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Dave Pugh

Aug 28
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Do Your Research and Achieve Design Greatness

By Web design

When creating a website it is important to thoroughly research EVERY other site in that industry, it’s not good enough to let your client do all of that, a certain responsibility must fall on the designer, to see what’s out there observing with designer’s eyes.

There are several reasons to do this, and while I was at university I never fully appreciated the importance of it, I dismissed it as “I want to create something original, I don’t need to see what is out there” This was a very ignorant attitude which I soon realised. Since being in the real world and doing this for 9 years professionally, I really know the importance of it, here are the main reasons.

You must understand the visual LANGUAGE of the industry you will design your new work into.

It’s important to see the main competitors, their styles and make sure you don’t accidentally create something very similar, or use the same stock photography. This can lead to claims of plagiarism.

You must design something that will be BETTER than them, and to do this you must first need to know the standard you are up against.
Your client can help you as well, identifying the main industry leaders out there and sending you links to artefacts they aspire their own business to compete with.

landscape graphic design for Top Gear USA poster

Breaking the Rules?

To Break the rules first you have to UNDERSTAND the rules, you have to identify which conventions you must keep in place, and which can be bent or borrowed from other sources of inspiration.

It’s great to think outside the box, but first you must know where that box is, how big it is, what might it look like, and why is it even there in the first place… THEN you can start to think outside it and push the boundaries of it to achieve something unique and inspiring.

Aug 28
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Dave’s A, B, C of Web Design

By Web design

A

…is for Aesthetics.
The website has to LOOK GOOD, it must entice, like a shop window display. Good photography is key to achieving this, nice layout, a professional look. It needs to look like time and care was put into creating the web masterpiece before them, and if so, the customer will also want to invest in it and will trust the quality of your product.

 

B

…is for Browse-ability.
The average time spent on a website is often no longer than 7 seconds. In that period can the user get to what they want? The user is very unlikely to READ your text, just notice the BIG BOLD WORDS, like TITLES, HEADLINES, so this needs to the important stuff. If the user cannot browse and quickly find what they want, they will click off in less than 5 seconds. By the way, congratulations on reading this far, you are indeed a special user, less than 6% of all the people who have ever clicked onto this site, have read this much text.

 

C

…is for Compatibility.
The big thing that your site needs to be compatible with is GOOGLE above any other search engine. Getting to the front page of Google is the holy land for any site, and there is no magic formula to get there. What David Pugh will do is make your site compatible, using experienced Search Engine Optimisation techniques that will give your site the best chance for your targeted search terms.

Aug 28
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The fall of flash

By Web design

My first web design for this site used a Flash Gallery to display the main bulk of my portfolio work in one glance. I adapted a piece of stock Flash from Flashmo.com and created thumbnails and larger images for all of my work to display. The gallery looked spectacular, rolling around the screen in an arc/3D wall which was reactive to the user’s mouse movements.

The problem came when iphone and ipad became more and more popular. Clients and agencies were using these technologies to view my work and when they came to the crucial portfolio page they saw a replacement holding graphic. This would not do! Despite how much I loved that revolving gallery, I needed to be cutting edge and compatible with everything out there, also I did not want to just re-use a tired, old jquery plugin that has been around for 10 years. I commissioned a Jquery programer to create from scratch, a new plugin for the gallery/portfolio, and the result is the portfolio page you see on this site now.

ipad and phone

Adobe brought out edge animate a couple of years ago, and that software has really helped designers like myself to get to grips with jquery and create simple animations and interactivity without the need to know masses of coding.  Tutorials are available online, free on youtube, and other sites also provide masses of information on the software to get you started.

I still love flash and think it is an amazing program, indeed, you will see the tops of all of these pages decorated with flash animations (providing you are not looking at me on an ipad or iphone!) The difference now is that I use Flash for purely decorative purposes, and not to any crucial navigation or functionality. These is also an amazing technique you can use in flash to create animations from film, tracing film frame by frame, a technique known as rotoscoping.

I have always had a passion and fascination with the moving image, and although jquery has some great potential, I am hoping Flash makes a strong comeback with Apple and Adobe putting their differences aside for the good of the user.

Aug 28
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Working on Skype

By Web design

Working on graphic design projects through Skype Screen Share is a lot easier than you think.

These days it is possible to have a working relationship with a client and never actually meet them. I have a number of clients based outside London, and some outside the UK who I work with on a weekly basis.

demographic of graphic design enquiries

Free internet calling through skype has been around for a while, but recently Skype introduced the screen share function and this adds a whole new level of interactivity with a client.

I can upload my screen that will show Photoshop or Illustrator with their artwork, we can make changes and the client can see designs evolve in real time.

It’s a great benefit to both parties, and it forms a closer working relationship that can only be matched by actually being in the offices and looking at the same screen (which of course is not always possible, is time consuming and can be expensive)

I have clients in India, San Francisco, Miami, France and Ireland that I work with in this way and it has transformed projects and working relationships for the better.

Aug 25
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What to Consider for Logo Branding

By Logo design

A logo is a graphic mark, emblem or symbol.  Logos are used by both commercial organisations and individuals, to aid and promote instant public recognition.  They can either be purely graphic i.e. symbols/icons, or composed of the name of the organisation or individual.

Tulum Logo Design

Before starting the process of designing a logo, you need to have developed your brand strategy.  Many people believe that Logo Branding is their “branding”, however a logo is only one small piece of the puzzle.  Without the correct strategy behind it, a logo can convey the wrong message.  Not only can this weaken your strategy, failing to keep your brand message consistent, can have a negative impact on consumer recognition.

oshy logo design

When it comes to Logo Branding, the most important thing that you need to ensure, is that there is a strong association between your brand and your logo.  Your logo should reflect both professionalism and growth, regardless of the size of your company.

Like many other aspects of marketing it is possible to design your own logo, however the majority of people tend to use a graphic designer.

There are a large number of graphic designers offering Logo Branding services.  The question is, which one is right for you?

Greenflo Logo Design

It’s not easy choosing a Logo Designer in London.  There are thousands available online, however only a handful are worth the money.

One of the most important things to consider when making your choice, is how good their past logos have been.  Try not to be fooled into thinking that a company with hundreds of examples on their website, is better than a designer that only showcases a few.

How the designer communicates is another important aspect that you need to consider.  With so much being done on-line, it is becoming increasingly less common for clients to meet face-to-face with their designers.  If you prefer to meet with your designer, it makes sense to choose a Logo Designer in London, close to where your company is based.  After all, London is a big city.

student of the year mtv logo design

It is also worth asking your shortlisted designers what other services they can provide.  Many designers offer very competitive rates for both additional work, and continued design support.

Lastly, check out whether or not the designer has any client testimonials.  Sometimes, a portfolio can tell you all you need to know, however there is nothing nicer than hearing what another client thought of your prospective designer.

Aug 18
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7 Reasons to hire a Freelance Graphic Designer

By Graphic Design

When it comes to outsourcing graphic design, the majority of companies head straight for an agency. Whilst this suits some companies, there are many benefits associated with hiring a freelancer.

Cost

The average freelancer doesn’t have anywhere near the overheads, an established agency has, as many work from home. Even if they do have an office somewhere, it’s likely to be much smaller, and have no staff. Generally speaking, these cost savings get passed down from the freelancer, to the client.

Simplicity

Agencies obviously work for lots of different clients. More often than not, they also have a couple of “flagship” clients, which demand lots more time and effort. Agencies will always find a little more time for these clients, opposed to their smaller ones. Freelancers on the other hand, tend to work from project to project, or have only a small number of projects active. This allows them to place more focus, on the ones that they are working on.

Flexibility

Freelance Graphic Designers work incredibly hard to compete with design agencies. They also tend to work outside of normal hours, and during weekends, providing you with greater flexibility. If you need something urgently, you have more chance of getting a response from a Freelance Graphic Designer out of normal hours, than you would an Agency.

Communication

If you use a design agency, you generally get allocated an Account Manager. They act as your main point of contact, and liaise with the designer on your behalf. By working with a Freelance Graphic Designer you benefit from one on one communication. Not only can you talk about what you are looking to achieve, nothing gets lost in translation.

Speed

Dealing direct with a freelancer, generally means that your project will be completed more quickly. With no need to go through third parties, getting your requirements implemented, and changes actioned, takes far less time.

Fresh Creativity

Using the same agency time and time again, will likely fail to produce new and creative results. Hiring a freelancer can bring a fresh pair of eyes to everything, and breathe life into your project.

Expectation

One of the big advantages, associated with hiring someone who does Freelance Graphic Design, is you get to see the work, they alone have worked on. An agency on the other hand, will provide you with samples of work, from multiple designers. Unless you like all the designers in the portfolio, you could end up being assigned a designer, whose work you were less keen on.

Aug 12
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Why you should consider hiring a professional Graphic designer in London?

By Graphic Design

Business owners have a host of concerns to attend to during their day-to-day workplace activities, so they may be tempted to overlook the need for proficiently crafted graphic designs. What they fail to understand is that graphics portray visual messages that can either boost or harm your business.

The first step to recognition in any business is perception. If businesses to not offer their full attention to the power of graphic design and branding, they may pay for it in future. For instance, launching a business with a poorly designed logo will undoubtedly cause your brand to be associated with low quality products or services.

graphic design london

It is critical that any new brand gets it right from the very beginning, and build its business on a solid foundation from which it can scale and develop successfully. But to achieve this, you need a skilled London graphic designer, who is both creative and passionate, to get your distinct message across and establish brand position in the market place.

When to develop your own graphic presence

Business owners are not ignorant of their competitors, so it is only a matter of time before they realize how pervasive branding and design really are, and fully appreciate the need to have their own professional look and style. You need to hire a skilled graphic designer in London if:

  • You do not have a business logo
  • Your logo is just on your business card and other occasional materials
  • You have outgrown your logo
  • You want to create a website
  • You intend to launch a new product or service
  • You are organizing a marketing campaign
  • You are not convinced that all your company materials portray the same business message

These are just some of the numerous applications of a graphic designer’s talent. Hiring the right designer can yield a remarkable difference to your business’ image.
So, how do you find an expert designer?

Many professional graphic designers in London are trained to be able to entertain, persuade, inform, organize, direct, and attract the attention of an audience with their designs. They combine art, technology, creativity, experience, and the strategic placement of text and images to create quality designs that communicate the intended message. While all of them claim to be skilled in what they do, the decision to work with a specific designer is usually motivated by the recommendations of friends and colleagues. They are great sources of vital designer information, including their performance, creativity, pricing, and reliability. Such information is hard to obtain from an anonymous search.

So, once you have a list of prospective designers, you may want to examine their portfolios, education, styles, experience, references, and price, and determine if:

  • You love their style of work
  • Their work is creative, different from the usual
  • Their work is professional-looking
  • The colours are pleasant
  • The designer works has multiple styles to fit a variety of industries
  • The designer’s style fits your industry
  • The designs convey the message in each and every piece

In design, much of what clients like or dislike is subjective, which may pose unique challenges when trying to rationalize that a certain piece or design is good. Picking a graphic designer in London is ultimately a matter of taste, so you have to make your ideas and business objectives known to them, to get the results you desire.

Aug 04
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4 Phrases that get every Freelance web designer excited to work with you

By Web design

Many businesses start with a less than ideal website, but they eventually get to a point where they need a professional online appearance. Unfortunately, getting a website is not as simple as buying office consumables. Business owners and graphic designers do not necessarily speak the same language, and it can be challenging to produce the exact, desired outcome. On the positive side, you do not need to know all the vocabulary and technical stuff to work with your freelance web designer.

Ideally, you should be able to visualize the final output of what you want, before sitting down with your web designer. The role of the designer is to raise questions that refine your idea, but the quality of the end product depends on how coherent your meeting is. So, you should try to be specific with your feedback by using phrases such as:

What do you recommend? While you should have a clear vision of what you want, you can inspire your freelance graphic designer by showing him or her that you value his/her opinion. Instead of commissioning them with your deliverables set in stone, it is essential that you give them some time to think about the project, and make their contribution. It may take a couple of days for them to offer their recommendations, but you will probably be amazed by the ideas that top designers come up with.

 How and when do I reach you for progress updates or other inquiries? It can be hard to reach some web designers on phone, yet there are some who prefer it. Some may be willing to talk to their clients at unusual hours, like at 10PM, while others dedicate specific hours to work-related calls, like 9AM to 5PM. So, before you start the project, it is essential that you know how and when to contact your graphic designer, and try to accommodate it. There will be less mix-ups and your designer will enjoy working with you, which will translate to greater quality work.

 How much time will the project take? Asking the designer how much time they need to complete a project tells them that you expect quality work, and you know that good work takes time. New projects typically take longer than subsequent design jobs because it takes time to invent the “look” of your business or company from scratch. The design process involves a lot of thought and revisions, which take time. If you are patient, you can be amazed by the results.

 This is the target audience, this is the information you need, and this is the objective! Websites need good and relevant content and any designer will be happy to work with a client who has all the necessary text and photos well organized; knows their target audience; and communicates effectively the general objective of the project. It is also important that you have a clear approval process in place, while giving the web designer enough room and flexibility to do their best work.

These phrases can help to ensure that your relationship with your freelance graphic designer remains positive throughout the duration of the project, and that the results of the work are as desired. It is important to participate and offer guidance, without being overly domineering, to allow room for creativity.