Thursday, January 29, 2009

Article: Nine Keys to an effective logo design

Summary of the Article:

There are 9 keys to an effective logo design and this is good for the business and for the company itself because the logo is like a face of the company.

1. Consistency
2. Memorability
3. Meaningfulness
4. Uniqueness
5. Professionalism
6. Timelessness
7. Contrast
8. Unity
9. Scalability

Writer: Erin Ferree
Source from: http://www.elf-design.com/article-9-Logo-Keys.html

5 Fonts for Gallo Nero

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Top Ten Mistakes in Web Design

Summary of the article:
There are top 10 mistakes in web design which the writer thinks we shouldn’t make.
The top ten are:
1. Bad search: search engine has to be comfortable to use or it will hurt all users
2. PDF files for online reading: users hate PDF files because it breaks their flow and also it is different to a normal website so it is uncomfortable
3. Not changing the color of visited links: users might revisit the site that they found useful so it is good to change the color of visited links.
4. Non- scannable text: subheads, bulleted lists, highlighted keywords, short paragraphs, the inverted pyramid, a simple writing style, and de-fluffed language devoid of marketese. Use these to make your web look better.
5. Fixed Font size: 95% of the time fixed font size is tiny so change the font size so that it is legible.
6. Page Titles with Low Search Engine Visibility
7. Anything that looks like an Advertisement
8. Violating design conventions
9. Opening new browser windows: it is uncomfortable for the user if there are so many windows.
10. Not answering User’s questions

Source from: www.useit.com/alertbox/9605.html
Written by: Jakob Nielsen

Friday, January 16, 2009

What is branding?

What is Branding?

Branding is not only your logo but also your business name. Great names evoke intrigue, savvy and class, and tell customers a lot about who you are. When you begin the branding process, think first about your name. Next, envision an image that works with that name. Finally, create a byline, which is a short sentence that describes who you are or what you stand for. Here's an example. I named of one of my first coffee bars "Caffe Primavera." In Italian, "Primavera" means springtime. For my logo design I used a Corinthian column with a floral theme at its base, surrounded by two renaissance angels. The byline I chose was "Coffee delivered from heaven."
There are many examples of expired branding in the coffee world. Let's look at Seattle's Caffé D'arte (Italian for "coffee of art"). Its simple logo incorporates the company name and a cup in a design that uses traditional Italian colors. Its byline, "Taste the Difference," tells you a lot. It indicates this company has traditional Italian coffee and suggests it is a high quality product.
Another Seattle coffee company with impressive branding is Caffé Vita. Its logo design features an Italian clown holding a cup. The image is classy, whimsical and reminds me of Carnival in Venice, reinforcing the link to Italy, the Mecca of espresso. The company uses its name and branding in fun and unique ways, probably more so than any other company in the industry.Recently the company gave away black hats with an embroidered logo design that simply said "Caffé Vita." But for the younger crowd, as a very creative and unique promotion, the company created cheap black and white foam baseball hats that from a distance read "VITA SUCKS." Upon closer inspection, you could read small print that said, "VITA is great! What SUCKS is when you can't find any!

Summary of the article:
Branding is what represents your business itself. Branding is your business name. When you start a branding process there are 3 steps which you have to go through. They are:
1. Think about your name
2. Think of an image which matches the name you have chosen
3. Create a byline which is a short and powerful sentence which describes your business.

Written by: Bruce Milletto

Source: www.expresso101.com

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Picture Position

- Rule of thirds:

Divide the page into 9 and the intersection between the lines or near the intersection of the lines is where you put your main subject.

- Positions of strength and weakness

The left side is giving a stronger impact to the audience compared to the right side because people tend to read from left side to the right side. 

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Ten Tips on Writing for the Web

1. Use CSS to set your text at 10 or 12px, which is an optimum size for readability.
2. Use sans-serif text such as Verdana, Arial and Helvetica. You can specify "Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif." as your font in CSS.
3. The maximum width for easy reading is 400 - 440 pixels. Use tables or CSS to control this.
4. Use absolute control of the width of the text columns. Set them so the lines of type run around 10 to 12 words per line.
5. Black text on a white ground is the easiest reading. Other colors tend to blur the text slightly because of anti-aliasing. However, a stark white background is hard on the eyes. Use an off-white (a very light grey), or an eggshell blue colored tile for your background. If you prefer to set a color, try pale khaki CCCC99
6. To relieve the denseness of continuous type, use headlines and subheads. Use bold ONLY for emphasis, such as in subheads. Text all in bold is fatiguing to read because the blackness of the letters begins leaving shadow trails. It is also confusing to text readers.
7. Add photos and illustrations to illuminate passages. Make sure you put a minimum of 20px space around your graphics to give them some breathing room.
8. Information is more easily retained in "clusters" which equal about a screen full in length at a time, and then broken by some type of graphic or change in structure. The change in structure could be no more than a bolded topic header or a drop cap or even the equivalent of a side bar with some information in it.
9. To relieve the monotony of text, pull out a paragraph to use as a side bar. Or, put a short description into a box with a link to "more"
10. Use bullets to ::reduce wasted space ::create visual interest ::make information easier to understand and absorb

Summary of the Article:
There are 10 tips of writing a good website and this will help the writer enhance the website and could make their website look neat and organized.
The 10 points are:
1. Set your font size at 10 or 12.
2. Use Sans-serif for your font.
3. 400 to 440 pixels is the maximum width for easy reading.
4. One line should contain 10 to 12 words.
5. Chose colors which are good for reading and which doesn’t hurt the audience’s eyes.
6. Bold is only used in emphasis and use headlines and subheads.
7. Add pictures and other visuals.
8. Information is more easily retained in clusters.
9. To reduce boredom, use paragraphs as a side bar.
10. Use bullets points to reduce space, gain interest and make information easier to understand.

Source from: http://www.phoebemoon.com/writing.htm

Brief: Gallo Nero

Gallo Nero

An Italian Restaurant with traditional cooking in a warm setting above the town. Warmth, comfort, good food and fellowship are the key ingredients.

Slogan:

Come home