Graphic Designer Anatomy ...

Welcome to the Era of Design - Forbes

All businesses, no matter what they make or sell, should recognize the power and financial value of good design.

Obviously, there are many different types of design: graphic, brand, packaging, product, process, interior, interaction/user experience, Web and service design, to name but a few.

In this post, I am referring to design as a broad and deliberately applied discipline, with the aim of creating simpler, more meaningful, rewarding experiences for customers.

You see, expecting great design is no longer the preserve of a picky design-obsessed urban elite—that aesthetically sensitive clique who‘d never dare leave the house without their Philippe Starck eyewear and turtleneck sweaters and buy only the right kind of Scandinavian furniture. Instead, there’s a new, mass expectation of good design: that products and services will be better thought through, simplified, made more intuitive, elegant and more enjoyable to use.

Design has finally become democratized, and we marketers find ourselves with new standards to meet in this new “era of design.” To illustrate, Apple, the epitome of a design-led organization, now has a market capitalization of $570 billion, larger than the GDP of Switzerland. Its revenue is double Microsoft’s, a similar type of technology organization but one not truly led by design (just compare Microsoft Windows with Apple’s Lion operating system).

Every day my Twitter feed populates with astounding growth facts about the likes of Apple, Amazon, Facebook, Pinterest and the more recent travel site, AirBnB. It is no coincidence that these successful brands seem to really value design and utilize it to secure a competitive advantage.

Even the UK government has issued its “design principles,” naturally on a clean, easy-to-navigate website.

But why have people become so design sensitive? Why does that credit card mailer look so bad and dated now? Why can’t you access my account details? Why does airport signage seem so unhelpful? Why doesn’t that technology plug and play?

Perhaps Apple’s global dominance has elevated our design expectations, or Ikea’s vision to bring great design at affordable prices to everyone on the planet has finally taken effect, or perhaps the Internet has taught us what well-designed user experiences and good design really are. Likely, it is a combination of all.

What is certain is that the design bar has been raised and design-oriented businesses are winning.

Think how swiftly and strongly a design experience shapes our opinion of that brand, company or store, for good or bad. For instance, we know quickly when a website is bad. And we associate that feeling of frustration, or worse, disappointment with that brand.

Design-oriented organizations invest in thinking this stuff through. They put design at the heart of their company to guide innovation and to continually improve products, service and marketing. They recognize that a great design leads to differentiation, customer loyalty and higher profits.

First Direct, a UK bank, has designed all its service touchpoints so carefully that it has become the most referred financial brand in the UK, with over 82 percent of customers happy to recommend it to friends. It’s a joy to use via any channel, and despite being a bank, I’d happily recommend it.

When you buy Apple Care, instead of receiving the standard bland letter or email, you receive a nicely designed box containing the paperwork, guidance and all the information you need. You have questions? No problem. There are clear user diagrams and a simple section on the website to help you.

The impact on brand is that customers see these brands as both progressive and customer-centric. Thoughtful and innovative design makes us feel good. It is no surprise that we are happy to advocate them, talk about them in social media and can be fiercely brand loyal.

As Michael Eisner, former CEO of Disney, once said, “A brand is a living entity—and it is enriched or undermined cumulatively over time, the product of a thousand small gestures.” That thinking still holds true, but it all happens a lot faster now. Thanks to the Internet and a hyperconnected, social-media-fueled society, brands can be instantly undermined and that experience shared with millions.

So this is a call to action for executives to recognize this new era and make the effort to transform even a mundane product or service into something more rewarding and more memorable. Try to assess each element of your service or product and better it—to see design not just as a marketing thing but as a genuine source of competitive advantage, customer and employee satisfaction and, lastly, a route to higher profits.

Adam Swann is head of strategy at gyro New York

Follow Adam @swanninNYC

Graphic Design ...

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Essential Graphic Design Tools

There are several tools that are essential to graphic design. Below is a list of what is absolutely necessary to work in graphic design, as well as some things that are recommended.

A Computer
In today's design world, a computer is essential. It will be both your design tool and your business tool. Using graphics software (discussed next), you will create illustrations, work with type, touch-up photos and complete layouts. The major decision here is what computer to get, and this generally starts with deciding between a Mac and PC.

Software
Graphics and business-related software are also a key to your success. Some products, such as Photoshop and Illustrator, focus on the creative end of design. Other packages, such as project management or time tracking software, will help you stay organized and manage the business end of design.

Graphic Design Books
It's very helpful to build up your own small library of graphic design books. Some should be for inspiration, some for technical help, and others to assist you on the business side of design.

A Sketchpad
While you're most likely to use a computer to complete a design, you don't have to start with one. Sketching out ideas is a great way to begin a project and brainstorm, and can be much quicker than mocking something up on a computer. It's also important to always keep a small sketchpad or notepad handy, as you can forget a great idea as fast as you thought of it.

Other Creative Professionals
While you may not think of them as a "tool," knowing other designers, illustrators, web developers, photographers and other creatives is extremely important for three reasons:

1. It's not easy to critique yourself. Get opinions on your work and encourage constructive criticism to push your work to a higher level.
2. Having others around to brainstorm with can bring about the best ideas.
3. As you get projects that are more involved, you will need people to collaborate with.

Find a group of people you can trust with different skillsets than your own so you can work on projects together.

These essential tools will help you get started, and grow, in a career in graphic design. All you need to do now is combine them with your creativity!

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Award Winning Effort

Campbell Studios collaborated with the Canadian Institute of Management (http://www.cim.ca/), Simcoe County Branch on a new CIM introduction presentation that won the award for Best Marketing Tool at the 2007 Annual General Meeting in Sarnia, Ontario.

Cherubs on the Wall

Another mural by Campbell Studios.

Canadian Institute of Management

Campbell Studios is beginning to form a partnership with the CIM - Lake Simcoe Chapter (Canadian Institute of Management) to develop some new marketing material for the Chapter, marketing material which will include such media efforts as print, product design, packaging and information signs.

Wolf Mural

Another mural ... by Campbell Studios.

Mural Art ...

More mural art from Campbell Studios ...

Murals ...

Campbell Studios specializes in murals for any theme.

Customize your work area or home with a mural from Campbell Studios.

Please leave your contact information in the comment area of this posting and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

Thank-you

Campbell Studios is currently solely coordinating the lay-out and design of the 2006 Barrie Royals Basketball Club Tournament Programs.

This includes four tournaments (2 girls tournaments & 2 boys tournaments) over the 2006 OBA (Ontario Basketball Association) season.

Graphic design is the applied art of arranging image and text to communicate a message, or facilitate understanding. It may be applied in any media, such as print, digital media, motion pictures, animation, product design, packaging, and information signs. Graphic design as a practice can be traced back to the origin of the written word, but only in the late 19th century did it become identified as a separate entity.

According to the classic theory of design (or graphic design, visual design, art), the visual pleasantness of a work of design is a result of how the composition of the elements of design follows the principles of design. There is no authoritative classic theory of design, since the recognition of these qualities has existed for thousands of years. First conceptualized accounts have probably appeared in early books about architecture, and composition in art.

Campbell Studios uses both classical design and modern design concepts to produce cutting-edge work in several formats … murals, portraits, advertisements, posters, brochures, programs & business cards.

"Imagination is more important than knowledge."(Einstein)

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