10 Things You Should Know About Graphic Designers and Logos

October 25, 2008 | Filed Under Learning | Leave a Comment 

Any one with 10 fingers and a decent computer can create a graphic. (Have you seen the guy that can create the Mona Lisa in MS Paint?) Logos, however, are a bit more complicated. Even some of the most skilled designers will hit a dud. But more than skilled, they have vision, able to transcend the indecisiveness and confusion of the client.

Your Logo will represent YOUR perceived value and quality of your product or service and persuading the masses to buy, thus creating branding, a by-product of your logo. If a logo is not well designed, the opposite happens.

But before you fork out any cash to any designer, here are some things to keep in mind and questions to ask your chosen designer;

1. Font sample anyone?- Just like the cheese sampler plate at the supermarket gets everyone`s hands in it, so will a free font. Whether you are paying $35 or $2500, if the font used was free, you might as well get that logo free too. Fonts alone can make the logo! They communicate feeling just like a picture can. Make sure that if anyone else wants to “borrow” inspiration from your branding, your designer has, at least made it hard enough for them to try. I have been known to splurge on fonts, but even before I spring the cash for fonts, I make sure no one is giving the chosen font away free.


A gorgeous logo achieved through simplicity.

2. You got PMS?-Although most printing companies have accommodated digital printing, specialized type printing still go CMYK. Even more than CMYK, PMS, the Pantone Matching System is the leading color system for the printing industry. What does this mean to you? As long as your graphic designer used the proper software, this should not be a problem. Other wise, be prepared to pay someone else to decipher the colors.
3. Vector, Pixels and you- The way your logo (or illustration) is made really does matter. Just like the difference between whole wheat and white bread, there is a difference between vector and pixel based graphics. Vector graphics can be resized without loss of resolution, whereas pixel(bitmap) base graphics will not resize as gracefully. 300 dpi is the norm for printing, 350 is better. Web resolution is best between 72 to 92 dpi. Once again, as long as your graphic designer used the proper software, this should not be a problem. If your logo is in bitmap format, it will have to be rasterized.
4. License to what?- This one can be tricky, specially with illustrations. I rarely place restrictions on logos, and only do so if they have an elaborate graphic. Regardless of restrictions, the client must always be free to brand themselves with the logo. If your designer used a graphic from a stock company, you`ve got more than a trick to deal with. Most stock companies place costly printing and distribution restrictions on their graphics to be able to resell them. Branding yourself with them will be near impossible, not to mention your new look will be shared with a few hundred thousand people. So ALWAYS ask the designers, Do you draw your own graphics or use stock companies??
5. Something borrowed, something stolen?-Michael de Meng has the following to say about creativity: “In my view, creativity is a rampant thievery mixed with reinterpretation . . . I see the act [of creativity] as being like a martini shaker, in which you add all those ingredients that you like or admire.  Three parts Picasso, two parts Joseph Cornell, seven parts Mexican Folk Art, a splash of abstract expressionism, and garnish with a twist of Daidism.”[C1] I couldn`t agree more, and would like to add the following, “If you are not creative enough to reinterpret someone`s idea and make it your own, then perhaps you are in the wrong business.” Many have been the times I have found my designs mangled into someone`s idea of a site. Taking a bunch of ideas and creating your own design is a gift. Photoshopping someone else`s work and selling it as your own, it`s plagiarism in the new millennium.


Asking someone to respect your copyright is one thing, telling them not to be "inspired" by your work is ridiculous. There is a right and a wrong way to interpret ideas.

6. Research for Dummies- Before you go to a tattoo parlor, you know exactly what you want on your skin. After all tattoos are a lifetime commitment. Well, so it`s a logo. Very few companies change their logo radically, for fear they will lose their already established branding. So before you go to the designer, research what your target market is and start from there. Oh, and for those who after giving the designer all the information, still research more and hand that to the designer after they started drawing, that is equivalent to you saying, “hey wait, I think I want a red heart instead of a green dragon” after the tattoo guy has started inking you green.
7. Will you Jump off the bridge, if everyone else does?- When following a trend, always ask yourself, is everyone doing it? If so, to what extent? I know that to some degree, in order to attract the masses you may have to accommodate a less-than-appealing-to-you design. Compromising your style for the sake of maintaining yourself in the competition, may mean you will be vying for attention in a already saturated market. What to do? If girly is what you like and it`s your style, go for it. If contemporary is more like it, knock yourself out. Make sure you are doing this and giving it your own flavor and communicating that to your designer. Being yourself may mean the difference between getting a beautiful logo or getting a copy of a better logo.
8. Speak now or forever hold your peace- Always let the designer know whether they are on the right track or not. It`s a little like playing hot potato with the vision in your head. If you are not able to speak the picture, draw it, collage it, do anything you need to do to get the design out of your head and to your designer.
9. Keep it simple- I love frill just as much as the next girl, but a logo that is more like an illustration will go out of style faster than one that is simple. Usually the rule is, if it can be sized up or down and still be identified and if it looks good in grayscale. I also like to see if taking out all color and just leaving it black and white will make it change in any way for me. It just my little quirk, I`m sure other designers have theirs.



10. Hire a surgeon for surgery- Designers go to school and learn the art of communicating with graphics, just like any professional in their field. Better than education, experience based on that education will show in the quality of the work. So when choosing a designer, a) See how many companies are still in business and using their graphics, (here is one of my first logos) b)Who do they prefer to work with, sole proprietors, small businesses or corporations. This will give you an idea on how to create rapport with the designer. c)How accessible are they? Phone? Email? d) Above all, make sure you are given a contract you can understand. If you can`t understand it, ask for their short version! I have one!

C1-The Abundance Blog

Sitemap

September 27, 2008 | Filed Under Learning | Leave a Comment 

Your Site

September 25, 2008 | Filed Under Learning | Leave a Comment 

The Process | Logo | Revisions | Illustration and Site | Stationery | Management

Managing your Site
While the site is designed, you will want to populate the site. Start with your categories, go light on your sub-categories and make sure all your pictures are about the same length and height. That will help keep all of your pictures aligned. You may also want to consider framing them. Although this may be time consuming the end result is always very professional. Make sure you always populate your site documents as your About Us, Contact Us and Policies pages will become the lifeline of your site and will answer any questions your customer may have.

On the General Settings link you will see some of the information you need to add to your cart, like your business name and address. You can also put your store on vacation so no one will see your work in progress.

Content is also very important. The lack of content will make you look as if you have no experience or fraudulent. You will need to answer questions before they are asked! Why should your customer buy from you? Are you offering enough information to make your customers feel comfortable and invited? Are you talking about your products? Are you using the keywords you chose and repeating them on your content, titles and links? This will become part of the search words customers use to get to you.

Just remember that copying text from other sites, even phrases, will get you penalized with the search engines!!

Going Live

This is the most exciting part as your site becomes live and a viable source of income for your business. After teaching you how to use and manage your cart and configuring it, it is time to think how you will promote and brand yourself on the internet.

Have you ever driven by a McDonald`s and your son or daughter will recognize the golden arches? They have effectively used an icon, a recognizable icon, that has branded them and bred familiarity. But how do you breed familiarity? Advertising! Mailers, newsletters, postcards and ads will get your logo to your customers.

Create promotions, coupons, sales and online parties to get that ball rolling. Send out your newsletter and promote your store. Mail your postcards and get the sale!

In short, having an easy to navigate layout will help your customer have a pleasant shopping experience. Limit the amount of subcategories you choose, or your customer will feel like she is in a maze of categories and subcategories, never finding the product she came to buy in the first place. Highlighting items and features with graphics can be an excellent way to make a sale.Also keep in mind that having too many subcategories will make your site a labyrinth and your client will get lost or will not find the product she needs and leave. You may want to write down what categories and sub categories you may want and in what order.

SEO and Maintenance

SEO- Search Engine Optimization is essential to be successful as it will be your number one tool to be found on the internet. Here are 5 good tips to make sure you are found;

1. Make sure you use your keywords in your content
2. Always submit your site at lease once a month
3. Site maps are very important for SEO so make sure you ask for one!
4. Change your content on your front page often
5. Don`t use your competitor`s name in your keywords!

Following these simple steps will help you keep your site indexed and found!

Your Start Your Business “to do” List

September 13, 2008 | Filed Under Learning | Leave a Comment 

Here is a “to do” list before you hire a designer.

1. After selecting your business name you should buy a domain. The best place to go is godaddy.com. However if you have purchased your domain else where you do not have to transfer it.
   
2. Do not buy .net or .biz! Buy a .com. Example www.mybusinessname.com
3. Hosting is your next step. Keep in mind that just because you may be paying 2 or 3 dollars for hosting, they will not have the scripts and databases to run your site.You may consider gatorhost.com or hostmonster, or bluehost.
4. How are you accepting payment? Do you have paypal? 2checkout.com? Propay? Talk with your designer to help you select a provider that is compatible.
5. When you think of your logo, if you are saying to yourself “I will know when I see it,” you are not ready for a designer. Comeback when you have a clear idea of the concept you are after.
   
6. eBay can offer a place for exposure, it`s like paid advertising. You can use the traffic that comes to eBay by redirecting it to your site. DO NOT OPEN A STORE! Just have auctions one every 10 days to start out with and add more as you may need more. Also host your images on your own server-or site, you save money that way. Also having a template with an animation keeps your customer longer on your page rather than browsing and leaving.

Accolades

September 13, 2008 | Filed Under Learning | Leave a Comment 

Elaine~ When I hired you, I did my research on other web designers who had the basic girly look I was going for, but YOU stood out in the crowd.  You impressed me with your originality in your art work.  I knew my website would be like no other because you created it all from scratch.  I was able to give you the idea and you put it on paper and made my dream of a super cute website come true.  I not only got the website I was hoping for, I also made a new friend.  You are so sweet and I have enjoyed working with you, and will keep in touch from here on out.  Thank you for all the hours you put in to making it perfect for me.
You’re the best!
Michelle
Sugar Sugar Bags

“Hi Elaine,

I just want to thank you for everything you have done for me.  Not only have you created an unbelievable illustration and website, you have also been available any time I have needed you and extremely flexible in dealing with me and my very particular taste. You cannot put a price tag on the personal service you have given. I would sum up my admiration for you and your work by making the comparison that when shopping for a web designer, you are like going to Bloomingdales, while the other sites are like visiting Target.  You truly get what you pay for when using Elaine Biss!

Thank you again!

Donna

Social Butterflies

P.S. By the way, the girl I was dealing with at party pop said she’d never know I was new, my site looks so professional she would have thought I was in business for years!  I told her I have the best web designer!! Thanks again for all of the valuable help.  What’s that visa commercial, new sweater, $100, night a the movies, $50, Elaine, priceless!!!!”

Elaine,
Thank you so much for taking our dreams and running with them.  I just gave you our “wishlist” and you created a logo and a website that truly reflects our individuality.  I am most impressed with how quickly you respond to our questions.  I am so pleased with the professional guidance and knowledge you shared with us.  Thanks to your expertise - I am off and running in the new world of e-commerce.
Bravo!
Kelly Faris
Orleans Couture

Elaine Biss @ Hip n Chic is like finding a great novel you can’t put down.  The title Hip N Chic …The Story….Her design techniques and style is unique and one-of-a kind and once she get’s starting designing your site it becomes one Happy Ending.  A very Hip N Chic Website.

Debbie Schrodt
Pink Pig

I love the website. What a difference!! Thanks so much, Elaine!
Looking forward to seeing your beautiful logo in banner size!!
Karen Kowaleski
Fashion Flips

I love Hipnchic’s personal touch to my website - especially the individualized custom made logo that reflects my personality. The design and art work are beyond wonderful. My experience with Hipnchic has been extremely beneficial and positive.

Elaine was an absolute delight!

Her creativity really blew me away, and her positive, fun attitude made the whole process fun. My website came out even better than I had hoped!
I would recommend Elaine to anyone and everyone.

Jessica Wachsman

Voiceover Actress

www.jessicasvoices.com

Elaine is amazing!  She took a picture I emailed her of myself and made a character logo with it.  It was exactly what I had imagined.  When I wanted to talk to Elaine about ideas I had, she was either available by email or phone and sometimes spent an hour or more on the phone with me.

I cannot begin to express how confident and comfortable Elaine made me feel about my visions for my company. Elaine is an amazing artist, designer and friend. She made the entire experience effortless for me.  I came to her in such despair from a previous experience, and she made me see that once you find the right web designer to fit you vision, it’s all uphill from there.  She spent quality time with to explain things that I didn’t know, and she went the extra mile with everything.  This is one of the most exciting experiences as a business owner, and I am so glad I went through it with someone so talented and special.  From the bottom of my heart, thank you Elaine.
Sincerely,
January Turner
www.natalieparisdesigns.com

“I can’t really express the amount of gratitude I have for Elaine, or as we here at Lollipops & Lizards refer to her as ” The Super Star”. Not only is she extremely gifted and talented, she cares about her clients and was always available to answer my calls, questions & concerns.

It’s always been a dream to start my own business and so I wanted to start off on the right foot.   I felt it was important for my website to give the best first impression.  After doing a lot of searching for web designers, I decided to hire Elaine.  From the moment I saw her website I knew I wanted her to create something special for me.  I really liked what I saw on her site and when she called to speak to me, I became even more excited just hearing about the ideas that she had for my site.

Working with Elaine has been a pleasure, it’s been like working with a friend.  I appreciate the time she took with me to explain the process and answer any questions I had.  She not only replied through email but also through phone calls, of which we spent hours just chatting.  She’s very personable and cares about her clients and their needs.  It’s always a pleasure to work with someone who enjoys what they do and shares in your excitement when it comes to your project.  Not only did Elaine design my website and logo, she also offered tips to help my business prosper, which is helpful for anyone starting their own business.  She really went above and beyond.  I couldn’t be more pleased with my website or the process.  I’m actually going to miss working with her!  THANKS ELAINE!!!!

Thank you so much Elaine, remember, I asked you to be my mentor… ; ) I’ve really learned a lot from you and I appreciate that. I feel you’ve gone above and beyond designing my website.

Here’s something funny, well funny to me but not to you I’m sure. Family and friends keep asking my mom who designed my website! My cousin thought I did it…awww what faith they have in me! lol My mom keeps telling them to look at the bottom of the page, it clearly says who designed it! A friend wanted your information because she too has a business.

Erika
www.mymimipie.com

Elaine Biss was a pleasure to work with! She was responsive to all my questions throughout the process and interpreted the vision for my website with ease! Her original designs are the perfect avenue for showcasing my gift baskets~ I was delighted to have such a knowledgeable website designer/artist work on a site for my business! Thank you!
Francesca Hildreth

Creative Crafts

When I first hired Elaine to design a logo for my boutique, I’m afraid I didn’t give her much to work with.  I had absolutely NO clue what I wanted except that I wanted it to be feminine and reflect my personality.  That’s about all I told her.  That’s all I knew.  But she took that little bit of information and created a whole new world designed just for me!   We spent about thirty minutes together on the phone in a private consultation.  She asked me lots of questions, like what my favorite colors are, what kinds of products my boutique sells, etc.  Then she took me to several different websites just to get a feel for what elements I liked and didn’t like.   From that little information, she created the PERFECT logo for me!  In fact, it was SO PERFECT, that I hired her to design my letterhead, business cards, eBay templates, and a new website!  Hiring Elaine was the BEST business decision I have ever made!!!!  I wish I had found her years ago!
I absolutely LOVE you!!!
Colleen Leffler

www.myvillageboutique.com

I am very pleased with the work and service from hipnchicdesigns.com.  I had  logos to choose from one day after completing their survey.  The revisions  came back in  less than 24 hours after my request and the final product was  excellent. I highly recommend their service. Thanks Elaine!
Magaly Capera

Contact

September 13, 2008 | Filed Under Learning | Leave a Comment 

Elaine Biss
Phone 206-350-6420
eMail Click here for my email at @elainebissdesigns.com

Or use the form below.

Hours
Monday Through Thursday 9:00 am  to 1:30 pm EST and Fridays - will be available by email and phone. Please do not call weekends.

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About

September 12, 2008 | Filed Under Learning | Leave a Comment 

My name is Elaine Biss. As a trained commercial artist, I was trained to use art to communicate feeling and evoke passion. Web design seemed like the natural step after taking my skills into the computer. Creating sites and being part of businesses in the beginning stages brings me great joy, but more so to see them succeed.

You can be confident you have  a trained professional dedicated to your success. Hiring me will get you a well versed, experienced couture web designer.

Career Highlights

• Exclusive Design Diva for Adore Dior.com- Chosen by Dior to design an exclusive piece for their charity benefit auction. Proceeds go to Look Good…Feel Better.org. The piece fetched $3,381.01, the fourth highest bid item at auction close!!
• I was awarded the very chic 2008 She Takes On the World -Women of the Year Award. Thank you!!!
• Collaborating in several projects with Retired Sergeant Major and Pentagon Defense Contractor as well as Web Design Maverick Ron Schexnayder.
  
• I have worked with Chicken Soup of the Soul contributor and Glamour Magazine Glambassador, Michelle Rossi.
• On going consulting for Divine Diamonds NY on Web 2.0 technology, SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and marketing.
• Design corporate logo for Parisian Tie Designer Le Cravatier.
• Celebrity Makeup Master Chris Lanston gets a web image makeover by me.
• Created and sold the successful social network for Women entrepreneur Divapreneur ®
• I write articles for several design magazines.
• I consult several large firms in my spare time.
  
• Design impeccable couture web sites and illustrations for high end web sites and businesses

Skills & Certifications

• I hold a Certificate in Commercial Art from the Lancaster County Career and Technology
• Certificate Web Design
• XML, Flash, HTML, PHP and CSS proficient
• Dreamweaver, Photoshop, Flash, InDesign, Illustrator and Painter X proficient
• After Effects, SoundBooth and Premiere Pro CS3 skilled
  
• I belong to the HTML Writer`s Guild and the International`s Webmasters Association
  
• I keep up with the latest web marketing trends, teach networking techniques and contribute articles on the subject to magazines and blogs..
  
• Search Engine Optimization Certificate
• Formerly a nursing student with medical field experience.
• Mother of 5 children and happily married

Publications, Exhibitions & Speaking

• Published in Anthology three times.
• I currently have a small exhibit at The Museum of Computer Art in New York.
• Featured blogger The Human Behind the Avatar book.
• Former editor and writer in Divapreneur Magazine.
• Written articles for Smashing Magazine.
• I have designed 2 fonts, rubber stamps, scrap booking papers, fabric and stationery.
• I have been asked to speak at The Village Art Association, teaching others on how to produce Macrophotography- The art of making beautiful close ups- digitally.

Read my Press

View my page on Divapreneur