smashing design on the cover and stunning graphics and layout throughout the rest of the panels. However, the designers of the following 16 brochures took the idea of grabbing attention to an extreme, and definitely succeeded in creating brochures that no one could resist reading.

Eye Catching Illustration Work and Concept by Astrid Ortiz

Eye Catching Pattern by Astrid Ortiz

Torn Edge Effect by Paul Robson

Accordion Fold Brochure by Apeloig

Nick Cave Brochure Designed by Allison Wilton

MSC Brochure by Sherif Shaaban

Relogistics Brochure by sandeep-m

Adidas Brochure by Tangbao

Standout Color and Graphics by cmattic

Brochure Sample Design by DeadMems

Unusual text arrangement by Add146

Citroen 2CV Brochure by themarcinko

Graphics Brochure by ghostpartayy

Typography Brochure by hellogoodbye-155

Rock Formation Hard Brochure

This article is sponsored by PrintPlace.com. For all your brochure printing needs, visit PrintPlace.com.

Companies are scurrying to merge their print and online media to become a unified and effective tool for reaching out to their audience. But a constantly evolving landscape of Web design is making it a challenge to come up with effective Web media, and doubly difficult to come up with matching print media. It’s high time to remind people of effective principal print design elements that remain unfazed and apply to Web design with great effect: strong information hierarchy, effective typography, and applied color theory and graphic use.

Strong Information Hierarchy

All printed material have messages to convey. Even the most visually appealing poster with almost no text on it has something to say. The best way to say that something is through an essential concept in news reporting: the inverted pyramid.

Inverted pyramid writing paradigm used in news reporting. A hierarchy of information is strictly followed.

The inverted pyramid basically states that the most prominent data should be presented first, and supporting info and other details should follow suit. So the order is:

• Most important info,
• Important info,
• Less important info,
• Other stuff.

The inverted pyramid is a sound hierarchical paradigm. Your audience needs a dose of your main point as soon as they look at your print design. They are free to stop reading or completely disregard the following details, so as long as you’ve already made the main point, you’ve pretty much sent the message across.

Effective Typography

Typography design is almost a separate approach to print design altogether. The typography we’re talking about here is basically the typesetting and the layout of your printed material. To effectively relay your message to your audience, you need a layout that throws into prominence details of your design that need attention, and no distracting elements should disrupt the relaying of the message.

Good typography appreciates the importance of readability, especially for today’s modern readers that have very little time or patience to read everything in line after line of text. The typography of your print should be aligned with your design motif or scheme.

Applied Color Theory and Graphic Use

Colors, when used effectively, can elicit a huge reaction from a reader. Red evokes passionate emotions while blue may cause feelings of serenity and calm. A disturbing image can keep people up at nights – a morbid example, but it exemplifies the power of imagery.

The color wheel is a graphical representation of color balance and effect. Color theory stems from understanding the relationships between colors, and between colors and human interest.

The color scheme of your print design is thus important in both explicit and subliminal levels, while the imagery you use can impact your audience favorably if used appropriately. There is also a rising trend of using infographics to convey in seconds through images and short details what essays would take minutes to say.

Next time you run into a creative wall keeping your imaginative juices from flowing, remember that established principles like info hierarchy, typography, and color theory can bail you out.

Article sponsored by PrintPlace.com, an online printer for brochure printing and catalog printing services.