Typography is a key element of any graphic design. I would say that is the element. Can be designed using only good and properly typography. You do not need nothing else, the rest usually straw. However, outside the realm of graphic design, is a known issue and is not given the importance (hence the designers there, right?). Improper use of fonts, use fonts “prohibited” use default fonts, make people’s eyes bleed that gives minimal importance, and it does not take an expert to avoid these common mistakes. Any computer contains hundreds of pre-installed fonts to choose from and there are dozens of websites with thousands of free fonts, just some minimal knowledge and aesthetic taste.
This infographic intend to explain the basics of typography and disseminate “best” ones that always work without very complicated life. A short walk through this fascinating world.
Even though the ampersand is a rather simple character, it has plenty of scope for creative expression. You can experiment and play with it til your heart’s content. This is the primary reason why we often see innovative designs of the ampersand symbol.
In this gallery, we have collected some of the most innovative and & beautiful designs of the ampersand symbol.
Responsive design has recently become a buzzword, and for good reason: it captures the idea of displaying your content beautifully on each and every device. Responsive typography has also received attention, and various techniques have emerged to encourage type legibility across devices: like displaying different font weights to compensate for Retina displays.
Now, an experiment by web designer Marko Dugonjić has taken the concept of responsive typography to a new level: using face detection, Dugonjić calculates the proximity a user is from his or her screen, and then adjusts font size accordingly.
As my mug approaches the screen, text gets smaller.
Of course, this isn’t an exact science; there are varying opinions on how large body type should be for proper legibility, and the eyes of the user plays an important role (that’s difficult to calculate).
We’re particularly interested in seeing Dugonjić’s ”on load” setting in action, which calculates the proper type size once (on load) and then sticks to that size indefinitely. Dugonjić also created a “realtime” setting, which adjusts the type dynamically as the user moves away from the screen.
See it for yourself via the link below, and feel free to share how you think this tech should or shouldn’t be used on the Web!
A very talented graphic designer Kapil Bhagat from Mumbai created a series of minimalistic posters, for India’s National Science day, to pay tribute to scientists and their amazing discoveries.
The posters highlight the names of the scientists, with each indicating a clue on what they were renowned for. Hope you will enjoy the creative work of talented designer.
Typography is a crucial component of great designs involving text, so knowing as much as you can about it is an important step to becoming a great designer. This roundup of infographics will help you discover new and interesting things (as well as reinforce and reiterate stuff you already know) about typography.
Click the Go to Source link under each infographic to navigate to the source of the infographic and to see the larger version provided by the creator of the infographic.
Did you know that Israel is the source of the most expensive typefaces? Or that Helvetica has 111 different styles?This information-dense infographic reveals a ton of interesting facts about typography.
UrbanFonts released a neat infographic that explains the differences between serif and sans serif fonts. You’ll learn when to use one over the other as well as examples and web usages. Let us know what you think!
The premise is simple. You get a no frills weather report, presented in a way most designers will approve of: a profanity set in striking Akzidenz-Grotesk.
You get the weather, and a reminder that you can always look outside
With a bold use of typography and colour, accompanied by a large helping of humour, Tobias could have a hit on his hands (if it ever gets approved by Apple!).
The option to share reports with a quick swipe, and pinch to reveal temperature details also has us intrigued.
Swipe to share: when the weather news is this good, why wouldn't you share it?
The art of logo design is littered with pitfalls. We reveal the biggest mistakes to avoid, in order to guide your design to logo glory.
Whether you’re a novice with just a handful of clients or a creative director, there are certain pitfalls every designer should avoid when creating logos. And with so many now socially sharing and scrutinising your work, designers must be extra vigilant to avoid falling into these traps. Here we've provided a run-down of the most common 10 to avoid...
01. Slavishly following trends
This VH1 logo was bang on trend when it launched 10 years ago, but looked very dated by the time it was replaced in January this year
Choosing to design your logo based on current trends is likely to leave your logo looking dated and out-of-touch as soon as the trend dies out, not to mention making you look slightly amateur.
Rather than choose the popular flavour of the month, think about what's more likely to have longevity for your brand. For example, the current logo of the BBC (shown below) has been around since 1997, yet still has not become dated.
The current BBC logo is now 16 years old and still looks fresh
02. Overdoing colour
The logo for the Polish Presidency has been criticised for using too many colours
Overdoing colours will not only make your design busy and confusing but also make it difficult to translate into monotone, which you’re likely to need at some point. Try to keep colours under a maximum of four and if your client requests lots of colours, try to use logical combinations and remember colour psychology.
03. Failing to make the logo transferable
This logo for Brooklyn Public Library was replaced earlier this year - partly because it didn't reduce down well on mobile devices
Keep in mind that your logo will need to be transferrable across a range of different mediums. Make sure that the colours, size and overall design will work on printed materials such as signs and T-shirts, as well as across various technology touchpoints such as websites and mobile sites.
04. Poor font choice
Deciding which font to use is hugely important and a significant factor in shaping your brand identity. If designing your own font proves to be too tasking, ensure that the off-the shelf version is first of all appropriate for logo use and secondly, appropriate for your brand. Remember, fonts are also subjective to trends so try and avoid the logo font-of-the-moment, which is likely to leave your logo looking tired in a matter of a few years. Also try to avoid choosing logos that look similar to Microsoft Word Art.
05. Copying other logos
Chinese car company BYD's logo looks a little familiar...
During the early stages of creating your logo, be very careful of copying, either deliberately or subconsciously, other brands. Having a logo too similar to someone else, especially a competitor, will both devalue your design and make you forgettable to your audience. The purpose of a logo is to make your brand stand out in the crowd, so differentiate yourself from the rest.
06. Using stock art
If you're thinking about turning to a stock image site to form the backbone of your logo, don't! The purpose is to create a logo that’s unique to a brand, which you’re unlikely to do if you’re using an image that’s done the rounds. Also, using stock images is more than likely to leave you looking cheap.
07. Too many fonts
Two examples of logos that use too many typefaces
A major, and surprisingly common, mistake is using too many fonts and font styles. Along with making the design look overly busy, the use of multiple fonts can also distort your brand identity and make it difficult for the audience to understand the message you’re trying to convey.
08. Overdoing special effects
Mobile phone company 3's logo is beautiful - but consider how easy it is to transfer such a logo to different media, sizes, etc
Similarly to overdoing colour or excessive numbers of fonts, using special effects is also likely to confuse your design. Additionally, consider again how your logo translates to greyscale and other mediums. It’s unlikely that using these techniques will leave your logo standing out from the crowd.
09. Being too abstract
This redesign of the University of California's logo was withdrawn after mass protests
Whilst you don’t want your logo to be so bland and ordinary that it’s easily forgettable, you also don’t want to be so left-field that it both confuses your audience and misrepresents your organisation. Aim to strike a personal balance that will grab attention for all the right reasons.
10. Using pixelated images
Using pixelated images is likely to lead to headaches. Design software that use raster images won’t allow you to enlarge your image without it becoming pixelated, nor will you be able to post it on a web background colour without first changing it to a .PNG file. Instead opt for vector graphics that maintain consistency across varying mediums.
