The year 2020 was a rather tumultuous year for businesses everywhere. But now it’s 2021 — a new year that promises a fresh start and renewed hope for us all. To this end, Hackworth is happy to tell you about how our graphic design services can give new life to your business.

Hackworth’s full-service color printing department is unparalleled in all of Hampton Roads. Everything from vehicle graphics or business cards –Hackworth’s graphic design team can help bring to life all your creative marketing ideas.

Graphic Design Services

At Hackworth, we have 7 accomplished and dedicated full-time graphic designers to help you with the entire process. We’re here to assist with every part of the job from concept and design to print and finishing. We offer a wide variety of application including signage, brochures, banners, newsletters, posters, envelopes, logos, letterheads, business cards, presentations, and flyers.

Outdoor Signage

Moreover, we can print your graphic design directly onto wood, mesh, backlit materials, glass, perforated vinyl, regular vinyl, aluminum, corrugated board, metal, plastic, acrylic, and Celtec®.

The Outdoor Signage from Hackworth strikes a balance between affordability and respectability – from curating monument signs to portable yard signs. We are skilled at and have considerable expertise in making vehicle graphics, flags, window graphics, magnets, storefront graphics, banners, yard signs, site signs as well as business signage.

Large Format Color Printing

Our graphic design products can be as wide as 60 inches with proportional length and we also offer the option of digital printing from PC and Mac files.

The large format color printing service is available for color CADD plotting, posters, renderings, banners, signage, wallpaper, adhesives, expo exhibits, laminates, wall graphics, and POS displays.

Small Format Color Printing

Our small format color printing services are available for graphic designing on products with dimensions ranging from 8.5” x 11” to 11” x 17”. As with the large format color printing service, we offer the option of digital printing from Mac or PC files in small format color printing as well.

This particular graphic design service is available for menus, variable data pieces, letterheads, post cards, envelopes, Blu-ray/CD/DVD covers, newsletters, business cards, flyers, presentations, and brochures. For this service, we make use of a wide range of materials with varying degrees of transparency and matte or glossy texture. We also use card stock and full sheet labels.

Green Printing

It gives us immense pride to tell you that at Hackworth, we practice green printing, meaning that we have media that is 100% biodegradable such as Ecorite Steppe, Ecorite Koala Board, Ecorite Polar Board (PVC), and Ecorite Pampas.

In addition to that, our media is also recyclable as we use HP Light Textile Banner, HP HDPE Reinforced Banner, Outboard, HP Photo-realistic Poster Paper, HP White Satin Poster Paper, HP DuPont Tyvek Banner, HP Heavy Textile Banner, etc.

We also use already recycled media such as reboard, Ecorite Panda Board (PVC). We also make use of latex inks that are water-based, No HAPs, odorless, outdoor signage durability comparable to eco-solvent inks.

What’s more? At Hackworth, we also offer a free banner/flag recycling program where we have a take-back program that allows you to give back or return large-format flags and banners after you are done using them. We also have a large inventory of the best products in the industry. We maintain our gears for sales and rentals assuring rock-solid performance.

Our professional experts give our clients peace of mind. All you need to do is upload your design and place the order. We’ll deliver it right to your doorstep. We’ll walk you through every facet of sign fabrication, offering expert recommendations along the way, so that your signages attract attention while throwing off elegance.

Now you can turn every street corner or front into a turnkey advertising solution! Unlock your business’s worth with exterior signage customized to your specifications.

So, get in touch with us at Hackworth to give new life to your brand with our graphic design services today for a brighter tomorrow! You can count on us for design, measurements, and installation.

The post New Year New You – How Our Graphic Design Services Can Give New Life to Your Brand appeared first on Hackworth.

Using the Internet for personal or business projects can be very helpful for you, especially when it involves sign printing. Google itself can help you find ideas for graphic designing, let alone images that you can use for these designs. It is not uncommon for graphic designers, especially amateurs, to search images on the Internet that they can use for sign printing.

The Internet provides you thousands, if not, millions of results when you search for one particular image. And when you find the image perfect for your project, there is one common thing that stands between you and the image you want to have for your signage and that is the fact of whether you may use it.

Copyright

Images you find on the Internet are covered by copyright. This frustrates most people who are looking for images for them to print. Usually, what’s perfect for their printing project is also the one with a watermark, and that’s not ideal for most. Although many websites have copyright information often placed at the bottom of their pages, it is not required that their images be protected. You normally find that out on your own.

If you do not know whether an image is copyrighted, you must examine the source of the image for a copyright symbol. Sometimes, logos of the creators or owners are placed on the image itself. If you can’t find out if an image is copyrighted, you are most probably risking yourself for breaking the law.

Images for printing

Many company's stock photo sources offer free images that you can download via the Internet without violating the copyright law. However, it will require you to sign up an account before you can download, but they won’t charge a penalty. There are also images from sources that give them freely with a simple copy and paste. For some sources, they charge a certain fee in return for access with their images. Prices may differ.

Here are some photo sources that offer free images:

• Morgue File
• Photo8
• Unsplash

It is important to know that the image you will use for personal or business purposes is legal. It is not only the copyright you will worry about. It can also be the quality of the image.

Image quality

Five best scanners for image documents:

The first scanner is Contex, where it offers a solution that includes the art digital copying and large format scanning. It is the world leader in large format scanning. This scanner takes pride in producing highly advanced technology and innovative scan and copies software applications.

The second scanner is Colortrac; it is capable of providing imaging solutions for color and monochrome scanning needs in a cost-effective manner. It considered as the pioneer of cost-effective full format imaging solutions.

Next is the HP Designjet HD Scanner, which offers the easiest of in-house copy and scanning with a single touch of a button with HD scanners from HP. Innovative digital imaging systems make it easier for the user to create digital copies from original documents by scanning and copying through HP scan-copy-print systems. 

The fourth scanner is KIP 2300 Scanner; it is the latest production to rock the high resolutions, is a high-speed imaging system that combines enhanced color scan and world-class monochrome imaging quality. The KIP 2300 scanner set an exceptionally high standard for high productivity by embodying the fast speed, flexibility, and quality. 

Lastly is the Graphtec; it provides solutions for Mapping, CAD, Reprographics, Document Archiving, and GIS applications. This scanner is one of the primary providers of quality imaging products in the world for quality scanners that use Contact Image Sensor (CIS) technology to provide high speed and quality. This enables users of large format scanners to enjoy higher accuracy in geometric scanning, enhanced reliability, and high-speed capture together with other performance advantages at a lower cost.

Here in The Graphics Shop, not only do we help you in finding the perfect photos for you, we can create them! With our team of professional graphic designers, they will surely meet your needs.

If you have questions, submit your message below or you can contact us today!

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The post Can I Use An Image I Found Online For Sign Printing? appeared first on Hackworth.

When printing colored images, it is essential to know which color mode you should produce the best results. With this, you must learn which color mode best fits your photo. These two can be quite confusing, especially when you don’t have enough background for graphic designing. Most graphic designers know that differentiating the color profiles is crucial because choosing the wrong color mode will affect the tone and message of your document.

RGB
The RGB color profile comprises Red, Green, and Blue hues that combine to create many variations of colors. Exists only in screen displays, the RGB color mode is present in computer monitors, mobiles, and television screens. Although this color mode exists in all electronic devices, the color elements vary across systems and models (e.g. the image you see on an iMac differs on a Dell desktop computer).

The RGB profile is involved in additive processes to produce color by blending light instead of using ink to produce hues. The presence of all RGB primary colors at full intensity results in white, while the absence of color produces black. As you turn a screen off, you see an absence of RGB color, i.e. you see a black screen. The color you see on your monitor or screen is caused by the RGB base hues.

When to use RGB color mode

It is not uncommon to cause complications on color profile. However, to avoid them, always set a document in RGB when designing for social media, digital design, or online advertisements. Whatever image or design you have, as long as it exists on a screen or monitor, set it as RGB.

CMYK
The CMYK color profile contains Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Key (Black) that combine to produce a range of hues. This color mode is what we see on printers. When you zoom in on any printed image, you will see the four-color dots that layer to create different hues and gradations. Although all printers produce prints in CMYK, the results will differ among different styles and models of printers.

If the absence of all RGB colors produces black, CMYK produces white. Cyan and magenta create blue, magenta and yellow create red, and yellow and cyan create green. The presence of the all CMYK color combined produces an off-black shade.

When to use CMYK color mode

CMYK are commonly reserved for printed designs such as business cards, flyers, posters, and packaging. Setting your documents to CMYK before exporting or printing will prevent unbalanced colors that will result in RGB colors being translated into CMYK equivalents.

We hope you have learned about the RGB and CMYK color modes. By letting yourself be informed about what these are and when to use them, you can now know which one to use when printing an image!

If you have questions or comments, please submit your message below or you can contact us today!

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The post Should I Use RGB or CMYK Color Mode for Printing Images? appeared first on Hackworth.

In materials, sign printing can offer a lot of options. Each material has special features and benefits that can make it suitable for a specific situation. Here are some commonly used materials we have tested and compared for your reference.

• Medium Density Overlay - Popularly referred to as ‘MDO’, is made of plywood panels with a resin fiber fused to the surface. Commonly used in sign designs, because of its tough quality.
• Glass–glass applications can be found almost everywhere. This material is used as a canvas to apply graphics for signage and marketing purposes.
• Aluminum–A perfect material for any permanent outdoor sign, this material will not rust with tough enamel that will not flake or peel like other painted materials.
• Fabric- Printed fabrics are relatively new to the sign industry but are making a huge name thanks to digital printing. Fabrics can be printed for banners, awnings, flags and fine art, including canvases.
• Acrylic This tough, transparent, versatile thermoplastic is used in many applications, especially in visual communications, design and architecture. This material is also very resistant to shock, flexing, scratching and weathering, which comes in a variety of colors and finishes and is recyclable.
• Gator board is a hard but lightweight display material that has a thick inner foam core and a wood-fiber veneer exterior. It is water, scratches, and dent resistant. Thanks to its portability and toughness, gator board is ideal for signs that will need to be frequently moved around.
• The foam core is a thick, inexpensive, and super lightweight display material. It has a dense foam core sandwiched between two layers of thick matte paper. Because it is so low cost, foam core signs are a great option for temporary displays and presentations.
• Ultra-board is a heavy-duty, all-plastic panel used for vivid prints and high use displays.
• Vinyl and painted wall graphics –creative designs with bright and colorful details can be achieved using this material. They are adherent and can be applied directly to walls.
• Wood–Wood can be used when it is important to match the surroundings. But not only just woods, good quality wood can have excellent durability and looks high end.
• Textured wall coverings–or without the technicality, the ‘wallpaper’. It adds intensity and interest with a huge range of visually pleasing looks and feels.
• Steel and stainless steel–Strong, durable and versatile, this long-established construction material is made from mixing iron and carbon in the right proportions at high temperature, but other additives give it qualities.
• Stone–Whether a just a normal-looking stone or slate can be cut it to size and shape. Great for traditional architectural signage with natural surroundings, this signage also gives the feeling of permanency and solidity to any environment.
• Coroplast is ridged polypropylene with a limited exterior life. These materials readily accept stress0-sensitive vinyl graphics, screen inks, and digital images.
• Polycarbonate- this material is clear, shatter-proof plastics that provide more durability and more flexibility than conventional acrylic plastics. They are widely used for exterior sign faces in areas that are subject to vandalism. Polycarbonates are also used for light box graphics.

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The post What Materials Can You Print On? appeared first on Hackworth.

Here at Hackworth, we offer a wide variety of different sign and banner printing options. We can produce all different signage types such as back-lit, way finding, entrance, point of purchase, site signs, wall graphics, and window clings as well as ADA (American Disabilities Act) signs. With all these printing options, there are two ways of producing these signs: vinyl and digital print.

Each has its own advantages and disadvantages depending on what type of signage. However, in comparing how long they last in serving your business, you must know their differences.

Vinyl-made Signs
Vinyl is a kind of adhesive that can be cut into shapes and letters. It can be used in printing shirts, window and floor decals, vehicle wrapping, and many more. Vinyl can be made with materials that differ from one another, which means they can have different effects. Either way, they are made to withstand a range of environmental conditions. When using quality materials, most users look into a material’s longevity, and vinyl has just that. Although the sun can gradually fade vinyl as time goes by, vinyl-made signs are expected to last at least 5-10 years. However, it should be noted that while this time range may seem extensive, its lifespan will rely on the vinyl the user have chosen.

Here are the types of vinyl and their life expectancies:

• Calendared–this material is common and is recommended for businesses that do not require bigger printed materials; lifespan is about 3-6 years
• Cast–this is a much higher quality of the calendared type of vinyl; this material often has the longest life expectancy ranging from 5 to 12 years
• Metalized Polyester and Fluorescent–this vinyl material is designed for flashy ad decorative graphics which is why their life expectancies are not that long, and often last after 2 years

Digitally Printed Signs
Digitally printed signs can print color-specific, unlike vinyl that has its limitations when it comes to colors. It can print all the shades and fades of today’s complex designs. Despite that, when compared to the life expectancy of vinyl, digitally printed signs will not last as long. These signs usually last about 3 years, especially when exposed to the elements. However, you can add about 2-3 years of its life span when the sign is laminated.

Ultimately, your decision will rely on what kind of business you have and what goal you want to reach when advertising with these materials. Although one can clearly compare each other’s life expectancies, it is the goal of the user how long he or she intends to use the sign.

If you have questions please leave a message below or you can contact us today!

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The post How Long Does My Sign Usually Last? appeared first on Hackworth.

With millions of logo designs floating around today, how can one make sure that your logo stands out? There are many design resources you can take advantage of but you must understand the basics in order to get the most out of your branding. Here are tips that will help you develop a professional logo for your business or organization:

Play with the psychology of colors

Color attracts the human eye. Significant studies have been conducted about the value of color and how it affects the human mind. It has been proven that colors can provoke strong emotions and ideas when viewed by customers.

• Red – passion, danger, excitement, and love
• Orange – vitality and happiness
• Yellow – humor, energy, and optimism
• Green– health, wealth, freshness, and nurturing
• Blue – safety, trust, clarity, and serenity
• Purple – luxury, royalty, wisdom, and creativity
• White – purity, cleanliness, simplicity, and innocence

When designing your logo, design it with colors that work well together. The color palette of your logo design is also an important detail in making your logo unique. The colors of your design can carry meaning and can communicate ideas.

Explore the creative techniques

It’s almost impossible to create something that’s truly unique or original. Sometimes, without even knowing it, your idea has already been someone’s idea first. So before you finalize your logo, make sure your logo isn’t violating any trademarks or isn’t too similar to another logo.

One technique to consider is the visual double entendre, which is basically just a fancy way to call two pictures being wrapped into one through clever interpretation of a concept or idea. Logo designs that use this technique are a clever way to help your brand be more easily remembered. People are often intrigued by a hidden message or image  and are likely to appreciate a design because of it.

Another technique is the custom type logo. In making your logos unique, there’s nothing that can give you a more unique and creative feel than custom lettering. Custom type will help ensure a unique logo to avoid copying someone else’s branding. Also it can separate you from other companies that may use the same font that is readily available through design programs.

Consider the format

Perhaps you’ve designed your logo on a piece of paper or on a blank screen, and you think it looks good. But just because something looks good on a white background does not mean it will also look good on a shirt or other materials. During the designing process, experiment and see what your logo looks like on paper, on screen, on apparel, etc.

Know what it means

A good logo will always have a story. Beyond that pretty sketch of a bitten apple or a bird flying in an upward trajectory, a strong logo will always have meaning whether hidden or evident. Even if you come up with the meaning after you designed your logo, it is an effective way to communicate the message of your company visually. If you can design a logo that is not only beautiful but also meaningful, you’ll have a logo that will tie into the company’s core values and mission.

If logo design is beyond your skill level, we have a team of graphic designers who can help you with your logo creation. We can partner with you design a creative and unique logo that fits your company’s brand and mission. For more information, contact us today or comment below!

The post How To Design The Perfect Logo For Your Business appeared first on Hackworth.

Function, Not Form

Before getting too creative with your flyer, make sure that people would actually consider picking up and reading your flyer. Valuing function over form is important since people will look for relevant information on the business flyer before appreciating the art and creativity of how it is designed. Whatever it is your advertising, the information must be concise and striking for it to be effective. A few points must be recognized when designing a flyer with function:

• Prioritize important information
• Contact details like phone number, website, and email address must be easy to read and accessible to the eyes
• Do not put long paragraphs and provide concise information

Be Direct

Simplicity is the key. In some instances, designing a flyer with a rainbow of colors and a wild cacophony of fonts does not resonate well. You have to value the substance of your flyer without sacrificing your overall design. A minimal themed flyer works well in this way as it can deliver the message of the business flyer while maintaining a sleek, subtle, and calm aesthetic throughout. Stick to colors that look professional to the eye like gray, white, and black with an accent of an appropriate bold color of your choice. Be careful with color choices and combinations for it can easily wander into bland territory. Simple graphics will also add a sophisticated visual element to your flyer.

Color, Color, Color

We already emphasized the importance of color choices and schemes in designing a flyer. Should you go for a more calm color palette or go for striking and bold colors? Selecting an effective color palette in designing a business flyer can go a long way if done right. Aside from images and typography, the color of a flyer is a key element in determining the mood or personality of your business.

There are a lot of possibilities in color choices when it comes to designing flyers. A classic combination would be the black and white combo. It has a clean, minimal yet striking look when contrasted with a bold color. Some colors have moods associated with them; blue can have a calm and serene effect to the readers. Citrus colors like yellow or orange leaves a bright and energetic mood. Purple and violet often gives a royal or elegant feeling to the flyer. Color choices and palettes have a great effect in designing a professional flyer.

Need help with design? Not a problem. We have four full time graphic designers here to assist you. Call us at 757-545-7675 or email us today.

The post Quick Tips for Designing an Effective Flyer appeared first on Hackworth.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are roughly 260,000 graphic design jobs in the United States and that number is only expected to grow by 4% through 2026. The reason for the slower than average growth rate? Intense competition.

To stand out and get your work noticed, you need an awesome graphic design portfolio. But how do you narrow down all of your work to highlight the pieces you want to showcase?

Today, we’re sharing a few tips on how to create an effective portfolio that’s eye-catching and informative, so you can land the job of your dreams.

Ready to learn more? Let’s get started.

Be Ruthlessly Selective

Sure, it’s impressive to start from the beginning, when your designs were still shaky and amateur at best, and end with the pitch-perfect campaign you just finished. However, your interviewers would rather you cut to the chase and show them your all-star work from beginning to end.

When curating pieces for your graphic design portfolio, only choose the ones that paint your abilities in the best light possible. Skip any that you completed while “still in the learning process” and stick with your favorites.

Differentiate the Examples

A slick infographic is a great piece to add to your portfolio. Ten infographics back to back, however, can start to get a little monotonous. Demonstrate your flexibility and skill range by showcasing a variety of different types of designs you’ve created.

From print materials to digital marketing campaigns and myriad examples in between, try to include a variety of work types. Doing so will show that you’re not stuck in one niche and are interested in learning about different types of design.

Have an Online Component

In today’s Digital Age, every graphic design portfolio should have an online component. Even if you work primarily in the print design field, your employers will want to see that you’re tech-savvy. Plus, an online portfolio can be shared more easily and with more people than a print one.

There are many sites, like Squarespace and Cargo Collective, that are easy to use and make the transition an easy one.

Think about the Client

When choosing pieces for your graphic design portfolio, consider the type of work you’d be doing if you landed the job you’re applying for. Then, use that knowledge to help you narrow down your options and select the pieces you want to use.

Create Your Graphic Design Portfolio Today

That perfect graphic design job is out there waiting for you. Now, all you have to do is put your best foot forward and “wow” the powers that be. A gorgeous, smartly curated portfolio is the first right step forward.

While creating yours, be sure to keep us in mind. We deliver powerful digital imaging and printing solutions that can bring your designs to life. Contact us today for more information and let’s get started!

The post How to Create an Eye-Catching Graphic Design Portfolio appeared first on Hackworth.

One underestimated perk of having decals instead of traditional signs or mesh ones is that they draw the eyes into the store itself. Directing eyes inside makes it all the more tempting for customers to step foot inside.

Whatever your plans are for using decals, you should practice great design and execution. Here are a few ways that these decals can become a great advantage.

Flesh Out Your Brand

Custom decals and stickers are great for expression for the company. You can use them to say and explain things in plain English. Sure, a regular sign can send a message, but customers actually want to read decal prints because they stand out.

More Potential for Ad Space

Decals are not only great for your own storefront, they’re also great for just about any creative form of advertising. For example, you can make decals to go on bumpers, decal stickers for laptops, envelops, and more. Paired with some strong graphic designs, customers and non-customers alike will use your decals with pleasure!

Clear, Strong Text

High contrast text and graphics should be a priority in your decals. Legibility should always be chosen over the coolness-factor. Nothing fancy is really necessary for fonts, just keep it simple. Remember, this isn’t a billboard or a mural, but more of a tag or sticker.

Your message and/or graphics should be just as clear at five-feet tall as it is on a postcard. If you’re lost for ideas, research some basic signage design principles online. These are time-tested advertising ideas that never expire.

Portable Advertising

Your decals can quickly reach tons of new customers if you create small stickers and address labels. Personalize your communications by putting your brand’s address label on it. More people will become familiar with our business as letters exchange hands.

Decals can become business cards in a similar fashion. Put your basic info down on the back of a decal sticker or crafted into your logo. Order a whole bunch of them and pass them out at public events, bars, campuses, or wherever your demographic can be found.

Take things a step further, if you’re already an established business, and sell them online or at the store for a few bucks. People love stickers and your advertising budget just got bigger!

Ordering Custom Decals

Now that you’ve gotten the gist of just how valuable a few stickers can be on the window or on your desk, it’s time to start creating! Start brainstorming for ways to best incorporate your brand into a decal.

If you need any help with planning, prepping, or printing out your decals, feel free to contact us with any questions. Our expert graphic designers and branding gurus can take a look at what you have and help get your business noticed!

The post 4 Brilliant Tips on Designing Custom Decals For Your Business appeared first on Hackworth.

In reality, print advertising is more effective than ever. 56% of customers agree that print marketing is more trustworthy than online advertisements. An even more staggering 8 out of 10 adults took action after seeing a newspaper ad in the last 30 days.

Print ads still resonate with consumers amid the constant noise of online advertisements. These advertising mediums may cost more, but it’s clear that there is more value in these types of ads.

For small businesses, print advertising is the only way to reach their potential customers reliably. Use these print advertising techniques to get the most out of your advertising budget and turn readers into customers.

Direct Mail Advertising

When comparing direct mail advertising to email advertising, there is one clear winner. Emails get cluttered and deleted all the time. Mailing a brochure ensures that your potential customer will see your ad at the very least.

In fact, 73% of American customers prefer to get their ads in the mail rather than online. They can view the ad on their own time, so they’re more likely to give your company a chance.

Direct mail is still one of the most effective print advertising techniques available to small businesses. Most people look through their mail every day. They’re more likely to read an ad that comes in the mail because it feels more personalized than a simple email blast.

Creative Business Cards

Business cards are one of the most personalized forms of print advertising, especially for B2B companies. Printing an employee’s name on a card isn’t going to stand out from the pack, though.

Make sure your business card doesn’t get stuck in a pile or thrown away with the rest of the cards. Make your cards unique by including interesting graphics, odd shapes, or even magnetizing the card to heighten the chance a potential client will stick it on their fridge.

Target Your Audience

If you want any of your print advertising techniques to succeed, you need to know who is reading your ads. Small businesses need to spend their smaller advertising budget on a more specific audience to get a return on their investment.

Create a customer profile, then advertise in magazines and newspapers that these people read. Mail pamphlets or coupons to potential customers who used similar services or bought similar products.

For a print advertising campaign, you need to target the right audience, so you don’t waste your money. Print ads are still more effective than online ads for small businesses, but they won’t be if you don’t target them correctly.

Print Advertising Techniques

Online ads are great in some circumstances, but most of the time a print ad will engage customers at a larger rate.

Use these tactics to make the most out of your advertising dollar using the print medium. Newspaper, magazine, and direct mail advertisements may not get the same number of eyeballs as an online ad, but they’re more effective at driving customers to a particular company.

Check out our blog for more helpful tips for designing your print ads.

The post 3 Effective Print Advertising Techniques for Small Businesses appeared first on Hackworth.

The punch is in the logo. It needs to be memorable; to give a feel for what the company stands for.

It might seem like a lot of pressure to get it right the first time around, but even some of the biggest brands have tweaked their logos to achieve the iconic status they have now.

Decals are a great way to display a logo, and decal design is also of huge importance. It’s a fun way of advertising your business to potential clients.

Read on for decal design tips to successfully promote your business!

1. The Inception of a Decal Design: Color and Outline

Choose your design. Whether you’re designing it yourself or hiring a graphic designer, you’re going to play a part in the creation of your design.

Making inspiration and mood boards of other companies’ designs can be helpful to get an idea for the look and feel you’re going for. Bright, bold colors and higher contrast images typically go down the best as they grab attention most effectively.

2. Test Things Out

If you’re unsure about your color scheme, don’t be afraid to print out sample sheets to compare which decal designs and color combinations work best.

Dimensions are also very important, and of course, vary depending on the product on which you’re going to affix your finished decal design. Pay close attention to whether your design will literally fit its purpose.

3. Simplify Your Design

Big, busy decal designs with too much going on can be a bit of an eyesore, so try to keep your design as simple as possible. Avoid small print or lots of words and sentences.

The best bumper stickers and decals are catchy and to the point. People usually notice decals or stickers very briefly before moving on, so make yours memorable whilst not being too crazy. Wit and humor go a long way.

4. Keep Your Intended Audience in Mind

Decals and stickers as marketing tools are great, but you want to make sure your clients are going to take to them.

If you’re creating a decal design for laptop stickers or bumper stickers, you want to make them worthy of being stuck to someone’s possessions.

If it’s too corporate or boring, no one will want to stick your decal to their bumper, laptop, or tablet cover.

Get feedback from your audience. Engage them in the creative process to get an idea of how they perceive the brand. Do they connect with it?

If your audience likes your design and wants to display it, that’s free advertising for your brand.

5. Explore Shapes and Keep Stickiness in Mind

Beyond the design and color, you want to consider the shape of your decal. Rectangles are often the go-to, but don’t be afraid to experiment with more zany shapes.

You may have to pay a little extra to get a more quirky shape cut out, but ultimately it could be worth it if it makes your decal design more memorable.

Don’t be a square, or rectangle – embrace the beauty in bizarre and uncommon shapes. Triangles, hexagons, squiggly bubbles – test and experiment.

Think outside of the conventional box shape and find the frame that best suits your design. Also, depending on the purpose of your decal, adjust stickiness levels accordingly.

For example, nothing too strong that could potentially damage the surface it’s being stuck to. Make sure it sticks well, but not too permanently.

Get Designing!

Now go ahead and start designing!

If you have any more questions about professional design, printing, and where to start with your company’s decal, contact us so we can help.

The post 5 Decal Design Tips to Successfully Market Your Business appeared first on Hackworth.

Think about some of the most popular brands you know — you probably know what their logos look like, right? This is thanks to promotional design. You know you’re doing it right when customers immediately recognize your brand without seeing the company name.

Understanding the Basics of Promotional Design

Promotional design can range from posters and vehicle wraps people see in passing, to branded mugs and pens that people take home.

The purpose of these products is to build exposure for your business.

Having a branded company vehicle means that your message can be seen by just about anyone in the vicinity. For a service provider like a plumber or locksmith, it allows neighbors to see who they can call on if they have an issue.

Promotional products are more targeted since they’ll likely be used solely by the intended recipient. While it may seem more limiting, it’s a great way to keep yourself top-of-mind for that particular person, especially if it’s a product they’ll use every day.

Promotional Products Every Business Should Have

Once the paperwork is all finalized and your business is official, there are a few items you should get started on right away to build your brand.

Banners and Signage

Let people know who you are and what you do by investing in high-quality banners and signage. This is especially important for brick-and-mortar locations that have just opened, since people don’t often step inside buildings unless they know what to expect inside.

In addition to displaying your company name, you may also want to create some “Grand Opening” banners to build excitement and awareness. If your company is already established, helpful banners may include hours of operation and any major promotions or sales.

Business Cards

Once people walk through the door, give them a reminder of who they spoke to and how to reach them later.

This is especially important if you have a lot of walk-ins, who may not have much background with your business. Once they walk out the door, it’s easy to forget names and phone numbers. Make it simple by providing a business card with your promotional design.

Brochures

In addition to business cards, company brochures are a great way to share information and give people something to read after leaving.

If you plan on attending any trade shows or hosting open houses, brochures are a handy way to get the most accurate information to the largest audience, without taking up too much time.

And just like a business card, a brochure should include basic contact information so that interested parties can follow up when it’s convenient for them.

Getting Started Promoting Your Business

As you begin to play around with promotional design options, think about your company logo, colors associated with your brand, and the key messages you want to share.

You want the design to be interesting and engaging, but don’t let your mission get lost in the process. When in doubt, keep it simple.

Want some more pointers on which products will get the most attention, and what features your design should have? Feel free to contact us for more tips.

The post Why Every Business Can Benefit from Strong Promotional Design appeared first on Hackworth.

A lot of company literature never gets read. People are busy, and they face so much junk mail in their lives. You need to work to engage them.

Effective company brochure design needs to be innovative and fun!

Try some of our inventive ideas below to rethink your brochures and engage your audience.

Create An Infographic

If the purpose of your brochure is to communicate a large amount of information all at once, why not try an infographic approach?

You can turn the entire brochure into one large, running infographic, or break down the individual pages as suits your data.

This approach to company brochure design has a few big advantages:

• It’s eye-catching
• You can get a lot of data across at once
• It’s easy to read

It’s a great solution for when you have lots of data to communicate but are worried about your readers getting bored of it quickly.

Try Interactive Company Brochure Design

Why not try to actively engage your readers with your company brochure design?

There are many ways to do this, from the old-fashioned to the high-tech.

You could include puzzles, quizzes, or other games in your brochure. If it works for your company, you could even give readers a reason to take the brochure with them: for instance, a spotter’s guide challenge.

If you want something more modern, use the brochure to direct your readers to a website, especially one with a game or interactive data. This cross-medium approach is engaging, fun, and gives your readers a reason to hold on to your brochure.

Print advertising is still effective, but with digital marketing growing exponentially in recent years, it only makes sense to dovetail print and digital media.

Tell A Story

If you have a story you want to share, why not make that the focus of your company brochure design?

You can transform the brochure from a pamphlet of information to a miniature storybook. Consider approaching your story as if it were fiction. Build a real narrative, a journey the reader can follow.

The surprise and intrigue of a story engages readers. It gives them a reason to read the brochure all the way to the end to see the payoff, in much the same way a novel hooks us in.

Unlike a novel, you have the added advantage of imagery to accompany your text. Highlighting your story with engaging images makes it that much more effective.

Create A Journey

While we’re on the subject of narrative, try to create a sense of physical journey with your brochure design.

You can do this a few different ways, depending on the nature of your company. Break the subject of your brochure down into stages, as if someone is walking through the information. Each page of the brochure should be a new stage of the journey.

For instance, if you were advertising an exhibition, your first page could be about the main exhibition floor. What will you see there? Who can you meet?

You can then use the follow-up pages to talk about other halls and things to see.

These are just a few ideas (there are many more!) that you can use to get your audience reading your brochure.

Be sure to follow our blog for more tips and tricks about brochures, business cards, and all your other business printing needs.

The post The Best Ideas For a Company Brochure Design appeared first on Hackworth.

Your manual will serve as a go-to guide that walks the reader through a process and establishes standards.

It’s a document people can pick up to answer any questions they have and then quickly move on to the next task.

For this reason, it’s important to create an informative manual that helps the reader with a process in a clear way.

That’s why we’re offering some helpful tips on how to create a manual for your business.

Outline Your Manual

Don’t jump feet first into creating your manual.

You won’t know how to create a manual until you take a step back. Outline what the document will cover, such as the main topic and subsections.

This will provide a natural flow to your manual, which will allow a reader to easily make their way from A to B.

Consider the Reader

It’s important to gain an understanding of your reader before you write your manual. As a result, you can shape the content to their needs, and offer product knowledge they need to read.

One of the best ways to learn more about the reader is by watching a consumer use a product.

For instance, does he or she know to do with an object? Do different users approach a task differently? Does anything unexpected happen?

Once you learn the common pitfalls, you can provide the best solutions.

Write in an Active Voice

An active voice is much easier to read in your manual. What’s more, it will make the reader feel as though you’re by their side as you walk them through a process.

For instance, an active voice will make it crystal clear that it’s the reader who will need to complete an action.

Try to avoid writing in the passive voice, such as writing verbs that use forms of “to be”.

Talk to Your Reader

Not only should you use an active voice, but you should talk directly to the reader. Write “you” when writing your manual so they feel like you’re speaking solely to them.

This will reinforce the message that the information is for their needs. It also helps to avoid that troublesome passive voice.

Provide Clear Instructions

Whatever you do, you must aim to write clear and simple instructions. A user manual should help a reader complete a task in the quickest possible time.

To do so, you can write:

• Numbered lists to provide step-by-step instructions.
• A parallel construction for each step, such as “enter” or “select”, to provide action cues.
• The facts – avoid superfluous information they don’t need to know.

Use Visual Aids

Many users may respond better to visual aids over detailed information. If anything, images can enhance written communications. For this reason, aim to feature diagrams, screenshots, cartoons or photos.

The formatting of the supporting images should be consistent with your manual style. You could work with a graphic designer to create an attractive manual to complement a brand.

You must also keep the visual aids as short as possible to avoid overwhelming a user.

How to Create a Manual

Simplicity, imagery, and organization is key to creating a professional manual.

It’s essential to consider the reader and their problems, so you can provide a handy solution. Once you’re happy with your manual, return to Hackworth for professional printing services. Contact us today to discuss our options.

The post How to Create a Manual for Your Business appeared first on Hackworth.

Check out the below top five graphic design trends to ensure your business gets noticed for the right reasons!

1. Minimalism

Depending on your specific business’s branding, going for the minimal look may be appropriate. This type of design leads customers to feel soothed.

Simple, clean lines create calming vibes. Lots of open space, one or two colors, and simple functionality are the epitome of minimal design. Minimalist designs frequently rely on the color of green. Green is symbolic of nature, which is shown to soothe the human mind and lead to better health and happiness.

Other colors in line with the minimalist design trend include brick red, charcoal gray, shades of brown, maroon brown, and khaki.

2. Be Bold and Get Noticed

If a minimalist design does not suit your business, go in the opposite direction!

Using bold colors and bold graphic images are a great option to get noticed. Many brands find success using this trend to attract younger demographics. Choosing colors should be one of the first steps when planning the visual branding for your business.

Instead of safe colors like black, white, and gray, many companies have switched to loud colors such as magenta and chartreuse!

Try color printing signs or business flyers to bring people in your doors!

3. Typography – One of the Biggest Graphic Design Trends

Typography is a basic design element. Picking the correct font or fonts ensures that your content is interesting to consumers.

Using more than one font keeps the reader’s attention for longer periods of time. Using handwritten fonts and mixing more than one font are two huge trends right now.

Typography is also key to ensure your content can be read and easily understood.

4. Illustrations

Hand-drawn images replacing stock images is very popular among the current graphic design trends. Many businesses have icons for websites drawn by hand. Logos on business cards frequent have the classic illustrator feel.

Using customized, hand-drawn images creates a distinct business identity. These images also come with no worries about copyright issues.

5. Vintage

The past never really goes away. Vintage and retro make the list of top graphic design trends.

80’s inspired neon colors have been appearing on products from grocery stores to clothing boutiques. Using the nostalgia of an era is a sure way to get your business noticed.

Retro inspired patterns are also popular right now. So-called ‘modern retro’ takes inspiration from past days and breathes new life into products.

Geometric patterns and pixelated typeface and images pop up everywhere you look. Colorful triangles can create visual interest.

Choose one of these top graphic design trends to bring life and excitement to your business. Keep exploring until you find the perfect mixture of design elements to represent you and your business brand.

Do you have more graphic design trend predictions? Let us know in the comments!

The post 5 Graphic Design Trends You Need to Know for Your Business appeared first on Hackworth.

With an increased focused on simple, easy-to-read, and clean graphic design, could using this style be exactly what your company needs to get more customers?

Whether you want to update the look of printed materials or the design of your website, both are crucial parts of your branding.

Read on to find out why this is dominating 2017, and why it will stay on trend for years.

Wait, What Is Flat Style?

Instead of telling you what it is, it’s actually easier to tell you what it’s not.

Since it’s based in minimalism, it’s not skeuomorphic. This means that it’s not overly embellished, and it’s not supposed to look like anything out there in the real world. That means you won’t see life-like textures, excessive drop shadows, or reflections.

It’s also not 3-D. Flat style is all about two-dimensional shapes and letters – it doesn’t aim to create depth. Forget highlights and shadowing techniques.

Instead, this style focuses on usability and readability. This is great since research shows that visitors will quickly get off a site that’s not intuitive to use, making you fall in the rankings. People also want things that are easy to read!

Basically, these designs use bright but solid colors, bold fonts that aren’t overly flowery, and has a more minimalist vibe.

it’s all about de-cluttering the layout of your site.

To get a clearer idea of flat design, check out these examples.

What Are The Benefits Of Flat Style?

Flat style says you don’t need to rely on bells and whistles to make a sale. Instead, it suggests that users already know they specifically want to work with your brand – you’re not doing any selling here.

But that’s not the only benefit. This style can also convey your message faster, and make it stick.

This is because you’re not throwing tons of information out at once.

It also elevates your content and words. If you know writing is your strong suit, this design can direct user interest there right away.

It helps with branding typography. If your company has a specific font, this is the best way to help it stick in customers’ heads.

More Great Things About Flat Style

This design creates a hierarchy of information. Since your design is flat, where you place certain links and images on your pages and signs will help users more clearly determine what’s important.

We love that it’s compatible on both web and mobile platforms. This is because it’s easier to rearrange and resize depending on the device.

It’s also flexible.

Now, you don’t have to cram your content into a pre-arranged layout. Instead, you can focus on how to best show off your content on your own terms. This is especially helpful in promotional materials, where space is limited.

Finally, it makes your buttons and contact information look cleaner. Instead of a jumbled mess at the bottom of your web page or sign, a flat look can help things look crisp and well organized.

The World Is Flat

At least, the world of the gorgeous print and web design trend-of-the-moment is.

If you feel like your website or your promotional materials look cluttered, or that readers aren’t seeing the information you want them to, it’s time to flatten things down.

Looking for more invaluable design and industry advice?

Ready to take your print design to the next level?

Spend some time on our website, and feel free to reach out to us with questions.

The post How a Flat Style Design Could be Just What You’re Looking For appeared first on Hackworth.

Did you know the first Apple’s logo was a complex and clumsy engraving, WWF’s panda had eyes and the Starbucks logo contained a naked female? It’s impossible to explore the history of the world’s biggest brands without a smile, so enjoy tracking the chronology.

Apple

Looking at the first Apple’s logo, it’s quite easy to understand why the company did not seem promising. Not everyone knows that Apple was founded by three persons: two Steves (Jobs and Wozniak) and Ronald. The last invested in the company about $800 that was 10% of the initial capital. The first logo was twisted with almost a heraldic “Apple Computer & Co” tape. Steves and Ronald Wayne worked together for a two weeks, after which the last took the money back as he thought Apple was a too risky enterprise.

As for the Apple I, it was sold slowly, but only until Jobs decided to change the logo. Striped apple became the symbol of the brand for 23 years before changing into a monochrome and up-to-date one.

Wikipedia

Everyone knows the logo of the main Internet library – a set of puzzles-components of the planet. Each puzzle piece has one letter written on one of the world’s languages. There were all in all such 250 logos created and officially registered for each country.

But do you know the story of Wikipedia’s logo evolution? Primarily it was two-dimensional image of the planet on which there were inscriptions in different languages. In 2000 the first prototype of a modern Wikipedia’s logo was created. At that time each piece of the puzzle was painted in its own color.

As for the latest changes, in end of 2009, the Wikimedia Foundation has attempted to rectify the shortcomings of the logo, namely its poor scalability and some inappropriate symbols. The latest improvements were applied in 2010.

[thrive_text_block color=”red” headline=”Need Help With Your Logo?”] Contact our talented team of graphic designers that can take your ideas and turn them into reality. Call 757-545-7675 or email color@hackworth.co![/thrive_text_block]

WWF

Do you love pandas as much as WWF loves them? World Wide Fund for Nature logo wasn’t always so harmonious. Look at 1961 logo or at 1978 one: is it playfully falling on the front paws or just scooping the food? It took over 25 years for WWF’s panda to get rid of the clubfoot…and as the years passed, unfortunately it lost its eyes.

General Electric

The concept of General Electric’s logo remained the same for more than 120 years. The most crucial change was made in 1900 when the logo was encircled. The subsequent changes were just a matter of refining and modernizing of the floral ornament. There was also an unsuccessful attempt to fit a transcription, but it was completely abandoned as General Motors is a world-known brand.

The current logo was made in Wollf Olins by British designers that have added blue color and removed volume. GE also adopted a new slogan – “Imagination at Work”.

Nestle

You associate the name of the Swiss holding company with a bird’s nest, do you? Now it seems obvious, but not in 1866, when the brand was created by Henri Nestlé. The brand was simply called by the name of its founder and there wasn’t any background to show a nest in the logo until it was found that the word “Nestlé” is similar to English word “nest”.

As for the logo, it represented three nestlings and their mother until the researched showed that the most frequent number of children in one family is two. The unnecessary third nestling was thrown out. Quite sad story…but it’s the price logo had to pay to resonate in the hearts of far more number of mothers.

Adobe Systems

A great example of how design issues could be solved within a family circle.

In 1982, forty years old retired programmers John Warnock and Charles Geschke created a software-producing company. They named it after the creek that flows behind the Warnok’s house. Clear business that they had to save on everything they could. That was the reason they asked Warnock’s wife Marva to design a logo for their company. As time has shown, it was not the worst solution.

Google

Not so long ago, on September 1st, 2015, there was the last update of Google’s logo. This time the designers decided to make changes not just for aesthetic purposes, but also for adaptation to a variety of gadgets and devices. Today Google’s logo looks as simple as it’s possible.

Google logos history shows the development of its creators who introduced a few of truly innovative solutions like Doodles. Few people know that the first doodle appeared on August 30, 1998, the year when the company’s founders decided to leave the message to the public about going to the Burning Man festival. The first Google Doodle was different from its modern followers by the simplicity of design. While up-to-date Doodles are complex scenarios, the first one was drawn with a ballpoint pen man standing behind one of the “O” letters.

The other historic peculiarity of the logo is that it previously had an exclamation mark in the end. The corporation refused of it in May 1999 only, when the fourth official logo was presented. The design was comparatively sophisticated, with a Catull font and volumetric letters. Over time Google simplified its logo to the one that we see today.

We could continue this list by adding more than a hundred of famous logos. Each history is unique and has the right to be heard. In future articles we will consider some other interesting stories. Stay tuned amd feel free to contact DesignContest.com to share the amazing story of your company’s logo!

The post Logo Evolutions of the World’s Biggest Brands appeared first on Hackworth.

Well, graphic design in 2015 is set to follow these trends more than ever. Whether you live in Los Angeles, CA or Chesapeake, VA you’ll notice many of these graphic design trends hitting everything from the pages you visit on your tablet to the advertisements you walk past on your way to work.

Video Sliders

Full-length image slider shows have been a huge part of web design for quite some time, and it’s no surprise to see that this aspect of graphic design is only going to get more prominent. As full-width videos start to become the norm, and as media is used to introduce people to websites more and more, it’s no surprise to see that these enterprising methods are becoming the norm for startups and services all across the globe.

Time Repeating Itself​

Fashion trends are something that have always come back into style – but it looks like 2015 could herald a return to the 80s and 90s. Blocky, solid graphics and rather simplistic styles look to be the next way to go – with the height of modern technology, though, these designs are far more refined. You might find that new graphics, ads and clothing will resemble something that was around in the 1990s, but it’s going to look better than ever. ​

Less is More

Cleaner designs have become the norm for quite some time, and with website design especially this has really settled in as the way to go. Smaller extras, more concern on quality and getting the actual message across is becoming the focus more so than ever. Whether it’s a company website or packaging for a bag of chips, the approach of minimizing the fluff and making the design more relatable has really settled in as the path to go down for many graphic design teams.

Demand is Growing

The graphic design industry is one that already sees a high demand for qualified individuals, and there are plenty of opportunities for a designer to ply their trade. If you think that you could be a successful graphic designer, then you should really consider getting involved through college courses, internships and online training. There are many ways to hone your graphic design skills in 2015.

It’s safe to say that in the world of advertising and graphic design, 2015 is going to focus on clearly and concisely communicating brand messaging and awareness. The age of fluff and extravagance is over, and the age of customer satisfaction is here.

The post 2015 Graphic Design Trends appeared first on Hackworth.

Use the Right File Size

When a graphic design of any type is sent to a printer the files must be 300 dots per inch (dpi). Anything lower than this will need to be stretched; which will affect the quality of your design. ” As a side note, files from the internet are often only 72 dpi and therefore is discouraged for use in your print projects. This is a common problem print companies encounter. They cannot improve an image that has very small dimensions enough to make it look correct in the final print.

Trimming & Bleed

You will need to add a bleed if your design goes to the edge of the. A bleed will ensure that no unprinted edges show up in the final printed product. A bleed goes beyond the actual size of the graphic design file. This will help the printer produce an end product that is printed to the edges. The recommended bleed size is 1/8 of an inch. If you plan to utilize a bleed in your printed materials always make sure that your graphics and text will allow for this trim.

Print Size

Design your graphic design files to the correct size that you want printed. A printing company will only resize your project if they are asked to. For instance, if you have a design with the dimensions of 4.25”x5.5” and you ask for it to be printed as a 4×6” then you will get a print job of 4”x6. Otherwise you will get a 4.25”x5.5” finished product.

Print Colors

The graphic design and printing industries use two types of color modes. RGB mode (red, green and blue) are the colors used by your monitor to display images and text. The printing process though uses CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow and black). The RGB spectrum has a wider range of colors that cannot be replicated in print. If your artwork has RGB elements in it, they can be converted in programs such as Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator. For the best results, design your graphic design projects in CMYK mode.

Fonts

Convert your fonts to paths when you are submitting a print job to your printer. When you do this you will not have to send the fonts files you used with the files for your project. This is only needed in some types of graphic design programs like Illustrator or InDesign. Some, such as Photoshop do not need the fonts as they can be rasterized. However, you must remember that once they have been rasterized the text can no longer be edited.

By learning more about the graphic design and print process you can save yourself time and money by doing these simple things. Also, you can be sure that the design you have chosen will come out exactly as you had imagined.

The post Preparing Graphic Design for Printing appeared first on Hackworth.

Socialize

Entrepreneur recommends creating event-specific cards in small quantities. Your cards can be a directed call to action for a specific purpose. They can act as targeted advertising. Consider directing card focus to trade shows, specific download sharing or show-specific offers. At social events, distribute cards that invite partygoers to take a look at photos of the gathering at a microsite or on Facebook. Include other socially relevant sites on your cards, such as Pinterest and YouTube.

Dual Purpose

Multitasking your business card is another way to generate the kind of interest you’re looking for. Examples of ways cards can have alternative uses is as bookmarks, key chains, magnets, stickers, note cards and other conversation pieces.

Stand Out

You can create a bold look with a number of techniques, including bright color, glossy surface, textured surface, non-standard sizing and non-standard shape. One or more of these techniques can be combined for an unusual look that some may save just because of the novelty. An example might be a glossy oversized red card shaped like an elephant for digital storage services. It could be associated with a slogan such as, “We remember everything.”

Use Different Materials

This is one way your business cards can make a high-impact statement. An example is using material such as wood or vinyl for a business card representing a flooring company. An indestructible acrylic business card in a bold color will be difficult to overlook. A rigid brightly colored calling card might be the one that’s most memorable. Companies with a green or environmentally conscious ethic may choose recycled material while making a note of that on the card.

MomDot has some amazing examples of business cards that are completely startling and unforgettable. For example, there is the divorce lawyer’s card with a serrated edge down the middle so that it can easily be torn in half. Another example is an exquisitely simple leaf stamped with a grasshopper and a street address. Playing cards embossed with a stunning designer portfolio are yet another example of ingenuity and creativity combining to produce outstanding marketing in the form of a business card.

Choose just one of the above techniques, or combine them. When you think out of the box, people will notice. You need to generate interest to rise above the sea of the ordinary. Bring your imagination, ideas and enthusiasm to our  Color Department and we can turn your idea into reality. You will find the sky’s the limit on what you can achieve in effective marketing.

If you need additional help designing your cards or don’t have the time, contact one of our full time graphic designers at 757-545-7675. We’ll be glad to help.

What ways does your business card stand out? Tell us in the comments.

The post 4 Tips for Designing a Stand-Out Business Card appeared first on Hackworth.

Being a professional graphic designer it is necessary to keep up with the changing trends in order to get recognition for your art. The various aspects that determine a well designed poster or signage are the script used, colors used, material used for printing and so on. Below are some of the latest trends in the field of graphic designing, which have made their mark in the current time.

Hand Drawings Are Back

Remember how much we all loved hand drawn illustrations of circus and upcoming movies put up on street corners earlier. The concept has not died but reborn in the modern era, where hand drawn illustrations are effectively combined with digital art to make wonderful designs. The growing trend is catching up with commercial giants like Urban Outfitters, Ford, Nokia, and Microsoft as they appreciate the intricacies of the art. Experts acknowledge that this is the purest form of art and very hard to copy as is the case with other digital forms of designs.

Animated Cinema Graphs

This innovative new style of graphic design combines animation with still pictures to create unique and some times humorous graphics. This technique has gained tremendous popularity in recent times. These animated GIFs are a latest buzz across social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter, which are some of the best online marketing platforms for businesses across the world.

Big and Bold Is In

Many new artists in the field of digital art and conventional graphic design are opting for bold colors and big characters in their design. This trend is getting noticed and preferred as it displays the message in a simple but bold tone. Experts say the trend is particularly popular amongst the younger generation who can relate to the bold text and colors.

The Vintage Look

More than likely you have come across many pictures and graphics in various advertising and media platforms resembling themes from 20, 30 or 40 years ago. These vintage themes can be seen in applications such as Instagram, a popular photo app for smartphones. It proves that design elements and trends can return after many years of absence.

Short and Sweet

It is repeatedly said that a branding, logos and identities of companies should be simple, without any complicated designs. Simple designs tend to get imprinted in people’s mind better than complicated ones. More and more leading companies have stripped their existing logos to a minimal design and have introduced bright colors in order to communicate their brand more effectively.

Design trends come and go but one thing remains true, find trusted graphic designers to help communicate the message of your business. They can help you deliver a professional brand, logo and identity to the world. The easier it is for customers to understand your business the more customers you will have.

Between Hackworth and The Graphics Shop there are six full time graphic designers ready to help you bring your idea to life. Contact us for more information.

The post 2013 Latest Trends in Graphic Design appeared first on Hackworth.

Designing for a promotional campaign has multiple facets to it. Mostly it depends on the print media like posters, vehicle covers, stickers, news paper pamphlets and hoardings all conveying a message in favor of the parent company. But, in recent years, there is a steady shift from this trend to the virtual media. Companies are focusing more on conveying their message through website designs and social media platforms, which necessitates that the designer is well versed with the software and the technology used to accomplish just that.

If it is not possible for you to join a regular degree course on graphic design and related techniques, you can also choose an online course, which are provided by many institutes. The various levels of the course will be as such:

• Thorough understanding of the theory and the principles related to graphic design. There are few principles that govern the structure of any designing assignment. It is accepted that every assignment is different and it requires different levels of creativity in order to bring about magic through your designs but the underlined theory always remains the same.

• Learn to select color palate, texture and images: The foremost thing that you need to maintain in your design is the public appeal. Without crossing the boundaries of creativity, it is necessary that the design is eye catching and appealing to the masses, without affecting in anyway, the underlining message it carries.

• History of designing: This may seen to be a useless thing to study to most but without the proper knowledge of the developmental history of designing, it is impossible to explore your options and increase the boundaries of your creativity. Sometimes old is the new future and trends repeat every few year, so a strong hold will help you in the long run.

• The design process: As many professionals advocate that sketching is the best way to put forth a concept, the steps of a designing process should be thoroughly inculcated in you. In addition, with the recent advancement in virtual techniques in designing, the process has been modified to great extent. The knowledge and the working principles of the technologies and the latest software used will be an added advantage.

• Learn from the professionals: Designing is an everlasting learning process where you need to keep yourself up-to-date with the recent trends at all times. Continuous learning from the professionals in the field will help you judge your place and increase your creativity. Incorporating new ideas, if not always but sometimes by observing other’s work is not a bad idea.

The post What Education is Needed to Become a Professional Graphic Designer? appeared first on Hackworth.

In the 21^st century however there was an evident shift from the print media to visual or virtual modes of communication. Audiences can be targeted via emails and web pages more easily, therefore visual communication, also known as communication designing, is rapidly coming into the picture.

The branding of a company holds prime importance as it represents the public face of that particular company. Signs and messages can be printed and delivered in unique ways. This aims to catch the attention of the masses toward a brand in midst of the increasing competition. Mostly retail products engage in extensive branding, reaching out to selected clients for their particular products.

Graphic designers can serve a growing business in many ways. Some of the types of graphic design that a company owner should know about before indulging in any branding exercise are:

• Symbols and Logos: They primarily work as identifiers of the company’s brand, like the big ‘M’ sign for MacDonald’s, or the eaten apple sign for Apple. People relate to a particular sign more often than texts or pictures. Therefore designing an eye-catching symbol which can imprint itself in people’s minds for a long time is very essential. Usually it signifies the origin or the concept of the company which in time is synonymous to the company’s name itself.
• Type-based image: These can be used in cases where words are used to convey a message. This is better known as ‘tag lines’ for companies. The message is as important as the representation of the word in print. The text design and the color palette chosen to write the message can determine the popularity of such a message.
• Images: Designers often explore the boundaries of a written message and convert them into pictures and images which essentially mean the same. This art form is termed as typography, in which a designer uses photographs, fine art, and visual illusion to covey a text message. A designer can act as a bridge between the company and its audience, exploring and experimenting different possible ways to put across the message aimed at increasing the business of a company.
• Image-based designs: Images always tell more than words. Choosing the right image or graphic to go hand-in-hand with the enterprise’s interest is a critical task for the designer. Vehicle wraps or road dividers can be used to put up image-based messages which will catch the audience’s eye during their mundane daily routine. Catchy images which are able to make your audiences stop back and wonder can attract businesses from much unexpected sources.

These and many more modes of designing can help jump-start your business. In such competitive times standing out in the market is the biggest challenge for an emerging business. A good graphic design expert can increase the brand value of your company giving you various opportunities from many avenues.

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If you do not want to make mistakes follow these simple rules:

If there is too much written word on the page with, long paragraphs, these are called gray pages. Make sure your headers and sub headers stand out from the text, so that the reader can see instantly how the work has been broken down. Grab those reader’s interests without writing too much gray.

Make sure you allow for white space on your page. This will limit eyestrain and give the work an easy to read format, because it will be clear. Do not try to write too much in the one space or paragraph.

Another common mistake if you are not an experienced designer is mixing graphics. Try not to mix photos, line drawings or clip arts on the same page unless it really does give the page meaning. Sometimes it can give an unclear picture about what the text is really about.

Not only can you mix images that will break up the page, using too many pictures can have the same effect. Do not use to simply fill spaces. Give your images meaning on the page; after all, they are probably intended to sell your product.

What format would you choose? Will it be vector or raster? Vectors will not lose their sharpness when scaling, whereas raster’s do. Again, as with all image layouts; try not to overload the space and choose the formats wisely.

Why do people use so many different types of font in their work? Sometimes it is not necessary, because it can break up the intended meaning of the written text. Make sure you use formal and informal texts in the right context too. If you are using different fonts to make headings stand out, just try using the heading style that comes with your word product. These work just as well, and they do not lose the flow of the work.

Other problems that may be encountered are line spacing. This will be determined at the time of writing, depending on the theme or topic of the work. Try to match your line spacing with the font size, type of font and the length of the line. Everything should blend the same as the points above.

If you don’t have time to mess with the design elements right, Hackworth has three full time graphic designers ready to help you take your idea and bring it to life. Call us at 800-676-2424.

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I asked Blythe and Krissy specifically what they didn’t learn in graphic design school that would have been helpful starting out.

Krissy says, “I wish I had a little more in-depth concentration into the programs as in how to use basic functions and tools. It would have been very helpful if they specified how to do things like retouching photos in Photoshop. Hands on learning and every day usage have allowed me to become proficient in these areas today.”

Blythe adds, “I wish graphic design school would have covered more about shortcuts. We were shown what to do and how to do various designs and effects. I learned how to make a zombie – that’s great. What they didn’t do was show us how to shorten the time it takes to design. For instance, in Photoshop you can put everything to actions. Instead doing the individual steps of scanning, fixing the color and printing you can do it all the desired steps and then create an action that will replicate the steps every time you need them.”

For Krissy another asset that she would like to have had was a professional portfolio. “If I had finished school with a portfolio that could be presented in the real world, it would have been very helpful. Whether it was for acceptance in a four year school or something that would be given to a potential employer, a professional portfolio goes a long way. I didn’t even have a real portfolio. I put together whatever I could find.”

Communication is an important skill for a designer to have as they deal with clients every day. Blythe had this to say, “Another thing I didn’t learn at graphic design school was communication skills. You are basically taught how to speak Greek, but you are not taught how to translate it to the customer. Many times a client may use an incompatible program to layout their art or they may design something that they believe looks good, but does not utilize good color or layout practices. In order to produce something that will communicate their business message effectively I have to interact with them appropriately. This is not necessarily easy if you don’t know how to communicate properly with customers.”

In order to better serve a customer, graphic designers must always be learning and improving. Technology changes constantly and businesses don’t have time to keep up with it all. As a professional that helps others accomplish their goals, constant self-improvement in your craft will insure that clients will continue to work with you.

If you have any questions about designing marketing materials for your business, don’t hesitate to call Blythe, Krissy, Christie or Rita in our color department at 757-545-7675.

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Everyone wants their logos, brochures, flyers, etc. to not only have the right information but also to be eye-catching. Let’s face it the Rocky Mountain National Park gets a lot more visitors than the local cesspool. People are drawn to things that are designed well. So the challenge is to take that blank computer screen and create a design that speaks to people just as much as the words on the page. Without further ado, here are 5 tips for great graphic design directly from Hackworth’s Color Department.

1. Don’t use a screwdriver to hammer a nail. Use the correct tools for the job. If you are designing a brochure, do not lay it out in Microsoft PowerPoint. PowerPoint has it’s place as a presentation software, but if you want your printed material to present well you are better served using Quark Express or Adobe’s InDesign or Illustrator. Also, if you design much you will want to make sure you have a computer that can handle multitasking abilities. Waiting 10 minutes while your file saves is no way to insure a quick turn-around time.

1. Those acronyms do matter. When saving a file that you are designing you often will see an option to save as CMYK or RGB file. If you are designing for print you will need CMYK. As our Graphic Designer Krissy Kotvas said, “It is the ink language that printers understand.” Make sure you are speaking the same language so that you get the end product that you pictured in your mind. Printers cannot read your mind … yet. When designing for the web, use RGB as that is what the web is optimized for.

1. No more than 3 fonts, please. Visually, a reader can easily be distracted when they encounter a design that is using too many fonts. The last thing you want is for your reader to be assailed by a cornucopia of fonts that leads them to discard your collateral. You want them to focus on the overall message of your design and eventually take action. Make your design fontastic not funktastic.

1. White space is your friend. White space is the helpful space that you leave between design elements. A good design is not too crowded and allows for visual clarity. When the design elements are too close together it can make the information hard to process. Leave room for the images, graphics and text to breathe so that your message is easy and painless to understand.

1. Check your settings. If you are using effects in your document, make sure they are set properly so that the output is the one you desire. For instance, when using raster effects for printing make sure that resolution is set at medium to high. A low setting will cause pixelation in the printed file and generally makes for a cruddy looking graphic. Nobody wants that.

These tips are a great place to start when you are designing materials for your business, organization or for your missing cat. Thanks to Christie, Blythe and Krissy in the Color Department for their input. If you have any more questions about design or color printing give them at call at 757.545.7675.

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