Showing posts with label graphic design. Show all posts
Showing posts with label graphic design. Show all posts

Wednesday, November 22, 2017

The Difference Between Vector and Bitmap Graphics

bitmap , design graphics
The Difference Between Vector and Bitmap Graphics

vector or bitmap graphics
Vector or Bitmap? What is the difference?

Bitmap/Raster graphics and vector graphics are the two main types of image files used in the world of graphic design. People often struggle to understand the difference between vector and bitmap graphics despite the fact that they are very different file types. Both of file types have their advantages, and equally they have their disadvantages so it's important to know the difference between the vector and bitmap so you can make an informed decision about which one is best for your design project. Let's start with the definition of each so we know the basics first and your decision of bitmap or vector might be a little bit easier.


Vector v Bitmap - The Definitions...

Bitmap (Raster) Graphics

Bitmap (or raster) graphics are made up of as a series of tiny dots called pixels. Each pixel is actually a very small square that is assigned a color, and then arranged in a pattern to form the image.

Vector Graphics

Vector graphics is the use of polygons to represent images in computer graphics. Vector graphics use mathematical formulas to draw lines and curves that can be combined to create an image. These lines (vectors), lead through locations called control points/nodes/ anchor points.

Vector v Bitmap - The Differences...


difference between vector and bitmap
One of the main differences of vector and bitmap can be seen when you zoom in

So the obvious difference between vector and bitmap graphics is how they are created, as identified in the above definitions. Bitmap are made up of pixels while vector graphics are created using a mathematical formula. But there are numerous other differences between vector and bitmap graphics.

For starters, when you zoom in on a bitmap image you can begin to see the individual pixels that make up that image, most noticeably at the edges of the image. When a vector image is scaled up, the image is redrawn using the mathematical formula and the resulting image is just as smooth as the original.

In terms of file size, vector images tend to be smaller than bitmap images. That’s because bitmap images store color information for each individual pixel that forms the image while a vector image just has to store the mathematical formulas that make up the image, which take up less space. Unfortunately, vector formats have not always been well supported on the web. Currently the most popular image file formats used on the web, GIF, JPEG and PNG, are bitmap formats. Most vector images are first converted into bitmaps images (rasterized) before they are used on the web, although the SVG format is growing popularity due the rise in responsive web design.

In terms of colour, bitmap graphics are best for images that need to have a wide range of color gradations, such as photographs. Vector formats, on the other hand, are better for images that consist of only a few areas of solid color such as logos and type (text). This also means that vectors can't create realistic gradients, and although some vector softwares will allow it, they are actually using raster effects on the vector graphic.

When To Use Vector...

Vector graphics are excellent for graphics that frequently require resizing. A company logo is a prime example of a file that should be created as a vector and saved as a master file so you can use it with smaller items such as your business card, letterhead and brochure, but also on larger surfaces, such as billboards or the corporate jet. Vectors can also be used to create stylized modern graphics as their solid colours and sharp lines help them to appear crisper and with more visual impact that a bitmap image.

When To Use Bitmap...

Bitmap graphics are best used for photographs or other graphics with a wide range of colours such as a movie poster. They are also ideal for graphics with effects such as drop shadows (as they use gradients). Bitmaps can also be used to create realistic graphics and images using image editing or "paint" softwares such as Photoshop or CorelDraw. They are the most common type of graphic used and are supported on all digital systems.


Vector & Bitmap File Types...


vector and raster file types
Vector and Raster Graphics can come in different file types

Vector File Types

  • .ps (Adobe PostScript) 
  • .eps (Encapsulated PostScript)
  • .svf (Simple Vector Format)
  • .ai (Adobe Illustrator)
  • .cdr (Corel Draw)
  • .svg (Scalable Vector Graphic)

EPS, PDF (for transferring vcector files) and SVG (responsive web design) are the best file types in which to save your vector graphics outside of the editing software you are using.

Bitmap (Rater) File Types

  • .jpg (Joint Photographic Experts Group) 
  • .gif (GIF transparent file) 
  • .png (Portanble Network Graphic Transparent file)
  • .tiff or .tif (Tag Interleave Format)
  • .psd (Photoshop Document)

The best file types in which to save your bitmap graphics are JPG (for photos), GIF (for basic images like cartoons) and PNG (for images with transparency).

Vector and Bitmap File Types

Encapsulated PostScript files (.eps) are self-contained files that are the same mathematically as vector files, though they can be created from raster images as well. The format is one of the most compatible and portable because they are supported by almost all graphics software.

Then there is the Adobe Portable Document Format (.pdf) files in which files render as they were created thus using (potentially) a combination of vector and raster images.In a PDF file vector images are rendered as such as and be scaled and extracted. Fonts are embedded within a file and are rendered as type, not flattened as an image element. Raster images, such as photos, will appear as intended at 100 percent but, being bitmap graphics, they will still lose quality if they are over-enlarged.


Vector v Bitmap - Web or Print?


vector or bitmap for web or print
Which graphic format is suited for web or print or both?

This questions is much more relevant to bitmap graphics due the fact that they can lose quality when scaled up. Units of measurement such as dpi (dots per inch) or ppi (pixels per inch) refer to the number of pixels in one inch of the image. To determine whether your bitmap images are a suitable resolution for a specific situation (poster/business card/web banner etc.), you should first need to check their pixel density. 

As mentioned earlier, vector graphics have not always been well supported on the web and currently the most popular image file formats used on the web are bitmap formats such as .jpg or .png. The web displays 72 dpi, a relatively low pixel density, so raster images with a low dpi (such as 72 dpi) look nice and crisp on the web but this same image may not be suitable for printing on a brochure, poster or packaging which require a higher pixel density to maintain quality when printed. 

Why is this relevant you ask? Well to correctly print an image, it should be at least 300dpi, a much higher pixel density than the web displays so if you try to resize a low dpi image pulled from the web to use for your high dpi print project it won’t work because the image still has the same amunt of pixels and will distort (pixelate) when you try to scale it up. For example, if have a 72 dpi .jpg of an image it will need to be “stretched” to more than 3 times it's size to get it up to 300dpi. So that 72dpi image will look fine on your computer monitor, but when it prints at 300dpi it will look pixilated.

In this situation you should use a vector image (.EPS or .AI format) or create a bitmap/raster (.JPG or PNG or GIF) in the exact final print dimensions and at 300dpi.


Vector v Bitmap - Conclusion...

So after all that what we can say is that neither vector or bitmap is a better format than the other but rather that each format has it's advantages and disadvantages. The main thing is that once you know what these advantages and disadvantages are you can make an informed decision on which format is the right one for your design project. Vector or Bitmap... it's your call!




Read more »
By on No comments:
Label: , , , , , , ,

Friday, June 23, 2017

How To Colourise A Black & White Photo

adobe photoshop , black and white
How To Colourise A Black & White Photo
black and white photo colourised before and after
The photo before and after it is colourised

This article will teach you how to colourise a black and white photo using Photoshop in 7 simple steps. Some amazing results can be achieved using this relatively simple colourisation process. You can turn relatively dull black and white photographs into stunning full colour images in just a few minutes.

So let's get started colorising your black and white photos now!



Step 1: Open your black and white photo or image in Photoshop

Ok, so this is a nice and obvious first step. Simply open Photoshop then click on File in the top left corner of the screen and on the drop down click on Open. Then in the window that opens, navigate your way to your chosen image, select it and open it in Photoshop.

Step 2: Convert the image mode to CMYK

How to colourise a black and white photo
Convert the image to CMYK Color Mode

This process can be done in RGB but as the image you are editing likely started out as a print and in case you want to print it out after it is colourised it is best to edit in CMYK mode. So just click on Image > Mode > CMYK Color and Click OK to Confirm Conversion if prompted.

Step 3: Duplicate the layer

How to colourise a black and white photo
Duplicating the layer

This is just a precautionary step in case you accidentally make a mess of your image! This way we will be editing the duplicate layer and your original black and white image is safe and sound. There are numerous ways to duplicate a layer in Photoshop, the most obvious being the one shown above - click on Layer > Duplicate Layer, then name the layer in the pop up window. Crtl + J is the keyboard shortcut for duplicating a layer in Photoshop.

Step 4: Taking a snapshot via the history window

How to colourise a black and white photo
Taking a history state snapshot

The process of taking snapshots will be key to this process. If you are not familiar with this process, it simply involves clicking the little camera icon on the history window in Photoshop. What this does is take a digital "snapshot" of the current history state of the layer, we will use this to store different colours which we will then use to "paint in " the original black and white image using the history brush.

This first snapshot,shown above, is another precautionary step here, really a bit of practice as we won't actually use this particular snapshot later on. However you may use it for your own image, especially if you want to retain some areas of black and white.

Step 5: Creating the skin colour snapshot...

So we'll start with creating the colour for the skin. As explained already, we will be creating a colour, storing it in a snapshot then using the history brush to paint it on the relevant areas later on.

How To Colourise A Black and White Photo
Select the Cyan layer in the channels window then edit the brightness and contrast as shown

First of go to Channels and select just the cyan layer as shown above.

Then in the top menu bar click Image > Image adjustments > Brightness/Contrast and input a value of  85 Brightness and 25 Contrast. Obviously you can use different values to achieve different skin tones.

Then, back in the channels window select the CMYK layer to see the skin colour, as shown below. If you are not happy just select the Cyan layer again and edit the values until you are happy.

Now, most importantly, we store this colour for later use by taking a new shapshot from the history window, rename the snapshot "Skin" so we know what we want it for later on.

How To Colourise A Black and White Photo
The colour which we will use for the skin tone

Step 6: Create the other colour snapshots...

The process for creating the colours for the other areas we want to colour is slightly different but even easier. The areas we need different colours for are Hair, Background, Lips (nail polish too), Eyes, Jumper and Skirt.

For each area we want to colour in we will go to Image > Image Adjustments > Hue & Saturation and edit the values to achieve the colour we want. Then save that colour in a snapshot.

Feel free to use different values to the ones I outline below but be aware that each colour change is an edit of the one before so if you change one then all will require different values.

For the hair go to Image > Image Adjustments > Hue & Saturation and choose the following values hue of -43, saturation of 61 and lightness -5.

Then take a new snapshot in the history window and rename it hair.

For the background go to Image > Image Adjustments > Hue & Saturation and choose the following values  hue of -20, saturation of 15 and lightness of  -15

Then take a new snapshot and call it background

How To Colourise A Black and White Photo
Keep building up the snapshots of the different colours making sure to name each snapshot as you go along


For her lips values of hue -15, saturation 72 and lightness 10. Which should create a rosy red/pink.

Take a new snapshot, call it lips. We will use the same colour for her nail polish.

For her eyes values of  hue -155, saturation 70 and lightness 5. Which should create a nice sea blue.

Take a new snapshot, call it eyes.

For her jumper values of hue -20, saturation 100 and lightness 20. Which should create a navy blue.

Take a new snapshot, call it jumper

And finally for the skirt values of hue 0 saturation -50 and lightness 0. Which is just a plain white.

Take a new snapshot, call it skirt

How To Colourise A Black and White Photo
All the snapshots have now been taken

Step 7: Colourising...

OK, so that's all the preparation done, now for the fun part, coloring in! You can do this in any order really but I prefer to start from the bottom and work up.

Select the last screenshot layer (skirt) then click the checkbox in front of the layer above (jumper), which will show the history brush icon, as shown in the image below. This will allow us to paint the colours saved from the jumper snapshot layer onto the skirt layer (which we'll use as our base).

How To Colourise A Black and White Photo
It helps to select the area you want to colour in first, in this case the jumper.
For accuracy you can use the magic wand selection tool to select the jumper area and use then use the history brush tool to colour it in as shown above. Cool, right!

We will repeat this process now for the other areas of the image.

Now click in the box in front of the eyes layer, again select the area you want to colour using an appropriate selection tool and then use the history brush to colour it in.

How To Colourise A Black and White Photo
Colourising the eyes in the black and white photo


Next the lips, once again select the box on the relevant snapshot, select the area to be coloured in then use the history brush to colour it in.

How To Colourise A Black and White Photo
Adding colour to the lips in the black and white photo


Now the background...

How To Colourise A Black and White Photo
Our black and white photo is no mainly colour

Finally the hair and the skin...

How To Colourise A Black and White Photo
The black and white image is now full colour


You can go back through the snapshot layers again in any order to tidy up or re-colourise any areas which require it.  You can also edit the image overall using any image adjustment technique you want, or use an adjustment layer to test out a variety of edits. In the final image below I used brightness and contrast to lighten the image overall. That's it, all done. You are now ready to start colourising your own black and white photos.

How To Colourise A Black and White Photo
The completed colourised image

Read more »
By on No comments:
Label: , , , , , , ,

Tuesday, January 3, 2017

Learn A New Skill For The New Year

design , furniture
Learn A New Skill For The New Year
Learn A New Skill For The New Year
Learn A New Skill For The New Year
Giving things up for new year is a common practice but also a very difficult one that most people break after just a few weeks. So this year make your resolution be to learn something new, to up-skill, to re-skill; here's a few good reasons why ...

  • A new skill to put you ahead of other job candidates
  • A new skill for a change in career, 
  • A new skill to enhance your studies 
  • Or just a new skill for fun! 

But what skill should I choose? Well, design skills are one of the most adaptable and sought after skills around as they show you to be creative and innovative but also logical and organised. So here are the top 5 design areas for you to up-skill in...

Web Design:



More and more business is being done online everyday and because of this every business from your local coffee shop to the multinational corporations has a website. This means there is a growing demand for web designers to create, update, moderate and redesign all these websites. To get in on the action, you will need to learn HTML5, CSS3 and at least a little JavaScript. These programming skills will be further enhanced with knowledge of SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) and design skills like the ability to use Photoshop. Using the web design process is also an essential skill that is unfortunately overlooked by many web developers who call themselves "designers".




Graphic Design:

Sample Poster

A lot of people group the ability the use Photoshop and being a graphic design together as if they were the same thing... they are not! Photoshop is a great software and the Adobe Creative Suite of which it is part is certainly the industry standard for graphic designers but there is a lot more to graphic design that using software, after all, graphic design still existed before computers! Back then, just like for modern graphic designers, the graphic design process, an understanding of colour theory, typography and composition were all keys skills. Some more modern techniques such as the use of attention grabbing techniques in your imagery and the use of the most powerful words in your typography will further enhance your skill base.


Games Design:

Games design with Unreal Engine

The games design process can be completed by just one person but that person would need to be highly skilled in many different areas of the design process and production stages and have a lot of time on their hands! For these reasons computer games, much like anything else, are designed and built by a team of people each with their own specific set of relevant skills. See which role would interest you most or dabble in a little bit of each before focussing on one area to learn. Start your journey here.


Interior Design:

An example of the Urban Interior design style
 Interior design is another misunderstood craft with numerous people claiming to be interior designers simply because they have "an eye for it". The interior design process, when done properly, is a complex task which requires multiple skills and the knowledge of key areas such as interior design styles, colour theory, room layout techniques and an awareness of a multitude of materials and finishes for walls, floors and furniture. Perspective drawing skills and the ability to create presentation boards for potential clients are also valuable skills for any professional interior designer.


Furniture Design:


The most practical and hands on of our top 5 skills for the new year is furniture design. Like all the others understanding the process is key and the furniture design process should be your starting point. After that a look into furniture design history will give you an understanding of traditional and contemporary furniture styles. An awareness of the available and industry standard furniture materials is also a must which will be complemented by a knowledge of the different furniture joinery techniques when you go to build your design prototypes.
Read more »
By on No comments:
Label: , , , , , , , ,

Wednesday, December 21, 2016

How to Create a Concept Board

concept board , concept development
How to Create a Concept Board
Game Design Concept Board
Sample Game Design Concept Board
This article will focus on the development of a concept board (also know as a presentation board) for a game, however the same approach can be applied for the design of any type of design project in areas like architecture, 3D modelling, product design, interior design etc. So whatever design project you are pitching or presenting then you can follow these steps to ensure you create a great concept board design. To prepare even better you might also like to read our article on design presentation boards which gives a good insight into the theories and techniques to creating a great concept/presentation board. For now though, we are focused on the practical, so let's get started!

The Concept:

It may sound obvious but the first thing you need to do when creating a concept board is to create the concept and write it down! Of course everyone does this but not everyone does it correctly. Your concept board should have details of all areas of your proposed project design and therefore your concept/idea needs to be fully developed with all decisions finalized so you don't have to edit your concept board after you thought you were finished or even worse, leave something out that you should have displayed. For example, for a computer game concept board your idea should include....
  • The full story/plot of the game to set the scene.
  • Where and when the game is set and details about how it looks eg. abandoned water mill in the valley between two snow covered mountains ranges
  • Who are the game players/enemies and what do they look like 
  • What objects/vehicles will be involved in the game
  • What is the main game objective eg. kill enemies, score points, survive, collect objects, solve puzzles etc.
Just a reminder to write all these things down as our memories are not as good as we like to think!

Research:

Concept Board Research
A selection of images on the concept theme which could be used in the concept board
There are two stages of research that need to be completed - I call these general and specific research.

The first stage, general, involves researching existing concept boards to help you gain an understanding of what a concept board is, what it can look like, the variety of possible style and layouts etc.

The second stage of research, which I call specific research, is where you will search for images of the things which you described in your concept board. You will later use these images to create a single image "collage". This might not make sense yet but basically, we will use a combination of multiple images (all edited from their original state) to form a single image which, along with some text will explain your idea is a way that is visually interesting and informative.

Blocking Out:

Concept Board Layout and Composition
"Blocking out" is a graphic design layout technique
"Blocking Out" is a graphic design technique used to quickly mock up the composition or layout of a design in a software package using only blocks to represent different areas or aspects of the design. The colour of the blocks does not matter so it is best to keep them in shades of grey to allow you to focus on their shape, scale and position within the design. If it helps you can also add text into each block to remind you what it is for.

In the sample image above the top-right represent where the title and story text will go. The vertical block in the center represents a lighthouse on a rock (the horizontal block it is on). The large horizontal block taking up a third of the canvas represents the ocean while the blank white space in the background is the sky. Finally, the 3 circles represents areas for explanatory text to go. Can you visualize it yet?

It may seem a strange way to start a concept board design but it has many advantages...

  • Helps you quickly and easily arrange a suitable layout of the content you need to include
  • You can easily add, remove, scale and rotate elements within the layout.
  • Creates all the main layers that you will need
  • You can focus on layout without the distraction of actual images or colour
  • Helps you to visualize the final design before you have any images in place

Breaking The Ice:

Getting started with your Concept Board
Add in the images you want in a "rough and ready" way just to get started
Once you know the composition/layout you want to achieve, roughly at least, the next stage is to get all the pieces of the puzzle on the one canvas. It is a common mistake to edit each part separately, trying to get them all perfect and then bring them together at the end only to realise the colours/resolution/style don't match.

Breaking the ice simply means getting started. The best way to start is to put all the images you think you will need onto the canvas, ideally overlapping them on your "blocking out" layout.

As these elements will eventually all be viewed together it is important that you edit them all together so you can easily judge their scale, colour, resolution and style proportionate to one another. It also removes any confusion about the potential complexity of bringing images together properly, which would arise if you have edited each one separately.

Finally, it forces you to start. It can be hard to imagine how a design will look when it is completely finished and people often stop themselves from starting or judge their designs too soon. This leads to hesitation, time wasting and unnecessary editing. Once you break the ice and put all the pieces of the puzzle in place it will be much easier to finish, after all you wouldn't try to do a jigsaw without having all the pieces there!

Blending Images:

Concept Board Image Collage
Try to make your separate images look like part of one large image
Blending images refers to the process of editing all the imported images so that they appear as a single image, like in this Photoshop tutorial. This is possibly the most difficult stage of the process but if you take the right approach to it then it can be made much easier. I would recommend the following steps to blending the images together to form a single scene.....
  1. Remove all the background/unneeded content from each individual image
  2. Scale, position and layer the images as you want them
  3. Use filters/effects/layers styles to ensure the images are all of the same graphic design styles
  4. Edit the images hue/saturation so that they are all of similar colouration
  5. If images over lap or meet in a non exact way, such as waves crashing over rocks, use the clone stamp tool or a semi opaque eraser tool to help them blend together more realistically

Adding Text:

Concept Board Text
Keep the text to a minimum and utilise headings for each section
Probably the most obvious step in the process. The heading says it all really - add text. The advice I can give you is short and simple.
  • www.dafont.com is a great place to get place to get interesting and unique font.
  • Make sure any fonts you choose are still legible (easy to read)
  • Make sure the colour of the text contrasts with the images behind it, possibly use semi transparent layers to help with this. (see image above)
  • Use headings for each section
  • Only include important information - the less text the better
  • Try out these Photoshop text tips

Optimise:

Sample Game Design Concept Board
Add detailed content and additional images to complete the effect
This step should be completed after you have reflected on your progress so far, evaluating the look of the design and checking that all required content is in place. Take note of all the changes you want to make - this will be your final "to do" list. You might also consider making use of some of the design principles to make your concept board more aesthetic.

So tips to consider when optimising your concept board are...

  • Print off the design, it will look different when printed than on the screen and will give you a better idea of scale and colour.
  • Show it to others and ask for feedback - you don't have to agree with them but their opinions may spark an idea for you or may identify something you overlooked.
  • Try to have a foreground, middle ground and background to your image. This helps draw people into it.
  • Whatever you do, don't clutter it by adding in too many images or too much text. The simpler the better.
  • Consider these presentation board tips.

Some More Sample Concept Boards...

Click on any of the sample concept boards below to view full size...











Read more »
By on No comments:
Label: , , , , , , ,

Saturday, October 22, 2016

Top 10 Brochure Design Tips

booklet design , brochure
Top 10 Brochure Design Tips
Sample Brochure Design
Sample Brochure Design 

Brochures are a classic advertising and marketing tool for businesses. A good brochure needs to not only advertise your company and it's products/services but also portray your company image and brand in a way that is attractive to your target audience. They say don't judge a book by it's cover but when it comes to a brochures, people always will. So if you or your business are currently designing a brochure or booklet here are 10 easy to follow steps to help you along the way to a successful brochure design.

1. Research

Collect and study brochures from around your community. What is the acceptable industry standard for brochures? What makes one brochure design more appealing than another? You can develop your sense of good design by carefully studying existing designs in the marketplace and deciding for yourself what works best. You can also learn from the mistakes of other btrochures and see what design styles or errors to avoid. The brochures of your competitors should also be carefully assessed to see where you outdo them.

TIP: Take note of your research findings and create a design proposal based around them.

2. Keep it Simple

What is the purpose of your brochure? Create a 'Brochure Checklist' to decide what information you want to cover, and arrange these components in order of importance. The clearer you are about the order of importance within your information, the better your brochure will be. Don't try to write a novel when a poem will do. Select one or two main messages that you wish to convey through the brochure and keep your message in mind throughout and include only those ingredients necessary to communicate the message. 

TIP: If you are using graphic elements to ornament your brochure, ask yourself whether they help to direct the reader’s attention, or simply create distraction.

3. Prioritize Content

Once you have determined the relative importance and sequence of the particular components in your message, you will be ready to consider how to treat each of them. The most important items should obviously receive more of your reader’s attention. They should be larger, bolder, brighter, or in some other way made to stand out. Make sketches and move the various elements around. Try re-positioning one or more elements to see how your design is affected.

TIP: Using block quotes within body text is a great way to highlight important content.

4. Choose your Words Carefully

Try to include some of the twelve most powerful words in the English language, while also avoiding clichés, slang or any currently trendy jargon. The twelve most powerful words, according to advertisers and marketers are...

  1. You
  2. Money
  3. Save
  4. New
  5. Easy
  6. Love
  7. Discovery
  8. Results
  9. Health
  10. Proven
  11. Guarantee
  12. Free


5. Select Appropriate Fonts

sample font for a brochure design

Choose a font that will express the style you desire (professional, humorous, casual…) while still keeping your message clear. Use a minimum of two font styles (to avoid being plain or boring) but also use a maximum of three font styles (to avoid clutter and inconsistency). These fonts can still be varied in size, weighting or colour in the individual parts of the design according to their importance. Read more on fonts styles here. In general a clean and simple font is best.

TIP: You can find the best free font websites at www.freedesignstuff.net

6. Utilise Bars & Boxes

Boxes, borders and bars work well for directing the readers' attention and separating busy areas. They achieve this through creating a contrast with the background so always aim for light on dark or dark on light in terms of the colours.


However, don't overuse them as too many can make your brochure design look cluttered and the desired contrast will be lost if everything is 'boxed off'. Instead explore other options for grouping and separating, such as the use of negative space as explained below.


7. Embrace White Space

OK, so maybe not this much white space but it is important!

You can use empty space to create a relationship between the contents and the page while bringing specific information into focus on the page by adjusting the space around it. The amount of empty space in a design affects its overall tone of lightness or heaviness. Empty space can also be used to frame or align the content without the need for boxes or borders. Read more about how best to utilise white space.


8. Consider Colour Theory

Whatever colour scheme you choose be sure to look into colour theory to ensure the right message about your product, service or company is being sent out. Different colours evoke different emotions in viewers and each colours has attached connotations that we subconsciously associate with it.

Your colour scheme can be applied as ink on paper or as the paper itself. There are hundreds of paper colours available, yet some of the most effective brochures are done in only one or two colours. Black and white brochures can often be more dramatic than colour.

TIP: Carefully selected images can be used to inject colour into your brochure and allow you to use simple black text on a white background without it looking too plain.

9. Paper Selection

Paper comes in all sizes, colours, and textures. The ISO (international Standards Organisation) 'A' Series of paper sizes, has become the global standard for document sizes and your brochure should be based of one of those. See the common document sizes table for more details.

TIP: Using recycled paper can add an interesting flair to your brochure design, and it helps reduce the impact we make on our natural resources.

10. Proofread & Test

You should proofread your final design several times before having it printed. Once printed, it’s too late to fix an error that you didn't spot, without incurring extra costs. It will also make your business look unprofessional and unreliable to potential clients.

You should also step back and look critically at the overall layout asking, can it be read from a distance? Is it interesting enough to grab peoples attention? If the answer to either of these questions is no you may need to tweak your design or possibly consider some attention grabbing techniques.

TIP: Reading lines of text backwards is the best way to spot errors in text. 



Read more »
By on No comments:
Label: , , , , , ,

Thursday, October 6, 2016

Read How to set up margins and guidelines in Photoshop Now

adobe , adobe photoshop
Read How to set up margins and guidelines in Photoshop Now
Rulers Set up in Photoshop
In this tutorial you will learn how to set up the use of Rulers in Photoshop. Rulers are use to help you to position images and text in the exact position you require when using Photoshop.



Step One:

Select file and new and create a new file. I have chosen the settings off 8.5 inches for the width, 11 inches for the height, with 300 for the resolution and RGB color for the color mode.


Setting up a new file for Photoshop

Step Two:

For this demo I am going use some text to show how using rulers can position your text correctly.

Sample of a new canvas for setting up the ruler example

Step Three:

To set up the rulers manually, click view and a drop down menu will appear.
View drop down menu in Photoshop

Click to turn the rulers on. A guide will then appear with numbers on the top (Horizontal) and on the left hand (Vertical) side of the page. This is your rulers guide.

Image of Rulers as the appear in Photoshop


Step Four:
Now with your mouse, hover over the numbers until a white cursor appears. Click and drag down the top line and place onto the template at desire level. Clicking and the pulling down of the rulers (Horizontal).


Adding of the Rulers (horizontal)

Bring the rulers in from the left hand size (Vertical)

Adding of Rulers (Vertical)

All the rulers in place.

All the Rulers in the correct positions

Step Five:

As you can see from the above image the text is on the outside of the rulers on the left hand side. To move the text into the correct place, select the text layer, on the right hand size and with the move tool and move into position. 

Rulers and Text in the correct position

Step Six:

You can also set up the rulers to the exact measurement required. To do this, again select view, and the drop down menu will appear, scroll down and select “New Guides”. A pop up menu will appear and you are able to select the correct measurement for the rulers by selecting either horizontal or vertical position.

Drop down menu once selected the View option on Photoshop

Pop up menu to select the correct measurements 

Selecting the measurements in the New Guide

For this demo I selected the measure for the Horizontal (top) for 3cm, with the Vertical (left side) set also at 3cm. Again for the bottom Horizontal and right side Vertical set the setting to this time 3mm for the rulers to appear.  Example show in the images below.



Creating the Horizontal Ruler with the correct measurement

New guides rulers for Horizontal and Vertical (3cm)

Horizontal and Vertical rulers appearing in Photoshop


Rulers in place after creating them with the new guide option in the view section of Photoshop. To move the text into the correct place, select the text layer, on the right hand size and with the move tool and move into position. 

Rulers and Text in the correct position on Photoshop
Read more »
By on No comments:
Label: , , , , , , , , ,
close
Banner iklan disini