LLB Designs » Design 101

Correspond: Letterhead and notecards

LLB Designs — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 14:30:35 +0000

While a lot of traditional business memos, letters and the like are now replaced with e-mail, the need for custom letterhead does still exist. The good news is that long-gone are the days where young businesses had to shell out hundreds of dollars for thousands of sheets of letterhead. Digital printers can handle smaller quantities at very reasonable prices. Others take it a step further and create soft-copy templates in Microsoft Word, which gives them the ability to either distribute electronically or print in-house on an an as-needed basis. Custom letterhead with your company’s look reinforces your branding, so look for opportunities to use it: invoices, fax cover sheets, thank you letters…all great ways to remind people who you are and what you do.

And speaking of YOU, do you have personal stationery as well? Notecards, with either your name or that of your company, are a great way to add a personal feel to your business. Sending a quick hand-written note to thank someone that referred business to you, re-introducing yourself to someone you met at an event or congratulating someone that is celebrating something exciting is a perfect opportunity to show that you genuinely care.

Logo logic

LLB Designs — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:30:41 +0000

When setting out to establish a brand for a new company, one of the first key elements to tackle is the logo. And while a logo is not the entire brand of a company, it is one of the most important pieces. A logo should be used consistently as a signature on just about everything a company produces: product labels, marketing materials, advertising and websites. And don’t forget other, less obvious places such as invoices, e-mail signatures, avatars and shipping labels. Anytime a company is communicating with customers or potential customers is an opportunity to reinforce the name and brand — take advantage of it!

A good logo has flexibility. It is easy to read at any size and works well in black and white, as well as color. It should also say a bit about the company image through the design: is it classic and clean cut? Modern and edgy? Stylish and fashion-forward? Don’t expect the logo to say too much (that’s what the rest of the collateral and messaging is for), but do be sure it reflects the overall spirit of the company at a glance.

Colorful language: RGB vs CMYK

LLB Designs — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 15:30:41 +0000

Ever scratched your head and wondered what the difference is between RGB and CMYK? And what are those Pantone things, anyway? We were all geared up to tell you, but it turns out the fine folks over at Designer Today have this one covered! This concise but informative little article breaks it all down with great high-level definitions and explanations:

http://www.designertoday.com/Articles/5946/Color.Models.in.Graphic.Design.aspx

As a basic rule of thumb, opt for RGB with online applications and go the CMYK and/or Pantone route for projects that will be professionally printed. But of course, every job is different so be sure to ask your printer or designer if you find yourself in a color conundrum. After all, we can’t always be expected to color between the lines…

Try it on for size (a guide to envelopes)

LLB Designs — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 23:15:11 +0000

Without a doubt, the number one rule when designing an invitation or a direct mail piece is to start with the envelope size and shape. Many a sad first-time designer has designed and printed a gorgeous piece only to find out that it’s a non-standard size and that matching envelopes just don’t exist. And as having custom envelopes made is crazy expensive, this is a problem to avoid at all costs! Fortunately it’s a lesson quickly learned and an easy fix: choose on an envelope size first, and go from there. There is a pretty wide range of standard sizes out there, in tons of great colors. Paper Source, Envelope Mall and Envelopper, Inc. are three of my favorite envelope venders. And don’t forget to double check with the post office for postage requirements as well. Square envelopes, for example, require more postage than a standard rectangle.

Score! (a guide to paper folds and scoring)

LLB Designs — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 23:12:24 +0000

Scoring is another paper-centric word that pops up pretty often. Scoring is simply the process of adding a crease to a sheet of paper or cardstock so that it folds more easily. There are simple, inexpensive hand-held tools made for scoring and then there are also machines (around the size of a paper cutter) that take on larger jobs with less elbow grease. Adding the crease helps to keep the paper and ink from cracking, giving the piece a smooth, professional finish.

Scoring is a big help with all types of projects from a simple bi-fold to the more complicated French folds and accordion folds. People love holding and handling paper, especially when it has some sort of interesting construction or shape. Often a little creativity with the paper folds is an inexpensive way to squeeze a lot more visual interest into your piece without a lot of money. Score!

Do you want bleeds with that?

LLB Designs — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 22:02:04 +0000

Often one of the first questions a designer will ask when discussing a new project is “Do you want the piece to bleed?” Huh? Paper can bleed? Should it bleed? The answer is yes! And maybe. Bleeds simply refer to the ink or printing running (aka bleeding) all the way to the edge, rather than leaving a thin white border. Most printing machines can’t print all the way to the edge of a sheet of paper (although the technology is getting close!). So to create say, a flyer with a bleed, you print it on a bigger sheet of paper, and then trim it down the final size you want. Pieces with bleeds often have a more professional look, so for many a project it is definitely the way to go, in spite of the slight increase in production time and costs. But it is worth noting that beautiful pieces can be designed with no bleed required, so definitely keep that in mind, particularly when working with a tight budget.

To bleed or not to bleed?

Pros: definitely a much more professional look, with more design and layout flexibility

Cons: a bit more costly, when you add in the larger paper size and the trimming time