Up to the Light, in association with the DBA, conducted 455 telephone interviews with design clients to produce the What Clients Think 2017 report. It's an interesting an insightful read for anyone in the industry. The first thing that stood out was that most clients don't actively follow their designers on social media....
A while ago I had the pleasure of being interviewed for the second edition of The Essential Guide to Business for Artists and Designers, written by my lovely client, Alison Branagan. Today I received my copy of the book and it's a must-read – and not just because I'm in it :)...
It turns out, there are a lot of ugly CVs being used out there. When I was hiring designers a couple of months ago, I received an influx of resumés. Most of them were like works of art. You can imagine – eager designers keen to make an impression. Some were a little bizarre, but most were great. Designers have a real knack for effectively conveying information in a visually appealing way....
This month I completed my first real estate WordPress website that fed the agency’s listings through from realestate.com.au. There are many real estate WordPress themes and plugins out there, but not many that can automatically import listing data from Australian real estate portals. The solution......
This month's Sexy Fonts post is a handwritten calligraphy special. This kind of typeface is used everywhere at the moment – adding a crafty, feminine vibe to any piece. All four are paid fonts. Click on the image previews below to purchase....
First and foremost, as a graphic designer, I believe in original and unique design. In an ideal world, every client would be willing to pay for us to devote proper time to create the best possible design solution...
Two fonts that I've recently discovered that look amazing using in anything fashion/beauty related. The serifs and ligatures wouldn't look out of place in a Vogue editorial. These two are a bit pricey but a lot of artistic talent has gone into them and they're well worth the money is used frequently. Click on the image previews below to purchase the fonts....
Great logos aren't easy to create. Even the most simple logos often involve an entire team of experts generating concept after concept before one direction is chosen to move forward. There's so much to consider — the visual side (colour palette, typography, pictorials, etc.) as well as the marketing and psychological side (how the logo will appeal to its target demographic). Below are my top tips for clients to keep in mind when setting a brief for their company's logo design....
I come across so many beautiful typefaces on a daily basis and thought I'd make a regular habit of sharing a few of them. These are a few elegant and contemporary fonts that I've recently discovered, some are free downloads but a couple require purchasing a license – they're so well crafted and unique that they're definitely worth the price! Click on the image previews below to purchase/download the fonts....
Your logo could make or break your business. It is usually the first element of your brand that clients and customers are exposed to, so getting it right is essential. Colour is a vital part of any brand. When implemented successfully, it can trigger feelings and desires in potential customers....
Here is a nifty bit of code for fading two images – no Flash, no animated GIFs, just pure CSS3 and HTML. We’re going to be fading these 2 images: With the end result looking like this: This is the CSS that drives the fading:......
In today's competitive market, building a brand and getting noticed can be an overwhelming challenge. Not many local start-ups have the luxuries of investors or a hefty marketing budget to put their product or service in the sights of a sea of potential customers, so how do you grow your brand organically? 1. Focus on your product or service. Make sure what you're offering to customers is literally outstanding...
Graphic design is just a luxury in some parts of the world, and this makes me sad. I've just returned from a trip to Europe and it's fascinating to see how design and marketing are used in other cultures. Large cities like London are pretty much in line with here in Melbourne, but visit a small town in Italy and you'd be pressed to find anything that looks like it's been created by a professional designer. Having spent all my life in Melbourne......
We're pleased to announce that we've become a reseller of Moo print products! Moo are a printing company and they do a fabulous job. We use them to print all our own BVN Creative material because their quality is top of the line. That's why we were wrapped when they accepted our offer to become a reseller – we can share their quality products with our clients, at a decent price too....
Do you cut your own hair? If you answered yes, graphic design services probably aren’t for you. If you answered no, why not? Is it because you’d rather leave your appearance to a qualified professional? Someone with experience? Someone who will do a better job than you could?...