Articles, advice and musings in the world of graphic design, branding, corporate reporting and so much more.
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Graphic Design
True story; an esteemed client came to us the other day with a sustainability report one of their consultants had written and presented to them. Let’s just say the client's feedback to the consultant wasn’t positive. I won’t quote the feedback as this is a family blog.
I realise this might sound like a really stupid question – but it isn’t. The question is deceptively simple, after all, we provide graphic design services, right? Right, but you may think that designing logos, brochures, annual reports – all that stuff – is all we do. But we do so much more.
After great success in London, Navig8 is opening an annual report design agency and graphic design agency in Liverpool.
Design agencies offer a wide range of services these days – they have to, in order to compete. The benefit of using one agency rather than a number of specialist companies to deliver your design and marketing is that an agency that can deliver integrated services will take a holistic approach, make sure the left hand knows what the right hand is doing and save the client money.
Style guides and brand books underpin a brand's communication framework. they affect the way a charity speak to their supporters and funders to how a brand communicates to its customers and stakeholders.
I wrote a book called Clients are Aliens and Designers are Monsters. It got rejected by my publishers (BIS Publishers) because it might be perceived as a bit too negative. In my view, it wasn't. It was a semi-satirical view of the relationship between designers and their clients, with a view to pointing out what could be done to make both parties’ life a bit easier.
So, what goes on at a London graphic design agency?
What does a graphic designer do?
How do designers balance their design and development work with endless communication with clients?
Do account managers liaise between the clients and designers, but where does the quality control come into play?
Animated brand content can breathe life into a brand, make it more relatable and give it a pulse.
Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, we have all been forced to work from home. And with no clear indication on when we will be allowed back to the office in the UK, we have to get used to it.
Gordon Bennet, I could write another book on this subject. I’m quite a positive chap and I really love my job, even after all these years, I still whistle my way to work – but, and let’s face it, we knew that ‘but’ was coming – it’s going to be hard to stay positive. I’ll do my best.
There are a whole host of techniques that you can use to make you print publications look and feel different. All come at a cost of course, but it is money well spent when you see the final result. These finishing (the processes that occur after the printing has been done) techniques can be applied to most things, from the humble business card, brochures and annual reports and are especially useful and relevant when implying luxury, quality or simply to stand out from the crowd. A word of caution, use with moderation.
With a publishing deal under my belt and a book launched in Europe, and let’s face it the UK being the primary market, Know Your Onions: Graphic Design (as of March 2019) has been re-printed 14 times to the tune of 56,000 copies. It has been translated into Chinese, simplified Chinese for Thailand and Japanese. I am, of course, delighted by this, but find it odd that France, Germany, Italy and cultural countries that are more aligned with the UK have not been so successful.
I am very lucky to have a close relationship with my readership, through Twitter and email. This manifests itself in a number of ways. Sure I get tweets, but I also get direct questions and requests from my readership who want some specific advice. I do my best to accommodate them and help where I can. In one instance I advised a reader to sort his portfolio out. He did. Eighteen months later he arrived at my door and presented his portfolio. I gave him a job. That all worked out very well – for both of us.
I’ve employed a fair few graphic designers in my time. Most of which are straight out of uni or as a result of work experience. Setting aside the advise I give in What to Put in Your Portfolio and Get a Job: Graphic Design – these are the top ten things you need to think about, and do, when you get your first job.
This post aims to help clients get the best value, speed and accurate proofs when they commission a designer.
Following this guide will save you money and deliver your project sooner.
This then is the second and last in our series of ‘Design miscellany’ series, from M–Z. Nothing more than random comments, explanations and observations to inform and hopefully entertain.
This is the first of two emails in our ‘Design miscellany’ series. This is a collection of terms, comments and miscellany in alphabetical order with no other rhyme or reason other than to inform and entertain.
There is often the misconception that once a piece of print work has been signed off, the final printed matter should be available in a matter of hours, let alone days. Like most things in life, there is more to print production than meets the eye. True, some modern print production techniques deliver astonishing results in a matter of hours. This article firstly talks you through the typical process of litho printing and then explains the other options, their benefits and disadvantages.
We (Navig8) are lucky enough to get a constant stream of CVs flooding into our inboxes of the finest creative talent this country (and abroad) has to offer.
The problem is that the vast majority of approaches are of a poor standard, something that could be easily fixed with a bit of effort.
This is a hit list for any would be employee. This covers the bare minimum if you hope to have any chance of getting your foot in the door. Remember, unless you are responding to an advert, the agency may not be actively looking for a new recruit. Having said that, we are always on the look out for talent.
