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Re-purposing Artwork Sure it looks good, but can I use it for anything else? One of the most important things a designer does is try to look to the future. What do I mean by that? When designing logos and identity, we try to anticipate all the various mediums or ways it will be used. We test it in black and white. We test it at small sizes such as you would use on your business card or the spine of a book. If your unsure about a design that has been presented to you for review, have the designer submit it at a one inch size and see if it is still readable. Check it on an envelope to make sure it complies with the Post Office Regulations. One of the things that differentiates experienced professional designers from someone who is only concerned with selling you a design, is that they take the responsibility of pointing out the appropriateness of the design. And whether it will work for all the purposes you may or may not envision at the time of development. This is especially true with logos and other forms of identity. Will it look good in black and white as well as color? If you want to use it for foil stamping, will it work? Are you going to want to add it to an existing stationary system? Does it send an opposite message from your existing collateral and if it does, is your existing identity and collateral due for a change? In other words, it is the professional designers job to ask the hard questions. To point out why one design works better than another. For instance, the color "blue" is not a good color for, let's say, an ad about food, because "blue" will inhibit your appetite. A good thing to know if your trying to lose weight. But not if your selling a food product. (An exception might be something with blueberries in it.) So, even though your favorite color might be blue, you have to accept that it just isn't an appropriate color for this particular product. Sometimes, on further inspection the criteria or goal of the project must be adjusted, re-examined and re-worked to clearly define exactly what the logo, identity system, ad, direct mail piece or even a t-shirt is trying to convey. In other words, will your client, customer or web viewer "get it"? Or will the message be lost because of poor readability and poor design. A traditional rule of thumb states "less is more". That statement is never more true than when it relates to graphic design. © 2002 |
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