Web Design Ledger | The Blog Pros

May 30, 2019

40 Of the best Free vintage Fonts picked by professional designers

In the past few articles on Web Design Ledger, we tried to bring into your attention some of the most important categories of fonts:

modern, classic, and retro. Today we will continue with another important category: Vintage Fonts. Designers say that, in order for a fashion product, be it clothing, font, or a decorative piece, to become “vintage” they need at least 40-years-period from the time they were released. Based on that definition, we could consider anything older than 40 as being vintage, or new products that have the vintage vibe, well, not vintage. So in order to make peace with everybody, the fonts our professional designers have chosen for this article, are exclusively based on their looks, not on the time they were created.

What particularities do vintage fonts have? you might be wondering. Well, as dictionaries tell us, vintage means “something from the past of high quality, especially something representing the best of its kind.” My question then is: are vintage fonts the best? They may very well be for some. Usually, vintage fonts stand out because of their complex details, exquisite calligraphy, and versatile looks.

Keeping these details in mind, we’ve put together a list of some of our favorite vintage fonts, both free and premium, so you can stay stocked up.

1. Vintage Party – Bold Retro Script

Vintage Party font screams fun. Use this font in any project that is meant to bring people joy.

2. Berringer – Vintage Type Family

Berringer is a beautiful vintage font for when a sans serif is a must.

3. Stamp & Co – Vintage Stamp Font

Nothing gives a project the vintage look better than a stamp vintage font.

4. Bignord – Vintage Typeface

Bignord is a classic vintage featuring amazing and detailed serifs.

5. Vintage Modern Typeface

If you’ve ever wondered what a vintage font with modern features would look like, here you have it.

6. Hemera II – Vintage Decorative Font

This elegant vintage typeface will make any packaging shine.

7. Sarcastic Typeface + Extras

Can fonts inspire attitudes? Sarcastic can answer that question the best.

8. Rust & Nails Vintage Farmhouse Slab

Rust & Nailsis a rustic and charming font inspired by vintage farmers markets and mid-century modern farmhouse signage.

9. Grit & Caliber – Vintage Bundle

Caliber is inspired by the Whiskey Labels, and for other lables that need the vintage look.

10. Hasthon – Vintage Font

Hasthon features polished letters, very suitable for label and logo designs.

11. Arber Vintage font

Arber gives your projects a wintery and cinematic look.

12. Chivels – Chiseled Vintage 3D Type

This 3D font would make a great ornament on any packaging designs.

13. Prequel – The vintage Sequel

Prequel’s stony texture will help your poster catch the attention of all pass-byers.

14. Cache – Vintage Font Family

Its authentic vintage look and feel will give you that exact look you’ve been aiming for.

15. Ranch vintage font & illustrations

This layered font reminds me of quality bakery products, quality being the words you should be looking for when designing.

16. Royaland Vintage Font

The Royaland Font is a monoline font which has two styles, Clean and Rough (stamped). Featureing these styles, The Royaland Font will give your projects a more vintage look.

17. OldBarrel Vintage Typeface

Old Barrel is made in a strong and dynamic label style. The font is perfect for any labels designed for whiskey, rum or brandy.

18. Etherion – Vintage Display

“Etherion” is a font display made by hand and inspired by classic posters.

19. Gold Queen Vintage Font

Remember the saying “Oldie, but Goldie?” Gold Queen is this saying’s illustration.

20. Cairlinn | Vintage Font

Clairlinn was inspired by the old letters that are used in classic advertisements.

21. Grand Baron – A Vintage Typeface

GRANDBARON takes my imagination to Transylvania, in Dracula’s Castle.

22. The Crow – Vintage Style Font

The Crow is an elegant, cinematic, and detailed font, perfect for fantasy-book covers.

23. Aesthetic – vintage typeface

At first glance, Aesthetic has a pixeled look. Use that to your advantage in an original design.

24. Service Station Vintage Market Font

The Farmers Market font is inspired by the classic styles of vintage signage, retro gas stations, and old repair shops.

25. Fisherman – Vintage Ocean Font

Fisherman Fonts is perfect for branding projects, logos, wedding designs, social media posts, product packaging, product designs, labels, photography, watermarks, invitations, stationery and any project that needs an ocean and beach feel.

26. Old Pines Vintage Type

Go Explore is an invitation to adventure. Go Explore, Go Design.

27. Blacktail – Vintage Font

This font presents a vintage and layered style that contains four detailed layers.

28. Striped King Vintage Script

Striped Kind is the script typeface you need in your tool kit, due to its versatile looks.

29. Wolf Gang – Vintage Typeface

WOLF GANG was created with the concept of the wild in the designer’s mind, by adding pictorial elements such as wolves and other wildlife.

30. Vallely | Vintage Font

Vallely is a classic art-deco-ish serif inspired by the old typography/letterings used in packaging labels and advertisements

31. Java Heritages + Extras (UPDATE)

Java Heritages Typeface is a multi-layered typeface family with OpenType features, inspired by the vintage signage that has unique decorative shapes.

32. Vintage Font – Harvels

This amazing font comes in different weights so that you can customize it to your preferences.

33. Dallas | A Vintage Sans

This beautiful all caps vintage sans serif is so versatile and looks great in just about any context.

34. Greatest – A Vintage Font

Greatest will remind the readers of gardens and forests instantly. It looks like the perfect look for a fantasy book cover.

35. Vintage Wood Type Classics

The Vintage Wood Type Classics set contains the Applewood, Bootstrap and Buckboard families, all worth including to your projects.

36. Hesland – Vintage Font Duo

Hesland Vintage Font Duo was inspired by the vintage old American labels and has two styles: Clean and Stamped.

37. Fright Night! A vintage horror font

The Horror! The Horror! will be the first thing that comes to your clients’ minds when they’ll see this font. But that’s a good thing.

38. Forester Vintage Sans Serif

Forester Vintage makes a perfect font for branding, logos, magazines, films, websites, headlines, titles, captions, games, apps, posters, t-shirts and more.

39. Vintage Whiskey Typeface

Whiskey can give your project an eye-turning effect. And it’s suited for more than just Whiskey labels.

40. RR Antique / Vintage branding font

Designed for branding, stamps, tags or logos, it comes in a regular, denim textured version with rough edges.

All the fonts mentioned above belong to designers who have chosen to market their work on Creative Market. Let’s help the world’s community of designers by purchasing their amazing fonts and sharing this article. Until later,

WDL

May 27, 2019

40 Of the Best Free Retro Fonts Picked by Professional Designers

The variety of fonts available online at the moment includes Retro Fonts. From vintage to modern, from fancy to minimalist, we try to include all styles in our blog posts here at Web Design Ledger. But for today’s article, we have the pleasure of mentioning some of the coolest retro fonts you can find online, both free and paid. Why did we choose the retro font as the star of our article today? Because they have the ability to take us back in time, in an era we have never lived, but now we are able to, through design.

Of course, some of the fonts we are about to mention below have been designed in the past two decades. Inspired by the depth that this trend can give to a graphics project, font artists haven’t stopped giving retro fonts the attention they deserve. Retro fonts are characterized by colorful details, bold letters, unique shapes, and other cool details we are about to discover throughout this article.

What does retro mean?

The word “RETRO” comes from Latin and it means backward. We need to look back in history into the font’s evolution to find these amazing creations. We will start off with the best retro fonts of the ’50s, ’60s, ’70s, ending with the ’80s.

So fasten your seatbelts, we are about to dive into this amazing trend that keeps being fashionable even 50, 60, 70 years later.

retro fonts ’50s

The retro fonts of 1950 have a cinematic look. When I take a look at any of the fonts below, images of old movies come to my mind. Many of the movies created in this period used this style of fonts for their posters. The fonts of the ’50s tend to be more dramatic due to their bold characteristics. Today, we can use the ’50s fonts in packaging that requires a vintage look, restaurant branding, business cards for different companies, and in any project you think it would do the magic.

1. Palm Canyon Drive

2. Stiff Staff Font

3. Windpeak Script Font

4. The Lunch Box Font Set

5. Lucy Script

6. Hamburger Heaven

7. TV Dinner Font Set

8. American Captain Font

9. Hardman Font

10. Cinqcent Font

retro fonts ’60s

The ’60s fonts will get your attention from the first sight. They might not be love at first sight, but it will be interest at first sight for sure. These retro fonts are often used on billboards even today. The retro fonts of the ’60s feature colorful details, another characteristic that makes it steal the show. These can be used in retro games, movie posters set in the ’60s, obviously, catchy packaging, book covers, and many others.

11. Haike

12. Swung Note

13. Sundowners

14. Ziclets

15. Bright Script

15. LHF Retro Ricky Doohickies

16. Roadside | Vintage Slab Serif

17. DRIVER • Retro action typeface

18. Hitchcut Display font

19. Superb

20. Sunbeat Family

retro fonts ’70s

The fonts of the ’70s are fresh, yet nostalgic, many created for throwback posters or with the sole purpose of helping achieve the look and feel of the era. Many of the ’70s fonts feature retro hand-lettering from the ’70s, added with a touch of pop style, giving them a unique and elegant look. The fonts listed below are best suited for apparel graphics, logos, posters, and fun times, as well as invitations, flyers, greeting cards, product packaging, book cover, printed quotes, cover album, movie, etc

21. Summer 0f 76 – Multi-Line Font

22. Boardley Script – Layered Font

23. Hornet – Retro Style Font

24. “No Worries”

25. Saturday Night Font Family

26. Donatello II new retro script

27. Retro Fonts – Bon Voyage!

29. Ride Slow – Motorcycle Font Bundle

30. Back to the 70s

retro fonts ’80s

The retro fonts of the ’80s begin to evolve into more detailed fonts. We can now observe shadows, neon shades, and tracing elements. The letters are bold, with a strong personality and new features. They are super dynamic, many featuring 3D effects. These amazing fonts are great for any summer projects, due to their bright and joyful looks.

31. Vintage Party – Bold Retro Script

32. Bondie Extrude Font Family

33. Berg layered font (7 Font)

34. NWB UltraViolent – Designer’s Cut

35. Boardson Type

36. Bayshore + New! Neon Glow Styles

37. Thunderstorm + Extras

38. 1980

39. Hermes

40. Default Typeface + 80s Style

We hope you enjoyed these fonts and that you will start adding them to your projects. They will give them a unique look that every designer looks for. We would appreciate if you let us know in the comment section below which is your favorite retro font, be it part of this list or not. Also, make sure you check out our articles about the best modern fonts and the best classic fonts. Until later,

WLD

May 24, 2019

40 Of the Best Classic Fonts Picked by Professional Designers

The professional designers that have chosen these next classic fonts have different opinions on what makes a font stay up to date, even decades after it was created. While some might not look classic to you, they all feature elements that are a trend today and will always be a trend. The font is the frame of any text, you see it and read it, but the font can distract you from the main idea if not chosen with care. This is where classic fonts come into play. Their purpose is to keep the reader’s focus where it should be: on the meaning of the text.

Classic Fonts, due to their simple aspect, are used more than any other categories of fonts. They are versatile and easy to incorporate into any project that is oriented towards offering information. This should not stop you from using them in other types of projects. They have the power to offer a logo, a business card, a packaging, a. o., an unforgettable look. Simple doesn’t mean mediocre, therefore, a simple font can and will always stand out in the crowd.

Our designers at Web Design Ledger have carefully gathered 40 of the Best Classic Fonts so that you can use this resource your own benefit. We have to mention that some of the fonts below are free classic fonts, and some are paid. Let’s get started.

CLASSIC SERIF FONTS

Each classic serif font features sleek lines, delicate serifs, and elegant details. Therefore, they are perfect if used as headers as they create a great visual effect. Such fonts are imposing, yet elegant, authoritative but not strident. Moreover, they have a gentle personality, not as strong as the script classic fonts, for instance. Here are some great ways you can use classic serif fonts: on magazine covers, newspaper headlines, disc packaging, urban companies logo, billboard texts, and others.

1. Manhattan | A High Class Serif

2. Butler

3. Lara – Sophisticated Serif Typeface

4. Forum

5. Giveny – Classy Serif Font

6. Brela

7. Antique – Luxury Serif Typeface

8. AC Big Serif

9. Joliet

10. Zorus Serif

CLASSIC SANS SERIF FONTS

The classic sans serif fonts look a little bit more technical than the romantic serif fonts, but still very versatile and unique. However, Sans Serif fonts do have a more modern aspect that will always be a trend. A sans serif font will never steal the attention from the text, but will remain neutral. Therefore, the reader will be given the opportunity to form a personal opinion. Here are some great ways you can use classic sans serif fonts: in books, instruction brochures, minimalist designs, packaging, official letters and documents, movie titles.

11. Rome | A Stunning Sans Serif

12. Helvetica

13. Denver | A Romantic Sans Serif

14. Avenir

15. Quick – An Elegant Sans Serif

16. Gill Sans

17. Chilead Font — Classic Sans Serif

18. AVANT GARDE

19. Sinclaire | A Classic Sans Serif

20. Univers

CLASSIC VINTAGE FONTS

Classic Vintage Fonts are a trend now more than ever. They give any project a natural touch, an old-school vibe, while still keeping the text stylish. Classic Vintage Fonts are associated with photography and many photographers seem to use them for their logos. Moreover, these fonts have a warm, homey voice, giving any graphics project a charming aspect. Here are some of the best ways you can use them: amazing in packing of any kind, logos and business cards for businesses that deal with people directly, fiction book covers, wedding invitations, and others.

21. Brooks – Classic font + Bonus

22. NATURE SPIRIT – FREE VINTAGE SANS SERIF FONT

23. Quincy CF: vintage serif font family

24. Bauru

25. Grit & Caliber – Vintage Bundle

26. Parker

27. Old Scotch Typeface – 7 Styles

28. ANSLEY DISPLAY

29. HURSTON TYPE

30. CAST IRON FONT

CLASSIC CURSIVE FONTS

Because most Classic Cursive Fonts are handwritten, they have the most humane looks. The cursive font will always be your ally when you want to transmit emotions, feelings, attitudes, states of being through text. Classic Cursive Fonts have the ability to empower words, therefore they feature a strong personality. While the range of projects you can use script font is rather narrow, there are plenty of options to choose from. You can use classic cursive fonts in the packaging of personal, even intimate products, intimate invitations, love letters, history-related projects, posters, stamps, tags for elegant clothing, and others.

31. The Stay Classy Font Duo

32. Bombshell Pro

33. Chairine a classic signature

34. Hipster Script Pro

35. Bodega Script

36. Jacques & Gilles

37. Sweet Little Things Script Font TRIO

38. Dom Loves Mary

39. The Huntsman Script & Sans Typeface

40. Thirsty Rough

All four categories of classic fonts that we mentioned above should feature in every designer’s tool kit. Consider then a one-time investment because they will stay classic forever.

We hope that you enjoyed the list above and that you found what you were looking for. We know that there are hundreds and thousands of cool classic fonts that we could’ve added to this list. But for now, we leave you with these hoping that you will visit our blog again soon.

May 21, 2019

40 Best Modern Fonts Picked by Professional Designers

Finding a modern font is not always an easy job. Simply googling “modern fonts” doesn’t mean you will be given a font that meets your expectations. Why? Because fonts, like fashion, go through a rotating process. That means that many times vintage fonts are seen as modern fonts, and recently created fonts will eventually lose their flair. There are some fonts, though, that seem to never die. Professional designers use them on a daily basis and that says a lot. Some of the modern fonts listed below are edgy, sleek, minimalist, and some are classy and versatile. They all have a strong personality, so pay close attention when choosing any of the following fonts for your projects.

We divided the fonts into two big categories: Serif Fonts and Sans Serif Fonts. Within these two categories, you will find two subcategories which are: clean fonts and script fonts. All fonts have been chosen by WDL’s professional designers. We hope that you will enjoy the list below just as much as we do.

40 Best Free Modern Fonts Picked by Professional Designers

Modern Serif Fonts

Clean Modern Fonts

1. Farewell Pro Space Editione

Although it’s not a totally clean font, we loved the originality every letter brings to the table. Perfect for any science-oriented company.

2. Stoked

Stoked is for enthusiast designers only. Such a versatile font can be used in many projects.

3. Decurion

Decurion has a sporty vibe. I think that I’ve seen the word “VIBE” written on a T-shirt using this font. Do you know what I mean?

4. Brassie

Brassie is an urban font, very versatile and with a great effect.

5. Vogue Font

One of the most notorious serif font out there, Vogue will always be a modern, fashionable font.

6. Classy Luxury

The font’s name says it all. Perfect on luxury jewelry packaging, but not only.

7. Ultimus

Ultimus is a complex and closely studied font that guarantees a great impact if used in the right project.

8. Calgary

Calgary is indeed an essential serif. The clean, thin font by Jen Wagner can be easily included in various projects.

9.Coldiac

Luxury can be expressed through simplicity the best. Coldiac may seem like a simple font, but the serif details give it a grandeur aspect.

10. Typewriter

Any typewriter font, be it thin or bold, is an essential part of any designer’s toolkit. Give your work an old-school touch with this amazing font.

Script Modern Fonts

11. Kaylar

Kaylar is a new font that is a little bit too precise to be a script font and a little bit too fancy to not be a script font. But we gotta admit, it can be a pretty sweet addition to any packaging.

12. Money Penny

This amazing font stands out in the crowd for two reasons: amazing calligraphy and such modern colors.

13. Rustic Gold

Many times, quality fonts feature amazing textures. Rustic Gold expresses a rich personality for this very reason.

14. Elise Dafisa

Elise Dafisa’s typography was always my goal when trying cursive handwriting. I have to admit, I still have a long way to come.

15. Hellen

Hellen sounds and looks like a goddess. It looks pretentious but used in the right project it will always be a head-turner.

16. The Herchey

Do you have an important and stylish announcement to make? Use The Herchey as your bold font.

17. Roseroot Cottage

Roseroot Cottage is the perfect darling cursive script that mimics imperfect hand-lettering.

18. Halosense

This new modern calligraphy with a more natural feel was handmade created with a small touch of digital design to make the letters flow like a river.

19. farmhouse

Farmhouse is a style itself that you can enrich using this amazing font.

Sans Serif Modern Fonts

Clean Modern Fonts

20. Cornerstone

Cornerstone features 90-degree corners that give the font a futuristic aspect.

21. Space Age

Another font in the futuristic area, full of personality and originality.

22. Parlour

Parlour is the vintage font that will always be a trend.

23. Komoda

Komoda can kill or bring to life a message. This pretentious font might be quite hard to read for some, so pay close attention to the projects you want to choose it for.

24. Pier

Pier is clean and bold, for clean and bold messages.

25. Nordic

The parallel lines of Nordic places the font in the top most modern fonts out there.

26. Coco Gothic

Can Gothic be simple? This font is more extremely complex for the very simpleness of it.

27. Modeka

Modeka can give any company an unforgettable look.

28. Coves

Coves Sans is a flexible modern font that stands out due to its minimalist looks.

29. Polya

Polya doesn’t need any description. It’s pretty self-explanatory that the font makes itself remarkable due to its original looks.

30. One Day

A free font for when uppercases only is demanded.

31. Munich

Munich has a strong urban look, yet it’s still very versatile.

32. Ailerons

For a second I was tempted to think “hmm, nice details”, but then I realized that the lack of details makes this font unique.

33. Azonix

Azonix is another minimalist font that stands out through its cleanliness.

Script Sans Serif Modern Fonts

34. Georgia

Georgia Script is a modern and feminine font, with every single letter being carefully crafted to make your text look gorgeous.

35. Portrait

‘Portrait’ is a handwritten signature script with a natural & stylish flow.

36. Mindline

Mindline Script is a unique blend of a modern calligraphy font with contemporary, classy, and sophisticated accents.

37. anter

Anter surprizes us in every way possible with its letters that vary in size even within a word.

38. Handwritten love notes

A classicall handwritten font all in caps that can give any project a very personal and intimate touch.

39. Sonneta

Sonneta Script is a modern, free-flowing hand-drawn font that gives the text a signature look.

40. Landslide

With this cute handwritten modern font, we close up our list of Best Modern Fonts Picked by Professional Designers. We’d love to hear which font draws your attention best and if we managed to help you choose a font for your project. We wish you tons of productive creativity,

WLD

May 16, 2019

How do you evaluate the quality of a project in graphics?

How do you understand when a graphics project is effective? When it’s nice or ugly? Should it be “cute”? Should it be “fashionable”? In short: how do you assess the quality of a project? In this article I really want to talk about this topic, and try to explain how you to really evaluate the quality of a project. In an objective way. Let’s jump right into it!

How do you evaluate the quality of a project in graphic design?

When evaluating the quality of a design project, the subjective aspects and personal tastes certainly play an important role. But it is important to ensure that the evaluation of a project does not depend solely on those two things. In fact, in graphic design, a project is created to communicate a message and get specific results. And those are objective aspects: they do not depend on your personal tastes.

The aesthetic aspect is an important factor, but by itself, it will not tell you if the design is effective or not. To know if your project is a winner, you need to consider the elements of good visual communication and judge the project with respect to them. Well, keeping these things in mind, here are some questions you should ask yourself when evaluating the quality of design.

How to assess the quality of a project: the 4 questions to be asked

1. Does your project achieve its goals?

Let’s start with the basics: what are the goals of the project you are working on? Understanding the objectives of a project is a fundamental step in any graphic design project. This should always be your first step. A good way to understand them is to do a good design brief. We can talk specifics on a design brief another time. For now, let’s keep this train rolling. But what does understanding goals mean?

If it is a logo, for example, that logo aims to represent and communicate a corporate identity. If it’s the landing page of a website, instead, maybe the goal is to convince users to click on the “Buy” button or sign up for a newsletter. And so on. Each graphic project has a specific objective. And if it doesn’t have one, it means it’s not graphic design, but art or decoration. Always check if the target has been achieved! The first step to verify the achievement of the objectives is to make sure that all the relevant information is present to communicate the message you want to communicate.

2. Is the message easy to understand?

Every designer project must help to communicate a certain message correctly. Does your project do it easily? How about immediately? Here are some practical tips for building an effective graphic layout, in which the message is transmitted immediately:

Use a focal point on the page. Such as a large text or a title. Something that catches the viewer’s attention. The important thing is that attention goes to an important and useful element to convey the message. Then choose the focal point carefully!

3. Is it aesthetically pleasing?

Design is made to solve problems through visual solutions. But if those solutions are pleasing to look at, as well as functional, you double the strength of what you communicate, right? Is your project pleasant? Looking good? This is probably the most subjective part of evaluating graphic design. What is appealing to one person might be horrible for another. Different minds, different opinions.

However, generally, already applying the principles of graphic design, one can obtain excellent results in terms of aesthetics. Doing something beautifully does not necessarily mean doing something extremely different from what it already is. Because the result of something deliberately “different” could be too extravagant in the end.

Paul Rand, one of the most important twentieth-century logo designers, said: “Don’t try to be different, try to be good.” Wiser words have perhaps never been spoken. So try to do something that works, even if maybe it’s not something radically different from everything you’ve seen before (which is practically impossible, actually).

Are the aesthetic style and the graphic elements used suitable for the target audience? Most of the time you’re not just planning for yourself, but you’re trying to create a design that appeals to a particular audience. A rainbow color palette is not suitable for a finance website because most customers are looking for a consultant who is reassuring, loyal and trustworthy. Therefore, a more moderate and sober tone may be more appropriate. On the contrary, research shows that children prefer bright colors, so it makes more sense to turn to bright and over the top colors when it comes to children.

4. Is your project original?

Not different in the sense that we have never seen anything like it before, but different in the sense of creativity. The meaning of “originality” depends on the type of design you are dealing with. If it is a logo, it is better to make sure it is as unique as possible, because it is necessary to be able to register the trademark and the trademark application will be rejected if you use a copy of a design. An example of difficulties that can arise from logos that are too similar: the ongoing cause between 3M and Formula 1. It is difficult to create a logo with a simple and distinctive design that does not resemble any other existing design because so many ideas have already been taken and registered as trademarks. If a designer creates a logo that looks similar to an existing design, it’s not necessarily because he copied it, but because there are some logo concepts that are really common and that can be achieved regardless of seeing those designs.

This is why it is necessary to research other designs in your market and avoid designs that are too generic. However, in reality, beyond the logo, the true differentiation of a company over another is in the management of the brand and the complete coordinated image. When instead we talk about simpler elements, like the business card, differentiating oneself is something not very sensible and useless.

Good design is useless if it communicates something wrong

Good design can do great things for a business, but it will not work miracles. It doesn’t matter how good your job as a designer is if the company communicates to the wrong audience. A good design will not be effective if the product is poor or the communication is inadequate, and in the same way, a bad sales performance is not always a consequence of the quality of the design.

There are many ways to measure the performance of a project in the real world, such as A / B tests for web pages, product focus groups, results in social media interactions or sales. However, not everyone can test a project before putting it on the market. In most cases, the customer will trust your judgment. So it is essential that you develop a critical sense of analysis of your work and your projects. Let’s not reinvent the wheel here, maybe just try another way to use it.

May 15, 2019

How to use grids in graphic design

Do you want to know the best way to set up any graphic design? How about one of the most useful concepts of all graphic design? In short, do you want to understand how to use graphic grids?

In this article, I want to discuss the topic of graphic grids in detail, through rules, useful examples and design resources that you can download and save on your computer. I will tell you how much of the grids are necessary for the construction of any graphic design, the aesthetic-usability effect and how to build a grid in a harmonious way.

Come on, let’s start that there is so much to talk about!

What are the graphic grids?

A grid, or cage, is essentially a subdivision of the workspace through vertical and horizontal lines aimed at organizing the spaces and defining the elements that will make up a project. Let’s think more specifically, and try to understand why the division and organization of a workspace in graphic design are so fundamental.

The composition of the grids is the basis of graphic design

Whether you work with the press or with the web, on the design of a logo or on the construction of a font, on packaging design or layout, understanding how to compose grids is something you need to consider essential among your skills as a designer. A grid is like an invisible glue that holds the project together and gives it coherence. For many designers, though, grids are an almost unknown thing, especially among the many self-teachers who, of course, were not taught about the theoretical aspect of design and therefore about grid theories.

The fact that a good organization of the project is so often overlooked is one of the reasons why around the streets and on the web we often see projects with bad balances or alignments. This article was born just to try to fill this “hole” in the training of many creatives. Without a starting grid, a project is born already messy.

Always start with a grid

Whatever your project, once thought and sketched (because making sketches is very important), you have to start realizing the final project starting from a grid.

Why? Well, try considering each of your projects as if it were a building. A building without its supporting structure collapses or at least is very unstable when that structure is poorly designed. In addition to being fundamental to creating a supporting structure for your layout, the cages are also extremely important for creating harmony between shapes and relationships. For example, the balance between the white spaces and the text or imagery in the middle of a web page. In fact, a good composition can lead to much more usable projects, as stated in the Aesthetic-Usability Effect theory.

The aesthetic-usability effect

There is a theory about design called the Aesthetic-Usability Effect. Essentially this theory states that when something is designed to be beautiful, consequently and naturally, then it will be something that will also be easily usable. It is a very important concept in all design: from graphics to interface design. A well-designed grid makes your design not only more beautiful but also more usable!

So how do you design something beautiful and easily useable? Ok, you have to start from a grid, but what kind of grid? Based on which principles and which theories? We’ll discuss this a little further below.

How to build a functional grid

I told you how a harmonious composition plays a crucial role in determining the success of a project. To construct a harmonious design project it is therefore necessary to construct a graphic grid that is also harmonic. Yes, but how do you construct a harmonious graphic grid?

One of the most effective ways to do this is to use mathematics (nothing complicated) and specific mathematical relationships to construct the structure of the grid itself. Here’s how it’s done:

Follow the paper format

The first method is to exploit the dimensional relationships of the support on which you are working. For example, if you are working on an international sheet of paper, such as the A4, it will have a ratio between the two sides of 1: 1.414 and you can then use this mathematical relationship to create the divisions given within the sheet itself.

Creating divisions in a stable relationship with each other inside the sheet will create an important visual harmony.

How to create a grid on A4 paper

Once you have built a grid, you absolutely must not limit your creativity. A grid serves to channel creativity towards your goal. Alas, grid construction is not a science with a set of rules to learn by heart. Many of the most effective grids in graphic design were born from experiments with mathematical relationships, with texts, photographs, and elements of the page or website. Sometimes even from random experiments!

You, as a graphic designer, do not have to invent new grids or new methods to build graphic elements, you can simply rely on mathematical conventions, such as those I mentioned in this article. You can even take visual inspiration from highly published magazines and from other websites. The important thing is this: the grids are a great help if they become the most difficult and expensive part of your job, maybe you are doing something wrong. Grids should decrease and not increase the time spent on your project.

Resources

Before concluding, I think it may be useful to have some useful resources for building grids. Let’s start with books, or rather with a book in particular because knowledge is power, isn’t it?

One of the most useful resources in graphic design is the book (in English and German) of one of the masters of Swiss design in the mid-1900s, Josef Muller-Brockmann entitled “Grid Systems in Graphic Design”. This really is a MUST for every graphic designer professional. A historical and precious piece for your library. The price is directly proportional to the quality, really.

Even if you get the smallest chance to read it, it’s very worth it. You could even try getting it at a library. Here are some easy online tools that will also help in your grid creating adventures:

Gridulator – create simple grids that can be quickly saved in .png

Grid Designer – very useful for web designers to design columns and export with .css files

Searching on Google for keywords such as “grid building tool” or “grid builder” can find an infinite number of free tools that do more or less the same simple things.

Conclusion

That’s it for today. I hope I have convinced you of the importance of building a good and balanced grid in all your graphics and design projects. I also hope that this has helped you find a few new resources for designing and creating the perfect grid.

This is just an introductory article on the grids in graphic design. In short, this is just the tip of the iceberg. There are many design theories and strategies out there that will help you perfect your grid related design technique, so always be on the lookout!

May 14, 2019

What is a Font? The Complete Guide for Typography Designers

What is a font? And how are fonts used? How can you create quality typographic projects, using the best characters? This article aims to be the answer to these and many other questions that many young designers ask themselves every day.

Today, with this guide, I want to try to create a complete introductory resource for all the main topics of the font world. In short, it is a super guide for designers to use fonts!

OK, let’s go!

What is a font? And what is a typeface? And a glyph?

Before figuring out how to use fonts, it’s good to know what a font is, the difference between a typeface, a glyph, and so on. Because yes, typeface and fonts don’t mean exactly the same thing. The characters are, in graphics, typography, and publishing, like bricks in architecture, atoms in physics or numbers in mathematics. In short, they are the basis of graphics matter.

A set of characters studied coherently and according to the same formal principles, forms a typeface, whose file is called a font. But let’s clarify these aspects better.

Fonts, typefaces, and glyphs

These characters are letters, punctuation marks or symbols. So, for example, the letter “A” is a character. This character can be composed of several glyphs, such as A, ä, ă or â, which will, therefore, be glyphs of the same character and of the same typeface. The set of all the characters and glyphs of the Latin alphabet designed according to the same visual coherence and meaning, takes the name, again, of a typeface.

And it is here that misunderstandings arise in many different languages. English is clearer: the character (understood as a letter) is a character, the glyph is a glyph and the coherent set of all this, the typeface, is a typeface.

The font, however, is the file

Font is another thing: font is the medium that allows you to apply a font. That is: while Garamond is a character (typeface), the garamond_semibold.otf file is a font (better: one of the fonts that make up the Garamond font family). To explain it we can make the comparison with music: if a typeface (character) is a song, the font is the .mp3 file that allows us to listen to it. It is, therefore, wrong to say “Listen to this chorus via this mp3!”, While it is much more correct to say “Listen to this song!”

We often use the word “font” instead of character, it is a common mistake of the digital age: to confuse the software (medium) with its purpose (end). It’s a bit like saying “but this is Photoshop” looking at a montage.

And it is a mistake that I myself made for years and in which I still make from time to time. So learn from my mistakes!

Why do you say “font”?

Many think that font is a term of English origin but in reality, its origin is French. It is, in fact, the English transposition of the term “source”, of medieval French. This word, which pronounced itself “font” (in French the end is truncated and not pronounced) originally meant “fused”. The Latin root of the word is the same as the Italian verb “folder”. The word font was then imported into England where it spread to all English-speaking countries and from there to the whole world over the last century.

What are the font variants and types of typefaces?

Let’s look at the terms that serve to identify the various files that make up a family of fonts and the types of main typefaces:

The variants of a font (weights, italics, etc.)

As mentioned, a font is a file and each file corresponds to a typeface in which all the glyphs that have been designed so that it works together, as a single body, and inserted. Generally, font files are grouped into font families, where there are variations of the original typeface.

Types of typographic characters

The typefaces are not all the same, indeed, they are very different! In graphic schools or universities, fonts are often said to be divided into two categories, the serif and the sans serif. These are two French terms that mean “with thanks” and “without thanks”. In reality there are several others, even within these two macro-categories.

Serif and Sans Serif

The substantial difference between these two categories of fonts is the use of the “graces”, or those small extensions at the ends of the rods, which derive from manual calligraphic writing.

How does a font work?

As I said before, a character, or a single letter in all its variants, is composed of various different glyphs. Glyphs, in turn, are composed of many different structural elements, which take different names:

How to use fonts

In a complete guide on typography in graphics, one cannot talk about how to use these fonts. How many times have you started searching for the font best suited to your project by scrolling the font drop-down for hours, searching through the hundreds of characters you downloaded or purchased?

To put it simply, the font should always compliment the context. Of course, there are many ways it can do that, so it’s not exactly a science. What it is, however, is a skill that can be adapted and fine-tuned with some practice.

How to use fonts: combine multiple fonts with each other

Choosing a font is a complicated process and requires careful analysis of your project. But knowing how to match fonts can be even more difficult. In reality, there are so many things to talk about in this wonderful and fascinating world. Because the type is really one of the most mysterious and profound aspects of graphic design.

There are lots of courses you can take in order to get this right. My advice would be to at least research and study as much as you can. Again, this is one of those things that can only be perfected through practice.

The conclusion

I hope you’ve learned something new today. Although this article aimed to cover a lot, there is still a lot to know.

Fonts have been around for quite a while, and won’t be going away ever. They are an essential part of graphic design, and design as a whole. My advice would be to get as comfortable with them as possible and to practice using a wide variety of them, combine them, and maybe even experimenting with your own.

May 13, 2019

Rediscover creativity: 3 ways to do it right

How do you find creativity in moments when it seems impossible to create something? How do you find inspiration to do something? This is a question that a designer asks over and over again. Especially in difficult periods of working or personal life. The first thing to do, when ideas are not coming, when creativity is not found, is to try to understand the reasons for the problem. Its causes. There can be multiple. But often the cause of lack of creativity is due to two or three key elements: stress, performance/result anxiety, lack of motivation.

So let’s try to understand why sometimes, ideas just don’t come up.

Why is creativity lost? Why don’t we get ideas anymore?

The human brain is a bit like a computer. As long as all the elements work, the whole system works. But, much like a computer, or any other complex machine, once one tiny thing is out of place, the whole system starts to fall apart. For those of us who use our creative abilities for a living, this most often manifests in the lack of ideas. It is not that the brain goes out. It’s simply that good ideas just don’t seem to surface.

Why does this happen? I’m neither a psychologist nor a guru of personal growth, motivation or anything like that. In this article, I write substantially what I and many others have experienced throughout our careers. Having said that, why do we lose creativity? Mainly due to “brakes” inside or outside our brains. By internal brakes I mean mental situations that we create ourselves, by external brakes I mean situations that involve us (unforeseen events, results not achieved, etc.). We, therefore, see the three causes that usually cause a decline in creativity. In total, there are 3 major reasons for all of our creative struggles. Let’s start off with the first reason:

First cause: stress

Too many things to do, too many emails to reply to, too many projects to prepare for. Spending, family, social life, work, the client, the meeting.

Stress.

From the dictionary: “every cause (physical, chemical, psychic, etc.) capable of exerting a harmful stimulus on the organism, with its prolonged action, causing its reaction”. And in your case, the reaction is the lack of ideas or creativity.

Second cause: performance or result anxiety

We’ve all been there. Hours and hours of studying put into one project that you have to present in front of your entire high school class. This is a concept applicable to any social and mental dynamic. This is, for example, a problem that I myself continually face in my working life and that has destroyed my creativity and motivation numerous times. I fight with it all the time.

I always want to create a phenomenal article, a logo design project that the customer is super satisfied with, or a web page design that gets people drooling over my creation. I always try to do my best and sometimes the anxiety of achieving the best possible result pulls me down. When this aspect is added to the other two, it becomes tragic for creativity.

Third cause: lack of motivation

Sometimes at this stage, people start to consider whether or not they’re in the right business. It starts to make them question whether they’re actually cut out for what they do, or if they just got lucky a few times. I’m here to tell you that a lack of motivation is not a result of any of those things. Many famous designers are incredibly talented. So talented, that they basically have projects spewing out of their ears.

Despite this, they sometimes lose their daily motivation. Do you know what helps me in these moments? Thinking back to my first ever big project, and considering how far I’ve come since. I can assure you will start to remember why you started designing in the first place. And sometimes, that’s all the motivation I need.

So now, these are the 3 main causes that hinder creativity and make ideas disappear. But how can creativity be reborn? Here are 3 practical actions that can be implemented today.

FIRST ACTION: Stop.

When we are so focused with our daily routine we often don’t realize what is holding us back. You don’t really collect your thoughts enough to stop and take a breather. That’s why, when you feel creativity and motivation drop, you have to stop. The duration depends on you and your situation. An hour, a day, two days (the so-called 72-hour break). Stop and let your brain breathe for a moment. In those moments, usually, I go for a run or I sometimes even watch a movie or read a good book. This time, which doesn’t have to be too much, will help you free your brain from anxiety and stress. This phase will also serve to recharge your creativity, which until then was harnessed by anxiety and stress.

SECOND ACTION: Get organized.

Once you have freed your brain from the burdens of daily routine, take some time to organize your next moves. Take a sheet and write down the things you have to do in the coming weeks. Write them all. Try to create a plan, a sort of roadmap to tackle all the most important things you have to do. The useful aspect of this phase is that this makes it possible to actually understand the order of priority in your tasks and projects. But that’s not all. It also creates a plan to deal with them and destroy the anxiety and stress that comes when you feel like you have to do a billion things at one time. It can be head-splitting.

If you are a person who hates making lists, organizing things, just trust me on this one. It is one of the most effective ways to clear your mind and free yourself from the burdens of everyday responsibilities.

The lack of creativity is often a simple lack of organization of one’s time. Poor organization of time becomes anxiety, stress, and demotivation. And these start to slowly limit your creativity.

Lack of creativity is often a lack of organization. Plan your work! Managing your time better is one of the most important aspects for a designer.

THIRD ACTION: Start doing it.

You have freed your mind, you have organized your tasks, now is the time to start doing. But… how? Simply start doing! If you don’t want to tackle that university project and don’t get any immediate ideas, just take a sheet and start brainstorming. If you can’t find the creativity for that logo design project, simply start working on it! If you don’t find the desire and creativity to write that article, simply open the text editor and start writing! Everything has a beginning, so you might as well and get that out of the way.

The conclusion

Despite your lack of creativity, you are more than likely a great designer. Just because you can’t think of the next big idea now, doesn’t mean it won’t come later. Great ideas take time, and great design takes even longer.

So, next time you find yourself in a rut, sad and on the verge of crying, maybe even questioning your life choices, just remember one thing: it happens to literally everyone. You are a designer not by chance, but by the reality of your skills. Use them, even if it takes a while to rediscover creativity.

May 7, 2019

How to Recognize a Quality Font

To understand when a typeface is of good quality and well designed, we must first understand that within type design, or font design, there are innumerable technical aspects to consider, which contribute to the final result of that font. We talk about things like the quantity of styles, typographical variations like bold, italic, black, thin, small caps. But also things like space management and therefore kerning, tracking and leading.

All the proportions between the various glyphs, between the vertical and horizontal rods. Or even the management of open type features of a font. These are all functional, technical and aesthetic aspects that help us understand how the quality font is… or isn’t. The knowledge necessary to build a complete and well-made font are many and are not limited to aesthetic or stylistic choices only.

Technical aspects to be analyzed

The best way to understand if a font is of quality or not is to verify if, within it, there are these technical and design features. A typeface, to be considered quality, obviously also needs to respond to certain aesthetic characteristics.

And here everything becomes a little more complex. Because if, on the one hand, the technical aspects are easily analyzed and identifiable, the aesthetic canons are more subjective, right? No. I will explain this to you shortly.

Now, let’s focus on some technical aspects that I personally use to check the quality of a font:

Glyphs must be well designed

The first thing to do is to observe and analyze the individual glyphs. There are some features that make a quality typeface, and there are some that make them quite the opposite. The thing to look at is how the various glyphs are consistent with each other in terms of style and design. Individual letters must communicate in the same way within each typeface.

To do this kind of analysis, there are some tricks that type designers have used for hundreds of years. For example, there are some groups of letters that are designed using the same compositional elements, such as h / n / m / r / u. As well as the b / d / p / q or uppercase letters like O / Q / C / G, which have similar structures and curves.

It is this set of elements that make up the supporting structure of a typeface. When you go to analyze the quality of a font, you need to look for that repetition of those shapes, of those curves, of that thickness of the rods. In this way, reading a text with a quality font, one perceives a sense of rhythm. There is nothing out of place.

Furthermore, one way to analyze the design coherence of the glyphs is to compare certain details and their components.

Graces must be visually consistent

In a quality serif font, for example, the graces must be visual all the same or at least coherent with each other. And the same goes for the punctuation, the eyelets, the thickness of the temples, the ends of the temples and, in short, all the details.

Diacritical marks must be well balanced between them

Other things I always look at are the accents and diacritics, especially those of glyphs not commonly used in English as circumflex accents. Even if these elements are well designed and balanced, following the same aesthetic principles and with attention to detail, it is often an excellent sign of quality.

The number of glyphs

Furthermore, the quantity of glyphs contained within a given typeface is also attentive. Having many glyphs is not a collector’s habit, but it is simply a tool that makes the font you use flexible since it makes it adaptable to all the various languages that use those specific glyphs or diacritics. For example, German uses the double S (or scharfes S ) ß, the Polish, the ogonek ę, again the French, the cedilla ç.

So, if you plan to write a long text, I suggest you choose a font that also contains these diacritical marks, because every now and then you will have to enter foreign words.

How to understand if a font is of quality

Now let’s take an example of everything we’ve said so far. Take the Helvetica Neue, Minion Pro and Melisande Sharp fonts. There is no doubt about the perfection of the first two, both designed with undoubted coherence. Writing a text in one of these two fonts, everything will appear in its place, coherent and linear.

Melisande Pro (downloaded for free), on the other hand, is not horrifying but appears to be of poor quality. Analyzing the first group of letters of the image, we can see that the h / n / m / u have the same basic forms. However, the r does not recall the form of n, as happens in the other two fonts.

Furthermore, m / n / r do not have optical corrections, which is very important when working with typography.

Another mistake can be seen in the accents, which are inconsistent with one another. This denotes a lack of attention to detail, which makes this font altogether of low quality.

1. Does it have different weights?

The fact that a character has many different weights does not mean that it is by force of quality, but it is a sign of design care, which is often a sign of care in other areas. Furthermore, having fonts with many weights is quite useful for one’s own projects, because it allows us to create contrast and visual hierarchy.

Generally, it goes from a minimum of 4 style and weight variations, namely roman and bold, and roman italic and bold italic. But it’s always better when there is more.

When you have to use the font only for a logo, or for a single title, it’s not essential, but to have more flexibility, I suggest you consider how many weight variations a font has.

2. Do you have any real text variations?

In particular, I refer to italic, oblique and small caps. Generally, a quality font, especially if it is to be used for a long text, needs true italics that is a variant of the font that has different glyphs, especially if it is a serif or pardoned. For example, in this case, the Minion Pro has true italics. If it does not have an italic type, it must have an oblique, as in the case of geometric or neo-grotesque sans-serif fonts such as Futura, Helvetica or Univers. They do not have a true italics but they still remain quality fonts if used in the right ways. The important thing is that they don’t have an oblique version which is simply a stretched version of the font in the regular version.

Another variation that I think is very important is the small caps. To understand if a font you already have has a TRUE small-case, just open a program like Illustrator or InDesign, set a few small caps and check the thickness of the rods compared to that of lower case. If they are the same, then it is a real small cap, if they aren’t, then it is not a real small caps.

3. Does it have good space management?

Managing spaces within a typeface is an art. Really. The real type designers keep their tricks to manage the various kerning pairs as something extremely precious. A quality font is one in which, when used, almost no changes are to be made in kerning and spacing (apart from cases where there are design needs to do so).

4. Do you use Open Type features?

The last aspect is that the font has open type functionality. Open Type is a font file format, developed in the late 1990s by Microsoft, which has become the main format when it comes to font files. This is because an open type font allows for many glyphs, many features, such as the use of ligatures, the use of different numbers (such as apex, as a subscript), which are all consistent with the rest of the font.

Conclusion

I really hope this article has been useful to you and that it has provided you with the necessary tools to be able to recognize a quality font for your next projects. Obviously yes, it is important to assess whether a font is of quality or not, but at some point the final question to ask before the fateful choice is: is this font suitable for the project in which it will be used?

Until later,

WDL

April 30, 2019

Does a logo need to work in black and white?

Designers who design logos over time have always known that a logo must work in black and white to be effective. If it doesn’t work in black and white, it doesn’t work one hundred percent. But is this really true?

This article aims to be a complete and exhaustive answer to the question: should a logo work in black and white to be a good logo? Short answer: no, not necessarily. But it depends on the logo, the context, and some other things. The long answer is, of course, is the rest of the article in which I will talk about when a logo may or may not need to work in black and white.

Let’s do this!

Does a logo need to work in black and white to be effective?

The main reason why the effectiveness of a black and white logo has always been considered fundamental in the design phase is simply because up until a few years ago the cost of printing many colors was excessive. Printing a colored logo on every envelope, on every label, letterhead or business card, involved excessive costs for any company. The logos were therefore preferably always printed in black and white, to save ink and therefore money.

A logo that didn’t work in black and white didn’t work in most of the applications that were made of that same logo!

The Apple Logo

The Apple logo in the 80s is a great example (and at the same time the exception) for this rule. The logo was the famous apple that we know today. Back then, it wasn’t colored in that smooth gunmetal, a techy color that we all know now, but a rainbow of colors.

Because of the cost of print, a lot of designers referred to the old logo as “the most expensive logo ever.” The reason they went with this logo was that they wanted to “show off” the wealth and high quality of their products. A color printed logo was rare and therefore conveyed the idea of refinement. In the last few years, however, design and logos have shifted from a paper platform to a digital playground. We no longer live in a world dominated by paper but by screens. This, together with the fact that the cost of color printing has been extremely reduced, has resulted in a gradual but important abandonment of that dogma of the logo in black and white. Along with this, another famous dogma of logo design has collapsed in recent years: that of avoiding nuances at all costs.

Logos such as those of the most recent (2016) Instagram rebranding are a prime example.

The Instagram logo

The new Instagram logo breaks all boundaries previously put up by the stigma that logos need to work in black and white. Aside from the personal taste factor, the logo works just as it is, color gradients and all. But why?

I’ll explain. The Instagram logo is shown in 99.99 percent of cases on a screen (almost always on a mobile phone) and is practically never printed. Does shade give problems inside a screen? No. Does it create bad effects as if printed in black and white? No. So, can the Instagram logo can be fine even if not reproducible in black and white? Absolutely yes!

However, this does not mean that a colored or shaded logo should also not have a monochrome variant, as we will see later in this article.

Is it a good idea to start with a black and white logo?

Advice that a lot of seasoned designers give is to start your logo by creating a process by designing it in black and white.

The fact that there is no longer a need for a logo to always work in black and white does not mean that designing it from that point is not useful for the designer.

Let’s try to reformulate this concept. The advice “always start a design in black and white” does not mean “the logo MUST work in black and white”. It is simply a piece of advice that helps to improve your design phase!

When will your logo need to work in black and white?

Although we now live in an age of super-performing digital screens, there are still numerous occasions and situations in which it is useful, if not necessary, to use a black and white logo.

Let’s look at some examples of when a logo is needed to work in a monochrome version.

When printing newspapers or books

The first case to consider is the classic one. Until a few years ago there was a need for logos to be printable in black and white, simply because everything was printed that way.

Even today, if you are dealing with a logo frequently printed in newspapers, magazines or books printed in black and white, you must design a logo that works well when used in such a case.

Black and white newspaper logo when making window stickers

This is another case at the limit. When printing on glass, perhaps with the technique that in English is called “Frosted vinyl”, you need a logo that works well if printed (usually) in white or at least in a monochrome variant.

When printing on receipts

When a logo needs to be printed often on receipts, it will inevitably have to work well in its black and white version to be readable and understandable.

Take for example a logo designed for a clothing store. That shop will certainly want to see its logo printed on every receipt of every pair of jeans or t-shirt sold, don’t you think?

When using the white (or colored) version on photo or video (watermark)

Another really important point to make is whether your logo will appear as a watermark for a video or photo. This point is very often overlooked, but it doesn’t mean it’s any less important.

If you have some bright and shiny logo glaring at people in the bottom of a video or photo, it can and most likely will draw everyone’s attention away from the original image.

That being said, having a black and white logo is unavoidable in this case.

How to make a black and white logo work

So, no, it’s not always necessary to have a black and white logo that works, but there are a few cases that it would be beneficial. So what strategies do you have to adapt to make a black and white logo work? Here are a few quick tips:

Start from the beginning with a black and white logo design

Like we talked about above, a lot of designers recommend doing this no matter what. But, if you know that you’ll need a black and white version of the logo, it’s best to start the designing process with that in mind.

Don’t go overboard with the logo

As much fun as it may seem like to have an awesome and elaborate logo, it doesn’t always work out well. The easiest thing to remember here is that the simpler the logo, the more likely it is to look good in black and white (of course, there are exceptions, so use caution).

Have multiple versions of one logo

This can sort of play along with the point above, but it’s a little more complex. Having multiple logos for a variety of uses is not a new practice by any means. In fact, a lot of big name brands like Nike and Adidas use a few different logos, depending on where they’re being used.

The conclusion

As a designer, you may have heard the old piece of advice to start with a black and white design. While it is a good tactic to keep in mind, it’s not always necessary -, especially in this day and age.

As with any good piece of advice, the best thing anyone can tell you, in this case, is to plan ahead. While not all logos need to be used in black and white, some of them do. Knowing this beforehand can save you hours of work, and a headache.

April 25, 2019

8 Things Every Designer Needs

Every profession, be it a designer, an architect or a cook, has its own set of necessary tools. But what are the most important tools for a graphic designer? What does a graphic designer use to do their job well? I know very well that, if you are reading this article, you are most likely already a graphic designer and you already know the essential tools and things with which you work in this profession. Those tools will be the focus of this article. Whether they’re obvious or not, they’re worth talking about. These are the 8 things every designer needs:

1. A computer (duh)

The first point is pretty obvious, isn’t it? Every graphic designer of this century spends almost more time in front of a screen than sleeping. The computer is a crucial element of work as a creative person, as it is for anyone who works in the industry of the creative world.

But with the computer, the right programs are needed. As a graphic designer, you will probably end up using more online tools than you can count. We won’t really mention online tools in this list other than this mention, but it’s important to note why you computer is so important.

2. A smartphone

Smartphones are a busy person’s answer to pretty much everything. Smartphones are great for reading and sending messages, emails, or taking important phone calls.

A smartphone, however, also has a very important function for us designers: the camera! Yep, that tiny little lense that you use to upload your dog to Instagram can also be used in your graphic design adventures. You can use it in many ways such as photographing something like a poster, a texture or anything else that inspires us, then creating a note on Evernote and quietly reviewing it at home.

One of the best uses I make of it in the workplace is to photograph a drawing or a sketch I just made. When I have to vectorize on Illustrator, I then pass it on the computer via DropBox or AirDroid. This technique incredibly speeds up my manufacturing process! In a matter of seconds, I transferred my drawing made on a sheet of paper to the Illustrator workspace, ready to be traced and transformed into a vector!

Another very useful application on my phone is Wunderlist, which allows me to organize to-do lists.

3. A trustworthy Moleskine

Believe it or not, not every graphic designer is a great drawing. Because our designs are mostly digital, the skill required to make perfect hand-drawn sketches isn’t necessarily required. But, that doesn’t mean that drawing isn’t a useful skill to have. After all, most designs usually start with a sketch.

So why the Moleskine? Well, because it’s convenient! You can put it in your backpack and draw on it at any time and in any place. You can almost think of it as a pocketbook that contains drawings instead of money.

4. A graphics tablet

To be honest, a tablet isn’t 100% needed, but it’s super convenient. It’s fast, portable, and it gets little tasks done. Plus, they’re usually capable of running tools like Photoshop or InDesign.

There are lots of tablets to choose from out there, and that list seems to get bigger year after year. Of course, not everyone’s budget allows for such a tool, but there are quite a few that are on the more budget-friendly side of the fence. Bottom line is that if you can afford one, you’ll definitely find a use for it.

5. Books, many books

There are lots of people out there that are designers, but don’t have a degree. To be honest, in this day and age, it’s not mandatory. There are lots and lots of ways you can get the same education you would get in college, but without taking the courses.

And how do you study without attending courses? Reading!

This is not meant to convince you to not further your education. This is simply an alternative for those who choose not to go to college.

Read, study, repeat.

6. A portfolio

Until a few years ago the portfolio was the paper collection of projects to show to possible clients or employers to get a commission or get a job. In my opinion, this system, this way of doing things, is outdated today. The internet has fortunately changed everything and a graphic designer must have an online portfolio.

There are mainly two options:

The first is to create your own website: buying the domain with your name and surname or with the name of your agency and building the website on it. If you don’t have one yet, find out how to create an online portfolio!

The second is to exploit the Behance platform. A free platform that allows you to upload your best works and to receive and give feedback from other creatives like you.

7. A good online presence

As a direct consequence of creating an online portfolio, there must also be good management of your profiles on social networks and on the internet in general.

It is very useful for a designer to share their works (without exaggerating) on social networks like Facebook or even Instagram, which is a phenomenal social media platform to promote yourself as a designer.

By sharing your work, you can show many people at one time what you’re capable of. You’re able to show off what you’ve done, and the skills required to do such things.

8. Feedback

Another positive element that can lead to exhibiting one’s skills online is to get feedback. Of course, the opinions of those who are in the same industry as you are much more valuable and more “technical” than those who know nothing about graphics and design, but you always have to accept criticism from anyone in order to grow.

As a side note, accepting criticism does not mean getting yelled at or scolded for doing a bad job. No, it’s not fun to hear that someone doesn’t like your project, but it’s a vital part of your job. After all, it’s better to hear “I don’t like that” from a friend or colleague than it is from a paying client.

The conclusion

In conclusion, there are many useful tools out there to help you in your graphic design career. Some of these tools are more obvious than others, but they’re all equally as useful if you use them correctly.

Read More at 8 Things Every Designer Needs

April 18, 2019

Don’t Make These Beginner Designer’s Mistakes

“The customer only cares about money and earnings, while the designer only cares about being able to publish a good job on Dribble or Behance.”

This is a concept that I saw represented in a viral video, produced by Pixelo showing the differences between the designer and the client. Things like “the customer wants bright colors at random, the designer chooses a well-considered palette”, etc.

As soon as I saw this part about money, though, I said to myself: is that really true?

Are there really so many designers who only think about their image return and not about improving their customers’ business?

Absolutely yes. Full.

And this led me to write this article in which I talk about what I think is the biggest mistake a freelancer designer can make when dealing with a client.

Why the biggest mistake?

Because if you ignore the side of the business in your work as a graphic designer, web designer and designer in general, you are ignoring half of your work.

Let’s start by first understanding what design is:

What is design?

But wait, are you serious? I’m a designer / studio design! Do you expect me not to know what design is?

Of course, we all know what design is.

True, design is planning. But what is missing in this definition is that design is planning… on commission.

Design is not art as an end in itself. Design, as well as graphics and communication, serves to sell! Excuse me if I write it so directly, but it helps those who have a business to make more money. Communicating better and therefore selling better.

I know this can be a “blow” for all those with the romantic idea of design as something artistic, abstract and maybe even a bit poetic.

Design = Business.

Design = Marketing

If you don’t understand this, or pretend you don’t understand it, you’ll always be a half designer. Or rather, you will be a designer who will not be able to help your client 100%.

Design = Business. Why is this so important to understand?

It is important to understand this if you want to succeed as a freelance designer. Because customers are always people or groups of people who relate to their company and only pay for the things that interest them.

The customer doesn’t care if the project comes out cool enough to be published on Behance.

The customer is only interested in how and how much you can help them improve their business. To make more money.

And rightly so.

This is an aspect that many designers do not understand. They don’t understand it when they ask for a €1000 logo for a local non-profit association, they don’t understand it when they create a project that is cool for them but doesn’t consider the client’s business needs and they don’t understand it when they complain because it does relate to the customers.

Want to be one of those freelancers?

If you’re reading this article up to this point, I’d say it’s not what you want to do, is it?

The solution to the problem: change your mentality

The best way to solve this problem of approach with the customer by the freelancer designer is to have a sudden change of mentality.

Such as? Try following these 2 practical tips:

1. Stop considering customers as piggy banks

Stop considering the customer as someone to get as much money as possible and then adios! Start looking at it as a resource. Start thinking long term about how you can extend your working relationship over time to help both.

Start thinking about how you can help your client in every aspect that competes for you in terms of communication or design. Even if they are small consultancies that go slightly beyond the contract you signed.

When I am commissioned to do a job (and accept it) I find myself very often talking to the client about future prospects and ideas that I’ve come up with. Even if they choose not to hire me in the future, at least I’ve shown that I’m willing to continue working with them, and it’s not just about the paycheck. It’s about helping them succeed.

I believe it is part of my job to help my client’s business in every possible way.

And this attitude has led me to have customers who come to me for all the jobs after the first one, creating a constant revenue stream and a solid working relationship.

2. Start thinking of yourself as a company and not as a freelancer

And by this I don’t mean that you go to interviews with customers and pretend to be the head of a company with 50 employees.

But it is certainly true that your freelancer business is not like an employee’s. Your business is actually a business.

You have to think about accounting, income, expenses, taxes, bills to pay and salaries (yours). All aspects that make you a business.

So why not have the same kind of attitude?

Why not develop long-term working relationships that allow your company to support itself? Why not develop products and activities for customers? Why not introduce yourself as the manager of your own company instead of as the freelancer who “you tell me what I have to do and I do it”?

In short: you too are a company, act as such!

Take care of your personal brand, build your bomb-proof portfolio, create your own blog with the most effective case studies you’ve worked on, networking at events and meetings, proposing yourself as the manager and not as the executor.

Conclusion

At the end of this article I hope I made you change your mind at least a little about the kind of attitude with which to approach the world of freelancer work and maybe give you some interesting and useful ideas for your career.

In summary: design is a business, the customer has a business and thinks only of that and how you can help them make more money. You are in business as a freelancer, which means you should take every opportunity to help your customer succeed.

April 17, 2019

Famous Fonts Used by Powerful Companies

Have you ever wondered what the most used fonts in the most famous logos are? Those logos that happen to be seen hundreds of times, repeated on all the screens, shirts and sheets of paper that surround you.

Well, then this article is made just for you!

In fact, in this article, I want to talk to you about which fonts are used in some of the most famous logos ever.

We’re going to try and understand why these specific fonts were chosen. Because choosing a font is not a simple thing, and behind the choice of a font, there is a very precise message that any brand wants to convey.

In this article, I wanted to analyze 6 fonts in depth.

Ready? Then let’s get started!

A little clarification before starting: many famous brands use private fonts

Almost every major brand opts for a custom font. Of course, these fonts aren’t generally available to the public.

Very often, however, these proprietary fonts are based on already existing and already famous characters. And in a lot of cases, custom fonts that you can purchase or even download for free follow suit shortly after.

Now, let’s really get into it!

What font does YouTube use in its logo?

Bold and tight, the Alternate Gothic was designed by Morris Fuller Benton in 1903 for the American Type Founders Company.

It is a font with a long history, designed at the beginning of the 20th century so that it could be perfect to insert titles in narrow columns.

It was the font used in the YouTube logotype until a few years ago (August 2017, to be precise) when YouTube rebranded. Since then, they’ve used a custom font called YouTube Sans.

This font was designed from scratch, by the Saffron branding agency, starting right from the shapes and aesthetics of the Alternate Gothic used previously.

Why was this font chosen?

This current one, according to what the Saffron designers write, was chosen to “communicate its brand with only a glance”, that is, to be able to immediately communicate that it is YouTube.

With this, being a reference to the Alternate Gothic that they used previously, the recognition of the brand is strengthened.

But why had the Alternate Gothic been chosen?

Nobody can really say for sure. Most people speculate that it was chosen because of its super easy readability. Being a massive international company, readability in the logo font is a must.

It was designed for editorial use in the minuscule dimensions of column headings but also in the enormous dimensions of the main titles. And so it was readable in every dimension.

What font does Adidas use in its logo?

L’Avant Garde, which in French means cutting-edge, is one of the most influential of the 900 fonts. Created in 1970 by Herb Lubalin (along with Tom Carnase), it was introduced into the font family. Its original intention was to be in the logo of their magazine, which was called “Avant Garde”.

The forms of the Avant-Garde recall very much the natural elegance of the Art Deco of the 1920s and 30s. While transmitting a vintage effect, it is nevertheless able to tell it always in a contemporary way, thanks to its flexibility and naturalness.

In reality, however, the font used in the Adidas logo is not the Avant-Garde.

Here too, it is a proprietary font, AdiHaus. A font inspired, of course, by the Avant-Garde but also by the FF Din (one of my absolute favorites).

Why was the Avant-Garde / AdiHaus chosen?

The Avant Garde was chosen in 1971 by the designers who worked on the first restyling of the Adidas logo.

It was chosen both because it was a font very similar to the one originally designed in ’49, and, I believe, because of its qualities: elegance, naturalness, cleanliness.

What font does Nike use in its logo?

The Futura is one of the most important and influential typefaces in the history of graphics.

Designed in 1928 by Paul Renner, it is now considered the geometric font par excellence.

And it is also used, among the multitude of applications, for the Nike logo.

In particular, in the Bold Condensend Oblique version.

Even more specifically, in the Bold Condensend Oblique version, but with some substantial changes regarding the inclination and kerning (the space between the glyphs).

Why the Futura?

Because, like the “whisker” of the logo, the chosen font also transmits a message: strength (the bold version), dynamism (inclination), stability (the geometry of the Futura).

And it tells, along with with the rest of the image, a very clear message: Nike is a strong brand, buy Nike and you will be strong too.

What font does Instagram use in its logo?

Instagram, in its new logo of May 2016, does not use a real font.

Before now, the Instagram logo was made using the Billabong font. This is a 2006 script font, which has nothing special, other than the fact that it is the font of the Instagram logo.

In 2016, however, there was the famous Instagram rebrand (extremely criticized at the beginning, but now most people think it’s amazing) in which the logo has also changed.

The new logo was created without using any files, no fonts. It is simply designed to be the word “Instagram”.

It was designed by Mackey Saturday starting from the Billabong font, so that it was more functional and harmonious than the previous one while maintaining some characteristic elements.

Why this font?

Here the answer is simple: because Instagram was born as an application that presented itself as something dynamic, fun, and energetic. That font exactly reflected the kind of message they wanted to convey.

What fonts does Linkedin use in its logo?

Very little is known about the Linkedin brand choices, in reality. There are no real studies of designers or agencies that have worked with them, nor is there any mention in the brand manuals.

What is known is that the font used in the logo is certainly the Avenir (at least from 2012 onwards, before it was the Myriad Pro).

The Avenir is one of the many wonderful fonts designed by the extraordinary Adrian Frutiger, in 1988.

It is undoubtedly one of the typefaces I like most. He is able to combine the geometric shapes of the sans serif of the 1920s (such as the Futura), with the more natural and flexible forms of the grotesk characters of the late 1800s (such as the Akzidenz Grotesk) and the post-World War II period (like the Univers, always by Adrian Frutiger).

Why this font?

Because it inspires respect and professionalism. Exactly what a working network like Linkedin wants to convey.

Few other typographical choices would be so suitable.

What font does McDonald’s use in its logo?

McDonald’s has been using for years what is among the most important and today undervalued fonts in the history of graphics: the Akzidenz Grotesk.

It is extremely readable, simple, flexible and of great impact.

It was produced by the German foundry H. Berthold AG in 1896 by an unknown author. The current version available is the one reworked by Günter Gerhard Lange in the 1950s.

Why is it so difficult to recognize it? Well, because it is the base on which some of the most used and known fonts have been built today. Like Helvetica, Univers, Arial, Frutiger, all inspired by the ancestor Akzidenz.

Why exactly this font?

First of all, in my opinion, because it is very beautiful.

But then, I believe, also because it represents tradition, history. Which at McDonald’s, at the beginning, was very interesting to tell.

Conclusion

In this article, I wanted to talk about the font choices of some of the most famous brands in order to give you creative ideas for choosing a font for your project.

Analyzing what other designers have done before you is crucial.

But even more fundamental is trying to understand the reason for certain choices. What did they want to communicate? Why that font instead of another?

The choice of a font is, in fact, a crucial aspect in the process of creating a logo but also in any other aspect of graphic design.

April 16, 2019

The 6 Principles of UX

If you are approaching the world of UX or you are already a navigated UX / UI Designer, then this article, in which I am going to talk about 6 principles that every UX Designer should know, is designed for you.

In this article, I want to deepen the discussion on what the founding principles of UX are and cause us all to think a little outside of the box.

The principles of UX: first of all, we need to know the people

Designing the experience of any product (physical or digital), or a service, means putting the user at the center of the project and then applying a user-centric thought.

Before getting in front of a computer, designing UX means knowing the people for whom we have to design and empathize with them through all our senses. It means observing them, listening to them, asking them questions; it even means smelling the smells of the context in which they live: yes, everything becomes fundamental!

Since birth, we have had 5 powerful tools that allow us to interact and retrieve information in the world we live in: the senses. Without them it would be impossible (or very complicated) to move independently in the spaces that surrounds us.

Precisely for this reason, understanding how people interact, through the senses, in the area in which we are going to treat their experience as users, is fundamental.

So if we need to know people to make UX, who can help us do it correctly?

The most correct answer is certainly psychology. In particular, some strands that have focused more on the study of human perception and experience.

Obviously this does not mean having the presumption of knowing it all! However, having familiarity with some theories and principles helps the designer to understand (first) and design (after) the most comfortable and rewarding experience for their user.

Here I would like to start with some key principles that govern the interaction between man and the real and / or virtual world. There are not many, but they are sufficient to determine the success or failure of the products with which we relate every day.

The most fascinating thing (for a UX Designer, of course) is that these theories apply to any existing object, and sector, that can come to mind.

To start talking about it – though – it is necessary to reference one of the fathers of this discipline who theorized them, and who presented himself with the title of the first UX designer.

The 6 ” never again without” UX principles.

Donald Arthur Norman, a US psychologist and engineer, along with another guru and his partner Jakob Nielsen, has dedicated himself to the research and study of ergonomics, design, and more generally of the human cognitive process. He based his analysis on anthropocentric design, bringing together two fields that, at the time, did not communicate: technology and psychology.

In the well-known book The Coffee Maker of the Masochist , the “bible” for the true aspiring UX designer, tells the deduction of the principles of usability and ergonomics that govern our world since ancient times. Subsequently, in a second text equally worthy of mention, Emotional design , Norman maintains that a product capable of stimulating positive emotions – through an experience – is perceived as “more beautiful” and “better functioning”.

30 years have passed since the publication of his first text, yet the principles listed are still alive and well, and most definitely put into practice today.

Let’s walk through them together:

1. Affordance

The affordance (which we could translate with “invitation”) is defined as the physical quality of an object that suggests appropriate actions to manipulate it.

As Norman writes,

Perceived affordances help us guess what actions are possible, without the need for signs or instructions.

In interactive design affordance is the first fundamental rule: being intuitive. That is, the interface must be understandable from the first glance, without needing instructions (labels, texts, CTA, and so forth).

2. Significance

The signifiers are “elements” that enrich an object, telling the intrinsic meaning of the same. In other words, they signal the possible actions through that object and how to execute them. They have the task of triggering the Feedforward, which means anticipating exactly what will happen.

The signifiers must be perceptible, otherwise they do not work.

– Donald Arthur Norman

A classic example is the anti-panic door handle, you don’t need to know it or even accompany it with the word “push”. There is only one correct way to use it.

In interactivity, in order to exploit the concept of signifiers, you have to be careful not to make two serious mistakes :

The signifiers that do not make sense: that is, the use of texts (in call-to-action) that do not clearly tell the action or page that the user is about to visit. To give an example just think of the superfluous Click here, which turns out to be a real tautology. It is obvious that a button needs to be clicked, tell me what happens if I do it! Another similar example of significant error is the Discover more, often inserted too generally in texts, videos or CTAs. As Yvonne Bindi, information architect and expert in language and communication, writes in his “Language design. Guide to the usability of words for communication professionals”:

” Discover thus becomes an empty navigation word, all too obviously borrowed from marketing.”
The excess of icons: In visual design, the overabundant use of icons, or icons that are forced where they aren’t necessary, gives rise to what is called visual pollution. The user is overloaded with information and is therefore impaired in the use of the product. The icon is useful when alone it represents something unequivocally, without being accompanied by texts. It is also necessary to pay close attention to cultural conventions.

3. Mapping

How many times have you mistaken the light switch or the cooktop knob?

Here, it means that there was a mapping error in the design phase.

The mapping principle indicates the relationship between two things. For example, between the operation of a key and its effects. A good mapping takes into account the cultural models learned or spatial analogies.

Let’s think about activating the directional arrows of a car.

To indicate the right, move the lever upwards (making a semicircular movement to the right) and vice versa for the left, move the lever downwards.

Norman writes:

When the mapping uses the spatial correspondence between the placement of the commands and that of the commanded devices, it is easy to understand how to use them.

In web design the mapping is extremely linked to the signifiers and is conveyed by the position and behavior of the elements. The most classic example is the vertical scroll on a screen, which indicates where you are compared to the page. As you drag it down (or up) the page moves at the same speed, maintaining the place of positioning in space.

4. Constraints

The limits are divided into physical, cultural, semantic and logical, depending on the context, but define, with the same force, “obligations” that guide the user along a path.

In an interface, the constraints can be obvious, like the physical ones of the screen size, or more refined ones, like the logical ones of a deactivated icon.

They are logical constraints of anticipation, like the images half inside the screen and half outside, which allow us to intuit a slideshow and swipe. Or the visualization of the steps of a process, for example during the checkout of an e-commerce sale, which allow the user to immediately understand the correct path to follow to get to the end.

5. Feedback

The feedback (which we can translate as a “response”) is a return message from an object that tells us that our action has been implemented.

Norman points out to us that

The feedback must be immediate, even a delay of one tenth of a second can be disconcerting.

Every day we receive feedback from the products / services we use: the light on the button of the elevator, or of the pedestrian traffic light, or of the coffee machine. They allow us to have confirmations, without groping in the darkness of uncertainty.

Also and above all, feedback is fundamental on the web. When we select a folder with a mouse click, for example, the folder takes on a different color, which tells us that the system has learned our request. If, on the contrary, this type of feedback does not occur, we would continue to click spasmodically on the folder, in the grip of a sense of frustration (why does it not open?!).

6. Conceptual model

A good example that helps us understand are the icons of files and folders on your computer. In the computer there are really no sheets or folders, but the concept of a “binder” (recovered from the way we organize things in reality) facilitates understanding and interaction.

Interactive design, as we have just understood, makes extensive use of this principle. In association with the signifiers (Home = house, Size = scissors, Funnel = filter), the conceptual models allow us to associate a virtual action with one that we perform in everyday life, and therefore more concrete, for an immediate and simple understanding.

In the design phase it is important to take into account the fact that, as in reality, even in the virtual experience users expect a similar response to that which they experience in everyday life.

Conclusion

Norman’s 6 principles are timeless because they are based on human psychology, and applying them in design is a way to ensure a significantly higher level of usability and clarity.

But I must be honest in telling you that they are not the only ones and it is not enough to know only these. There are other very interesting theories that explain the complex but fascinating way in which people act in front of daily stimuli.

And above all, remember that, although it may seem complicated at first, becoming a UX designer is a journey that must be cultivated day after day. (As with everything).

Pay attention to every experience you go through because each of them pays a small roll in the way a designer, whether they be UX or otherwise, conducts themselves and their work.

10 of the best number fonts out there

Although typography is nothing new, it changes all the time, and we love it. It’s always fun to see what kind of cool and unique combination you can come up with to make your brand, logo, and content stand out. But today, while continuing to talk about fonts, let’s focus on some of the characters that are included with them: numbers.

We know that there are several factors to take into account when it comes to the choice of our typography. For example, if you want to write in uppercase and lowercase, if you have a specific style in kind, and so on. It is also very important to know if you have the numbers and the character of the chosen font.

You might think that this need is pretty specific – number fonts. But the truth is, you use numbers more often than you think, so it’s better to have a specific style and have it all uniform throughout all your content. If these are the point of focus, it is very important that the aesthetics of the numbers correspond to the surrounding content correctly.

With all of that said, number fonts are overlooked quite often. It’s very common to see fancy typography and designs paired with simple numbers. Perhaps it’s because they didn’t want a number font, or perhaps they didn’t even know they existed.

For that reason, we’re going to go over 10 of the best number fonts out there today. Fasten your seatbelts everyone, it’s about to get mathematical.

1. Deadhead Scrip

Deadhead Scrip is a handwritten style of font that pairs nicely with other handwritten typography. The thickness of the lines varies as the curves go on, giving it the perfect handwritten look.

You can find these numbers in the link for about $20, so go check it out!

2. Dear Prudence

Dear Prudence is another good example of a handwritten font. But, just as handwriting styles vary, so should the fonts. This particular font is a much different and unique take on the traditional handwritten font. I like its irregularity but at the same time harmony. It would go great on a calendar or a homegoods shop.

For the versatility that this font provides, it’s a steal at around $4.

3. Have a Great Day

Have a Great Day font is yet another handwritten font that you really don’t see every day. The style is like that of a thick marker. The irregularity shines through and gives each and every line a personal touch that simply can’t be duplicated by a standard font.

4. Story

Story is perhaps the simplest typeface of this group. The strokes are perfect and remind us of when we first started to learn to write as kids. Its price is quite admirable as well (about $6), and you can do a lot with it.

5. Amatic SC

The Amatic SC font is a Google Font that was quite popular a few years ago. It’s not as popular now, but it still looks great. This is definitely the kind of typography that would go well with a variety of different brands. It could even be paired with other fonts to make a unique combination.

As of right now, Amatic SC is free to download and use, so get downloading!

6. Abril Fatface

We could talk about an infinite number of serifs with original numbers, but since I decided to shone a light on more “creative” fonts, we chose this one to fill in for serifs. You can find this particular font in a lot of places, but its thickness and style make it absolutely perfect to be the main focus of any project that include numbers.

To top it all off, this one is a freebie.

7. Montserrat

As with most cases, I could probably add an infinite amount of serifs to this list, but we won’t. Instead, I’ll chose this one and the one above to highlight their variety. In this case the Montserrat is well known to all. Just like it’s perfect for a lot of titles, it’s also perfect for its numbers.

Since this is another Google Font, you can get your hands on it completely free of charge.

8. Catamaran

As with most typographies, the thickness of Catamaran gives us a lot of font to play with. We can combine these giving more hierarchy to a certain element, or just use them to draw attention to a specific number.

Like the previous few, this one is free since it’s a Google Font.

9. Pacifico

Pacifico is a very popular Google Font that has made its name through its use. But, the numbers are often overlooked, and it’s such a shame. The curves and swirly-like design of this number font are quite unique, and give lots of flare to any project that they find themselves in.

10. Monoton

Last but most certainly not the least, we find Monton. As you can see, this font has quite the unique design, and comes off very retro. As specific as the niche might seem, this font actually goes well with a variety of projects. It draws attention and leaves people curious.

This one is also a Google Font, so you know what that means. That’s right, it’s free!

The conclusion

Hopefully you find at least one of the number fonts above useful, and you use it in the near future. If you didn’t find one that you like, remember to always check in package deals for the number fonts next time you purchase a font. If not, seek out a number font by itself, and combine it with your own typography to make a truly one-of-a-kind project.

April 12, 2019

Brand, branding and brand identity: what does it all mean?

Brand, Branding, Brand Identity, Brand Strategy, Brand, Brand, Logo, Visual Identity, Coordinated Image. It is time to shed light on all these terms, which are often confused or used as synonyms (some are), and to explain their meaning.

In this guide, I really want to offer a sort of “vocabulary” of the main terms used when talking about the identity of a company or a person.

Ready? Ok, let’s do this!

Let’s start with what is perhaps the main term: the brand.

What is a Brand?

“The brand is what people say about you when you’re not in the room” – Jeff Bezos

The brand is essentially the set of visual, perceptive and emotional elements that are associated with certain companies, organizations, products or people.

One of my favorite examples to understand what a brand is and the importance of a brand is Ferrari.

The moment we think of Ferrari we don’t think of a racing car manufacturing industry. Or rather, not only that! We immediately think of speed, wealth, luxury, and red!

“Give a child a sheet of paper, colors and ask him to design a car: it will surely make it red.” – Enzo Ferrari

This is the meaning of the brand: the whole of all that is perceived by a given company. And this is precisely why it is so fundamental.

“A business is only as strong as its brand is strong” – Jim Stengel, from his book “Grow”

A strong brand is also recognized among many others. A strong brand is that of which people fall in love, trust or think it is superior to others.

In fact, how a brand is perceived by the public enormously influences the success of the company it represents.

But one important thing is that the brand is NOT just the logo, and using them as synonyms is profoundly wrong.

Brand, branding, brand identity: their meaning

When it comes to Brand, I like to use the Iceberg metaphor.

In practice, the Icebergs are those masses of floating ice that was once present in large numbers in the Arctic Ocean but are now disappearing due to global warming.

The important (and dangerous) thing about the Icebergs is that most of the ice mass is underwater, not visible. That being said, we will only see a small part of the exposed top floating above the surface.

And the same happens with the Brand.

We perceive only a tiny bit of them. We perceive, in particular, the aesthetic aspects, the image, the logo.

The logo, in fact, is the tip of that Iceberg and is the first thing that people see of a Brand. Precisely for this reason, it must be able to identify all that is hidden underwater, aka – the rest of the Brand.

So a brand is the whole that is seen or perceived by a company. The Logo is instead the symbol that represents and identifies the entire brand of the company.

The difference between Logo and Brand

The logo, short for “logography “, is the graphic transposition of the name of a company. Usually, it can be composed of a pictogram (the symbol, the drawing) and/or logotype (the writing).

From a legal point of view, the logo is one of the elements that can be registered as a trademark.

The trademark, in practice, is a legal term that indicates something that can be registered or registered as a single element.

A brand can be a logo (figurative mark and wordmark) but it can also be of various other types. It can be, for example, a product form (shape mark), a texture (a mark with repeated motifs), an image, a sound or a video (multimedia mark), etc.

So, the logo can be a brand but a brand is not just a logo.

Don’t use them as two synonyms!

Other terms that are often used

When we talk about Brand, many other terms are often mentioned. Let’s try to give a definition for each of them.

Branding

Branding could literally be translated as “marking” or “making a brand” and is basically the process by which a Brand is communicated (and built).

Branding is the process by which a company builds its brand in practice.

Brand identity or brand identity

Brand identity is the tangible part of a brand – what you can see, touch, feel or handle.

It is the logo, the packaging, the TV spot, the color or the product. It is the set of all these things, which constitute the identity and communication apparatus of a brand.

Brand strategy

The strategy is, of course, a brand’s operating action plan.

A good brand strategy is one that provides a central and unified idea around which all the behavior and communication of a company must rotate.

Brand Storytelling

This is what the name says – the art of telling the brand correctly, using brand identity and remaining consistent with the brand strategy.

Conclusion

Distinguishing all these terms may seem like something that’s not very useful or superfluous but it is essential if you want to be really professional when working in the world of communication.

Each business sector has its own language. Learning the language of that sector is fundamental to be able to really be part of it.

April 11, 2019

When to use Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign? And what are they for?

Pretty often people post questions online asking “What is your favorite program: Photoshop, Illustrator, or InDesign?”

The truth is that, for a graphic designer, all three of them are equally essential and necessary to know and work with.

In fact, each of these 3 tools plays a specific role. Each one is built with well-defined functions that make it more suitable for a certain job than the others. Let’s be honest, too many designers out there believe that they can do everything and anything in Photoshop. There are too many designers who rely on a single tool, rather than exploring their options.

So why is this industry filled to the brim with designers that believe they can do anything and everything in Photoshop? Let’s dig a little deeper.

Why are there people who “create” logos on InDesign?

Quick answer: Because mainly there is a problem of education and knowledge of this software. Precisely for this reason, I decided to write this article. Which, for some, may be trivial and full of obviousness while, for others, it may be what they have been looking for for some time.

So get ready, leave … go!

Photoshop, and Illustrator, and InDesign

As mentioned before, each of these 3 softwares are used to work in different fields and to achieve different goals.

To sum it up broadly:

Photoshop is a digital image editing and editing program;

Illustrator serves instead to work with vector graphics;

Finally, InDesign is a layout program.

You have to learn to consider these softwares (as well as all software in general) as a potential tool that you may need to use.

Think of it like a hairdresser with the razor, the scissors, and the comb. There are 3 different things, which are used according to the different needs of the job and which are often used together.

Just like a hairdresser would never use a razor to cut split ends, so a designer doesn’t use Illustrator to edit photos.

And so you can use scissors and comb together to cut hair more efficiently, so you can use, for example, Illustrator and InDesign together to work on the layout of a catalog.

Let’s see, then, in more detail, what they are for and what can be done with Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign.

What is Photoshop and what is it for?

Photoshop, created in 1990 and often abbreviated as ” Ps “, is probably one of the most famous programs in the world. Not only among those in graphic design, but pretty much the entire planet.

What is Photoshop for? Well, as the name implies (photo), it serves to work with photographs. It is, in fact, the most widely used photo editing program in the world.

Photoshop serves to modify, create and retouch “raster” images, ie those images based on pixels. In this article, I explain well the difference between raster and vector.

Over the years, update after update, it has also become one of the most advanced graphics programs, as well as photography. A program that designers and artists use to draw, sketch and even make digital paintings.

The key aspect of Photoshop (and which guaranteed its initial success) is its layered structure, which allows you to add changes to the overall image without affecting the original image.

When to use Photoshop (photo editing, drawing, mockup, etc.)

Today Photoshop is one of the most widely used software in the world to do anything. In reality, it is good to use it mainly in these situations:

When you want to retouch photos.
Correct colors, combine multiple images together, remove pimples or red eyes from a photographed person but also many, many extremely advanced techniques. Photoshop is the photo editing program of any kind. Use Photoshop for any type of work that requires editing or manipulating a raster image.
To modify and/or create illustrations and digital paintings.
Some of the greatest contemporary artists are digital artists and Photoshop is certainly one of the most suitable software for “painting on screen”. Maybe using a graphics tablet.
To create images for the web (banners, social media images, etc.).

The mockups are basically those simulations of existing products. They are used, for example, to try to apply a logo to different real elements. The process of creating or customizing a photographic mockup is based precisely on the use of software such as Photoshop.

Here, we say that this is a limit case in which you can use both Photoshop and Illustrator. However, if you need to work with photographs or raster images to create these images, then surely Ps can help you.

When NOT to use Photoshop

DO NOT use Photoshop to create a logo. Use Illustrator. A logo needs to be scalable and used in any size. It must be printed on posters and t-shirts, used on a website and engraved in wood, as needed. Thus, it needs to be vector and to be built into a vector graphics program, like Illustrator.

DO NOT even use it to create things that will need to be printed. That is, obviously raster images and photographs are fine. But don’t use Photoshop to create, for example, a flyer. For those cases use InDesign or, at least, Illustrator.

Finally, DO NOT use Photoshop when you use a lot of text within a file. In those cases, use InDesign again or, at most, Illustrator. This is because Photoshop does not handle long texts well, such as paragraphs or columns of text. While the other two software has advanced text management functions.

What is Adobe Illustrator and what is it for?

The Illustrator software, often abbreviated as Ai, was initially created in 1986 by PostScript, one of the pioneering companies in the field of digital graphics.

It was born as vector drawing software and today it is by far the vector graphics software, that is the graphic that works with vector images, most used.

The vector images are those images based, precisely, on the carriers (rather than on the pixels) and can, therefore, be scaled indefinitely without suffering any loss of quality or definition.

Being a vector graphics software, Illustrator should be used in all those situations where you are working with vector graphics. Illustrator is then used by designers, artists, illustrators, and graphic designers.

Having a logo in vector format is absolutely necessary, given the many supports on which it must be able to be printed, from letterhead to business card, from posters to advertising on TV.

To create a vector illustration. And that is, in practice, an illustration made entirely on the computer and composed only of vector elements.

When NOT to use Illustrator

DO NOT use Illustrator when you need to edit images (we’ve seen it, that’s what Photoshop is for.) DO NOT use Ai when creating multi-page documents.

Of course, on Illustrator there is the multi-page function but it should not be used to design complex things like books, magazines or catalogs. For that, in fact, there is InDesign.

What is Adobe InDesign and what is it for?

Adobe InDesign, often abbreviated Id, was created from 1999 by Adobe as a competitor to QuarkXPress. It is the software designed for editorial graphics and, therefore, for the design of magazines, books, newspapers, posters, and brochures.

In practice, any graphics project that requires the use of long texts should be processed and designed with InDesign.

As for the texts, for example, it allows you to create text and paragraph styles, manage margins and columns in an advanced way and work precisely on every single aspect of the text.

In addition, InDesign allows you to create master pages, ie page templates to be applied to each page of the projector to some pages. You can number the pages, customize every single aspect of your document, manage the pages in an advanced and professional way.

A graphic designer who does not know how to use InDesign simply does not have a complete education.

When to use InDesign

In any situation where you deal with multi-page documents and editorial graphics. Catalogs, books, brochures, magazines, newspapers, etc – all these are those types of work that are mainly carried out with InDesign. Of course, maybe the images or graphic elements to be included in these documents can be created with Photoshop or Illustrator, but they must then be “put together” in a single document with InDesign.

When NOT to use InDesign

DO NOT use InDesign when you need to work on smaller files, such as flyers with one or two sides or business cards. Illustrator is very good for that kind of work. Of course, you can also do it with ID, there’s nothing wrong with it, but you will complicate your life.

Conclusion

In most of the Graphic Design jobs that you will face during your career, you will need to use these 3 softwares together, depending on the stages of your work. For example, to create a magazine, you can create the magazine’s logo in Illustrator, edit the photos you want to insert into the document with Photoshop and then lay out everything with InDesign.

The important thing to remember, when dealing with software and learning it, is that the software is just a tool to help you design better. Then learn to use the right tool depending on the type of lens you want to achieve.

April 10, 2019

This is how you earn as a designer on Instagram

This article is the first guide dedicated to designers on how to make money with Instagram. On the web, you can find all sorts of marketing strategies, tricks, tricks and fanfare about how to have followers, but not much quite like this.

In this article, I will talk about practical and concrete facts. In fact, I want to talk about how a designer can use Instagram in their work. To promote yourself, to make yourself known and therefore to make more money.

Until a few months ago I was also skeptical about using Instagram and then, after following an online course, I changed my mind. In that course, I was told how there are dozens, hundreds, thousands of people around the world who, directly or indirectly, can earn tens or hundreds of dollars a day on Instagram!

From that moment I consider Instagram as one of the most important tools for a designer to make themselves known. A tool that, as you will see, can be perfectly integrated with your online portfolio.

Why Instagram?

Because Instagram is increasingly used

Instagram is probably one of the fastest and most dizzying social networks ever. Every day thousands of new users sign up and millions of photos and videos are posted. The number of active users is constantly growing (over 350 million) and companies use it as a communication channel with great visual impact.

The peculiarity of Instagram is that you can only share photos or short videos. Where on the other social networks, generally, we write, on Instagram we post photos and images.

Because Instagram is mobile and simple to use

Another of the features that made (and still makes) Instagram different is that it can be used mainly by mobile phones.

This initially allowed it to become a huge success among the digital natives, young people like me, who first populated the social network.

The fact that it can be used mainly by mobile phone also makes it extremely simple and intuitive to use.

Because Instagram is focused on the visuals

Only images and videos can be posted on Instagram.

What do designers work on if not images and videos? This alone should make you realize how much potential this social network has for those who, like us, work on images.

If you are able to create quality visual content, your potential on a visual social media platform like Instagram is basically endless.

So maybe you want to know the ways in which you can use Instagram to earn as a designer, right? Let’s talk about it.

How does a designer exploit Instagram?

On Instagram, there are a lot of people. All of these people gather there for one reason, and one reason alone: images. And, seeing as you work primarily with images, it’s the perfect platform for you.

But, how can you take advantage of Instagram if you are a graphic designer?

First, you need to plan what kind of profile you want to use. If you want to use your personal profile to promote your work or if you want to create a new one and then use two different ones (or even more), each with different goals and uses.

On Instagram, you can register a different profile with each different email address you have (I have several Instagram profiles, for example) and you can manage up to 5 at the same time while remaining connected to all of them.

Deciding what kind of profile you will take advantage of and the building is essential to plan your goals and the way you make money with Instagram.

So, what are the various uses of an Instagram profile and therefore the goals that can be achieved through it?

You can promote your personal brand

The first way you use Instagram to make money is basically to advertise yourself. And here you can use both a personal and main profile as well as a separate and more “professional” second profile.

What does promoting your personal brand mean?

It means promoting your person, promoting yourself from all angles. So with photos of your life, of you while you work, while you plan or draw, while you travel while doing interesting things that can interest many people and increase your followers.

There are so many people who earn huge sums simply because the brands contact them to advertise on Instagram.

In practice, profiles with many followers and a lot of engagement (ie many interactions – likes and comments – with the photos and videos they publish), in the eyes of a company, are very attractive as a means of getting publicity!

I am sure that if you have already filmed a bit on Instagram you will often have seen very popular profiles posting pictures with brands and products in plain sight.

It’s called marketing and there are people who really make big money out of it. In these three examples, there are those who promote a sponsored product or their travel blog via the link in the video description.

Blogger example profiles

Of course, not everyone wants to promote themselves and their sparkling life. And you aren’t a blogger, right? Maybe you’re interested in promoting your projects, your portfolio, your graphic design or your drawings, right?

You can promote your work and your projects. Instagram can really be a bombshell for your freelancer business or your creative agency or your career in general.

There are hundreds of artists and designers on Instagram who receive daily collaboration proposals from companies and individuals after seeing their projects.

At the same time, introducing yourself to a client or a company with a strong profile in which you promote your work with thousands and thousands of followers and interactions is certainly an added value, don’t you think?

Instagram can, therefore, be an exceptional way to send back hundreds of users to your online portfolio every day, perhaps on a page where they can contact you and ask for a quote.

Example of freelancer profiles

Freelancers rely on one person only to promote themselves in a public space: themselves. Even if Instagram was originally created as a means to connect friends, it has quickly turned into a way for anyone and everyone to connect with others around the world.

You can create business profiles with the aim of selling something. A third way is to create business profiles, or profiles of some company or agency, with the aim of promoting their products.

There are many freelancers, designers or illustrators who sell products, such as mockups, fonts, books or stickers.

You can create an Instagram profile where you post photos and images of the prints you want to sell. In the description of your profile, you send the visitor back to the site on which he can make the purchase or contact you.

Example of store profiles

You can enrich your profile with quotes, photos of you while you design, exclusive content for Instagram and much more.

If you reach good numbers of people “on target”, ie in line with what you want to sell and promote, then you can surely increase your earnings and start seeing the money coming from Instagram.

So now the objectives are clear. There is, however, a big question mark: how do you reach big numbers on Instagram?

How to grow on Instagram

Is it possible to reach thousands of followers, hundreds of likes, comments and potential customers through Instagram, starting from scratch?

The answer is yes.

But if you are wondering if there are tricks and little shortcuts you can forget it. For example, there are many people who pretend to be very popular on Instagram but what they do is simply buy followers.

All this does not make sense.

The followers you buy are always fake profiles that will never interact with your posts or create value for your page.

What you need to do is get people really interested in what you publish, people, who can actually potentially contact you and interact with you and your products.

How do you do that?

Here are some basic tips to get started

1. Use English

In the description of the profile and in the description of the photos, if you use the English language you can reach all the millions and millions of users in the world. If you only use Italian, you will limit your audience greatly.

Of course, it can also be a strategy if, intentionally, you offer services or products only for Italians. In any other case, however, English leads to extremely better and faster results.

2. Use the most popular hashtags

If there’s a social network where hashtags are really used by users, that’s Instagram. Hashtags are used to find photos related to certain topics that you may like.

Make the most of the hashtags and enter all those needed to describe your image.

Don’t forget to use some of the most popular hashtags to reach more people!

There are tons of popular hashtags out there, and they change all the time. I advise you to create a note on your phone with these hashtags or with those that you will choose to reuse from time to time through a copy/paste.

3. Leave more comments and likes

Use hashtags to find images of other users to leave feedback. Write comments and put like as many images as you can.

The more you comment or likes, the more you will get feedback. Granted, this doesn’t always result in new followers, but if it were easy, everyone would do it, right?

Make yourself extremely active on the profiles of others. It’ll get your profile noticed and receive notoriety in return.

To make money with Instagram, you must first have followers!

4. Use quality images

To make things easier for you, an Instagram profile full of cool images will be something that users won’t forget.

If you have a profile full of boring, trivial and repetitive images, without quality, those who reach your profile won’t find it easy to follow you. People want to see something new and unique, not blurry and unrecognizable.

If instead, you have a profile that breaks the norm, full of interesting and beautiful things to see, then you will see that the number of those who choose to follow you will increase dramatically.

How to make money with Instagram

You can waste time for months as I did try to increase my followers and make money. This strategy only works for those who are already rich and famous. For the average user like us, you need a strategy before you even begin.

Study up online. There are lots of articles and even courses you can take to help increase your follower count. If you’re seriously interested in growing your account, collaborating with other brands, and making some extra cash, then it’s probably well worth it.

The conclusion

It seems pretty hard nowadays to find someone that isn’t using Instagram. For that reason alone, it’s well worth it to have a presence there. All it really takes is a few minutes per day to get your name out there.

A few minutes per day can result in some serious cash return a lot faster than you think. Stay consistent and follow the tips above, and you might just be the next Instagram celebrity.