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One of the most common requests from clients is “we want something clean and professional.” It’s an understandable request, because all businesses want to portray themselves as a professional entity. After all, graphic design is all communication.

But sometimes being “clean and professional” comes out boring. Fear of misinterpretation by their customer base drives the need to be the norm, to not take risks. What results are a lot of companies that look the same, that have the same brand message of we’re safe, we’re normal, we’re the average. What I have learned in being a graphic designer is how much passion people have for their businesses. They want to stand out, they want to be different, but they hold back. Continue reading

In my FAQ section, I say that web sites are different, like cars, so they are not priced the same. That’s not to say that a smaller web site is going to cost the same as a cheap car, or a large, sophisticated site will set you back a few hundred thousand bucks. Some web sites are very small, just a few pages, with very simple functionality, while other sites are larger, with fancy dash clocks, more horsepower, and flappy panel gearboxes. That being said, there is a price range. Continue reading

Ever see a brochure, business card, or web site with a lot of boxes? Maybe they have rounded corners, maybe they don’t. How did it look to you? Did it feel a bit crowded?

Boxes aren’t necessarily a bad thing. When done correctly, they help to call attention to elements, contain information that is different from the rest, and help to organize. A good example of boxes gone right is the Apple web site. Everything is well organized, proportioned, and clean. The rounded boxes create order and hierarchy, making it one of the better web sites out there. And I’m not just saying that because I love Apple products (though I really, really do). Continue reading

No decision is arbitrary. When it comes to design, there’s a reason for it, and if one can’t explain why an element is there, then it shouldn’t be. Recently I have been designing a billboard for a group in Texas. I have been working remotely with the group, and everything has been done over email. After sending my concepts for the project, I received a list of changes, with an attached jpeg of my altered design. But rather than make the changes requested, I replied with a courteous email explaining why I had made the original design they way I had made it, defending my work. Continue reading

You think you need a graphic designer to work on your project. If you agree to one or more of the following, you should probably hire another designer.

1. You just want mediocre. Right now you need something to get by, something quick and thrown together. You’re not looking for a great design, just a so-so design. I don’t do so-so, I don’t like boring. So if you want average, please hire someone else. Continue reading

“You should never judge a book by its cover.”

Why? Because it’s what’s on the inside that counts. We all know that’s true, but the reason we’re told never to judge on appearances is because we do. All the time. Can’t help it.

Tell Angelina Jolie or Hugh Jackman that looks don’t matter.

It’s not a bad thing, we just use our eyes and trust our first impressions. We like things to be pretty, or edgy, cool, whatever mood we’re in, we like something that looks good. Continue reading

Why do some firms still use old methods for web site design?

Most people do not know about XHTML, CSS, JavaScript, Flash, etc. They’re not aware of what is better for searching, what a title tag is, or how to submit a site to Yahoo! and Google. That’s why they hire a web designer, so they don’t have to know about those things. They want to hand over the project to an expert.

CSS is awesome. It has been around for a few years now and has opened up the web design doors and allows creativity and flexibility to pour in. CSS is powerful, takes up much less space, and is the latest and greatest method to style a web site. Like all technology, it evolves and changes to serve everyone better.

But some firms still build sites using tables, which is an archaic method. To use a medical analogy, constructing a web site with tables is like curing an infection by bleeding the patient. CSS is like prescribing antibiotics. It’s that different.

A design firm in my area still insists on designing with tables. My guess is they take advantage of the fact that most lay people don’t know the difference between a CSS site and a Table site. They just roll over links, click, and go to a new page. The problem is, web design is all about what’s new, what works best, and what works fast.

Table design is slow, cumbersome, and all sites look remarkably similar. It’s especially difficult for search engine robots to crawl through and pull out keywords. Because images are nested in several columns and rows, with text buried inside with them.

If a design firm advertises web design as a service it offers, it should be current on development methods. If you are considering having your site redesigned, make sure it’s with a designer who is on top of the best ways to construct a web site. Ask how they build the site. If they use a “tried and true way that’s been around for years because it works” run away. If they answer “We build with HTML 5, or XHTML and CSS” you have a winner.

If a designer is unwilling to move ahead with new development skills, where else are they lagging behind?