bk design services Blog
Court Documents
With the U.S. Supreme Court issuing a number of rulings this month, I thought, “What font does the high court use for their documents?” A 6-page document from the U.S. 7th Circuit Court ofAppeals on the subject shows that the U.S. Supreme Court uses Century fonts to publish their opinions. Century was first made in 1894 by U.S. typographer Linn Boyd Benton and has been used for thousands of books. Need to format a long, text heavy document? Give me a call.
U.S. History & Graphics!
U.S. History meets graphic history! The original Declaration of Independence was handwritten by Timothy Matlack and typographers have developed fonts to mimic his penmanship like American Scribe from Adobe by Brian Wilson. The first typeset version of the Declaration of Independence was first done with the font Caslon by John Dunlap in Philadelphia (otherwise known as the Dunlap broadsheets). Hope to make history with an important document? Give me a call.
What Is Stroke & Fill?
Stroke & Fill: In the world of vector artwork (think logos, line art graphics, etc.) there are two main ways to achieve color - stroke and fill. Stroke refers to the line of the vector art itself. Fill refers to the middle or inside part of the vector shape. Stroke is very important when it comes to printing because depending on how your artwork is being printed or what it’s being printed on, you have to have a minimum stroke weight (thickness) for it to print properly. Need some vector artwork? Give me a call.
A New Way to Tip!
There’s a new way to tip! Okay, so maybe it’s not new, but it sure is convenient. Giving people more options to give a musician/performer a tip means they don’t have to have cash on them when they want to throw a couple bucks in the jar for my nephew Aaron Watkins Music. Need options for event banners? Give me a call and let’s make it happen.
Government Official Fonts
Did you know the U.S. Government has a design standard for their online communications? And it includes fonts? The United States Web Design System (USWDS 2.0) utilizes four fonts: Source Sans Pro, Merriweather, Public Sans, and Roboto Mono.This system has allowed the government to communicate more consistently and recognizable as official communication in an era of misinformation and fraud by those pretending to be the government. Do you need a design standard for your business or organization? Give me a call.
Art Deco!
Art Deco! Some styles are seemingly never out of style. The Art Deco movement of the 1920s has seen an ongoing resurgance since the 1970s! The release of the film The Great Gatsby reminded people of the luxury and elegance of Art Deco. Using symmetry, basic shapes, and bold colors, Art Deco adds warmth and fun to the sometimes cold and sterile look of Modern design. Looking to revive the Art Deco look for your business?Give me a call.
What Is Resolution?
Resolution: In the digital age, most of us are familiar with the term resolution when it comes to our TVs, computers, and mobile devices. In the world of printing, resolution refers NOT to the pixel dimensions of an image or document; it refers to pixels or dots per inch (ppi or dpi). Depending on the object being printed, you may need as little as 75 dpi (lo-res) or as much as 300 dpi (hi-res) for a sharp image. Do you need help with making sure you have the right resolution? Give me a call.
A Banner Day!
Look at that banner! Businesses and organizations often host events or attend events where they need to make sure people SEE them visually from a distance. That’s where banners come into play. I recently created a banner for a local bourbon & cigar event for Holy Smokes Men’s Ministry. I was able to incorporate the identity of the event as well as a QRcode for tickets. Need a banner?Give me a call and let’s make it happen.
Graduate Level Fonts
It’s graduation season! From invitations to vinyl banners, parents spend untold amounts of money to celebrate their graduate. I was curious to see if people stick to certain types of fonts for graduation materials and it seems that people like variety. So much so that the folks at Adobe put together a Grad Announcement Font Pack! It’s a beautiful mix that’s sure to help make a graduate feel special. If you need some last minute graduation materials, give me a call!
Got Style?
Style! All visual communication has style... it could be no style, or just plain ugly, but it’s still style. The history of graphic design has given us periods of style we can utilize today to give a look and feel to product or service we offer. From Victorian to Flat Graphics, each has a distinct look that evokes emotions and thoughts. See the link to Online Design Teacher for more. Whichever style you’re looking for, give me a call, and we’ll have you stylin’ in no time.
What Is A Signature?
Signature: Most often associated with signing your name for legal documents, signature is also a term used in publishing and printing. Magazines, books, or any multi-page document can be printed on an offset printing press which uses large rolls or sheets of paper that can fit 8, 16, or 32 pages. These groups of pages are called signatures and they are folded, trimmed to the final size needed. Do you need a document designed and printed? Give me a call.
A Picture Is Worth...
A picture is worth a thousand words...
Or sometimes thousands of dollars. The folks at MasterCraft Plumbing needed a full page ad for a local festival, but wanted something a little different. Carefully selecting a stock
image from Adobe, we created a fun, but memorable image of how plumbing problems can change your plans. Need a memorable ad for an upcoming publication? Give me a call and let’s make it happen.
The Elegance of Bodoni
In an effort to create a modern font for his time, Gaimbattista Bodoni created his eponymous font in 1798 - Bodoni. This elegant serif font has high stroke contrast and minimal bracketing where the strokes meet the serifs. You may recognize this font from Calvin Klein and Giorgio Armani to the band Nirvana and the Mamma Mia movie title. It also serves as a great text font. If you need an elegant font like Bodoni for a project call me.
Box It Up!
Boxes! Boxes, or packaging, today are mostly associated with cardboard, but it took a long time to get here. A quick run down of history shows humans have used animal skins, leaves, or gourds; blown glass; layers of paper; wood barrels or crates; and tin cans. The 1800s gave us cardboard, and we use it today not only as packaging, but also a display for marketing. If you want your package to have a message, give me a call.
Knockout, But Not TKO
Knockout: A term used outside of boxing, but conceptually related, “knockout” refers to a part of a design where you want to see one color on top of another, but without the colors mixing or overlapping. Essentially you remove what’s underneath to make what’s on top more visible (see image from ZillionDesigns.com). Using a knockout for text or an image can bring more contrast or clarity to a design. Looking for more clarity in a design? Give me a call.
Business Cards Go Digital
Are business cards dead? From first hand experience, I can tell you no! However, they are different today. Many folks are utilizing QR codes either in place of or in addition to contact info. on their cards. I have done both for a couple of clients. A QR code can be just a phone number or website, or it can be your contact card that someone can save to their phone. Need one? Give me a call and let’s make it happen.
Don't Yell, Use Small Caps
ALL CAPS! Don’t they seem like someone is yelling at you? Do you ever feel the need to emphasize something you are writing, but you DON’T want it to look like you are YELLING? Try Small Caps. Your sentence starts with a capital letter and continues with smaller capital letters. This can give an important look to your content without the yelling. Let me help you communicate what you are saying.
Sign, Sign Everywhere...
Sign, Sign, everywhere a Sign! Street and building signage is a industry all its own. Tackling artwork on that scale takes special tools, special materials, and special skills. From the carved wooden or stone signs of the Greeks and Romans, to the gas-lit neon of casinos and movie theaters, signs beckon potential clients to step in the door. Regardless of the substrate (or base material) of your signage, let me help you with your design.
To Bleed or Not To Bleed
Bleed: When you want an item printed and you have color or an image that goes right to the edge most of the time you have to provide a little extra off the edge of the document in order for it to print correctly. That little extra is called “bleed.” Without it, you can end up with an uneven or white edge. Popular printing services help you see this when you order from them. If you are not sure how to add a bleed to a document you want printed, give me a call.
Take That Phone Call
Never say no. I have learned that in business, you never say no to a potential customer. At the very least, hear them out and see if what they want is something you can provide. This was proven true back in October when Keith Weathers reached out to me to help him design t-shirts for his company – Hard Luck’s All American. We now have over 40 t-shirts ready for the market. I can do the same for you! Call me!
Choices!
Since it’s winter and they say no two snowflakes are the same, I wondered if no two fonts are the same? The answer? Yes.. and No. While there are over 300,000 fonts for the English language, many are variations on a theme. No wonder we sometimes struggle to pick one! While some English fonts have versions for other languages, languages with many more characters tend to have fewer fonts because the task is daunting. Whatever your font need, call us.
Heavy Metal
Metallics. Seeing all the New Year’s posts and prints shiny with metallic colors of silver and gold got me thinking, how do we pull that off? The look dates back to the “illuminated” manuscripts of the 5th Century when artists used either gold ink or gold foil was stamped onto paper causing the paper to “glow.” Today, we essentially use the same two methods - foil stamping, or metallic inks that have a base color (yellow for gold) with metallic particles. Metallic or not, let us help you with your design.
Marketing vs Advertising
Marketing and Advertising: Since marketing was mentioned last month, I thought I would find and share a good definition of it as well as advertising. According to the American Marketing Association, “marketing is ... identifying customer needs and ...how best to meet those needs.” While advertising is “promoting a company ... its products or services through paid channels.” So, advertising is one part of marketing. Whether you need one or both, give me a call.
Work & Family - Oh Boy!
Never mix work and family. Unless you have a fantastic Aunt-In-Law like Debbie Shannon! On a trip to visit family in South Dakota, I had the opportunity to create a logo and business cards for my wife’s Aunt Debbie, who is a great artist, and even greater person! I took her favorite colors and a representation of her art
to make an identity for her beautiful and growing business. I can do the same for you!
Stick To The Script!
Stick to the script! Well, for a lot of home decor and events around the Christmas season, that’s exactly the type of fonts creators tend to use: scripts! They can be formal and elegant like Savoye, or they can informal and funky like Calgary Script. The question is, why do we use them? I believe we are trying to recapture the beauty and personal touch of handwritten cursive writing. So, even in the digital age, we still want that human touch. Let me help you find the perfect script!
Greetings...
Greeting Cards. It’s the time of year when many of us receive updates on friends and relatives through beautifully crafted greeting cards. It is believed the Chinese first used greeting cards to exchange messages of good will, particularly around New Year’s. Louis Prang is often credited as the “Father” of American Christmas cards in the 1850s. However, Esther Howland sold the first handmade, Valentine’s cards in the U.S. in 1849. Whether you need a greeting card or a business card,let us help you with your design.
Good Collateral
Print collateral: If you have heard this term, chances are you have worked in marketing or public relations, or in the printing and design world. Print collateral refers to any printed, physical item that promotes a company or organization’s products and services. This could be business cards, letterhead, brochure, flyer, mailer, and even those fun promotional items you pick up at a conference or exhibit hall. Whether you use the term or not, let me help you with your print collateral.
Bend Them Guitar Strings!
Music runs in our family. So, it is no surprise that my nephew ended up being quite the singer, guitar slinger, and emerging songwriter. On a whim,
I asked if he needed a logo, and he gave me the green light.What you see is his first logo. He’s moved on to other designs, but it makes me proud to see where he started, knowing he now has a song on Spotify! If you are south of Atlanta, look him up he’ll be playing somewhere! Thank you Aaron! Go bend them guitar strings!
Timeless & Swiss!
Sometimes the most popular option is not always the best. However, Helvetica might just be both the most widely used font AND the best! Swiss designer Max Miedinger designed the font back in 1957, which is a shock to many who use Helvetica, because it has such a clean, modern feel. You could say it is also one of most timeless fonts, withstanding changes in culture and design.
Print Is Dead... Really???
Even though the great Ghostbuster, Egon Spengler told us, “Print is dead” back in the 1980s, it is still with us today in various forms. The first “print” ad is believed to be from the Song dynasty of China(see image). It advertised Lui’s needle store! Though many of us interact with more “digital” ads than print ads today, they serve the same purpose as that first print ad – identifying a product or service that you need!
What Is Your Brand?
Branding or Identity: Whether it’s a logo and the colors associated with it, or the emotion & thoughts you have when a brand comes to mind, individuals and organizations spend major money to make sure their look and message get your attention. THAT is branding or identity. Some have done such a good job that their product or company becomes the universal name of a product type (Kleenex anyone?). We can help you define your brand. Message us!
Skilled Trades School!
For some time now I have been an admirer of the skilled trades. So, when the opportunity was given to use my education AND graphic design experiences to start Trades Education Center, well, I was beside myself! For the logo, we wanted to give a nod to the “old school” look of a tradesman’s uniform. Hopefully, with a little “old school” work ethic, we’ll be graduating our first apprentices this December! Thanks Chris & Tim for the opportunity!
Having Fun With Fonts!
Running the opposite direction from last month’s “fancy” font, let’s look at Comic Sans! Created by Vincent Connare in his work at Microsoft, he hoped to provide a comic book like font for a cartoon (Microsoft Bob) introducing younger users to Microsoft. Though not used for Microsoft Bob, today Comic Sans is a system font for Windows and MacOS. Be careful when and where you use it, as people do not associate it with serious content.
Back to The Well.
Ink. What would we do without the printed word? Printing ink was first made by the Chinese around A.D. 500. Made primarily of plant material and either soot or lampblack, those early inks were unchanged for several hundred years. Today, inks are made from a variety of substances depending on their use. Water soluble inks are used for fabrics, while oils, varnishes, and other petroleum-based components are used for paper printing.
Space Matters.
Spacing: Within the world of graphic design there are many types of spacing. There’s kerning (between letters), tracking (a line of text), leading (between lines of text), white-space (the blank areas where no text or image resides), etc. While each addresses a different aspect of spacing, together, they make the designs we look at feel and function a certain way. Text with little spacing feels tight and heavy. Text with much spacing feels light and ethereal.
Hats Off to This Musician!
You never know where work will come from. This summer, my nephew introduced me to a fellow young musician who needed help with his logo. A Zoom call and few emails later, we had a visual that he felt represented him and his music. If you
are in the Fayetteville or Newnan area, look him up he’ll be playing somewhere! Thank you Trevor! If you are looking for a great musician to entertain your peeps, especially on the south side of Atlanta, give him a call!
Let's Get Fancy!
In a great article by R.E. Hawley on Garamond, she described using the font by saying, “we all need to feel a bit fancy sometimes.” We could not agree more. The font is a nod to Claude Garamond the French “punchcutter” and type designer who produced some of first “Roman” fonts. Garamond is a serif font with extra details that add handwriting-esque character to the font. Today’s reader will probably prefer Garamond on paper and not on screen, but either way it’s fancy!
From Punch to Drop-down.
We enjoy such easy access to fonts today (see the drop down menu in your favorite word processing app) that we forget the design and making of fonts use to be a lengthy process done by skilled craftsmen.In the 1500s, Claude Garamond, was the first “punchcutter” & font designer to have a type foundry (think blacksmith for fonts) separate from a printer. Though movable type is mostly a thing of the past, we have great font designers creating new and exciting ways to communicate through words today.
What Does Voice Mean?
Voice: When a business or brand establishes their voice, they are finding the right way to communicate to their customers. Two very different examples can be seen in the words and images of a Dove soap ad versus a RockStar energy drink ad. Dove’s voice is calm, soothing and clean. RockStar’s voice is loud, bright, and in your face.
At Home With A Design.
In February of this year, I was talking with another dad about our common challenges in changing careers and supporting our families. I learned he was well into his journey of being a real estate agent. I offered to mock up a logo for him, and over the next week or two we talked, exchanged emails, and established his logo for Homes with Hines. Thank you Maurice for the opportunity! If you are in the Northeast Atlanta area and need a great real estate agent, give him a call!
Back From the Futura.
So, when you look around you might notice there are some fonts that appear more often when it comes to company logos. One of the more popular fonts is Futura, which was developed by Paul Renner in 1927. Several high-profile companies use Futura for their logo because of its readability, various weights, and clean look. Now you’ll know the Futura when we you see it!
From Days Per Page...
Have you ever walked into a bookstore and simply stood for a moment and taken in the magnitude of information surrounding you and how it was put on paper? Between 105 AD and 1045 AD, humans developed paper and movable type, printing the first books! Each book took close to a year to compelte. Now, a modern printing press can print hundreds of copies of a book in one day!
What Is A Font?
Font: You see it as a menu in your favorite slide deck app, or word processing app, but do you the term “font” means? It refers to a specific version of a typeface. For instance, all the fonts used in my logo and posts are members of the Montserrat typeface (or font family). Each specific one is a font.
Retrofitted for Plumbing.
Back in the fall of 2022, I reconnected with a good friend of mine. A few months later, he reached out and needed me to come work for him. Specifically, his company wanted an updated logo, website, and a consistent presence on social media. Through a few office visits, and a ride-along, we came up with a retro-vibe for MasterCraft Plumbing. Thank you guys for the opportunity! If you are in need of a plumber, give them a call:
The Three Basic Font Styles.
The three most basic styles of fonts are roman, italic, and black letter or gothic. Roman fonts are what we see in books, articles, etc. as a text font, like Times New Roman. Italic fonts are more cursive and slanted, like Brush Script. Black letter or gothic fonts are bold and thick like Bradley. These terms can help point you or a designer in a direction you might want for a project.
Graphics Have History.
When we think of graphics, we often think in today’s terms of print and digital imagery and text.However, graphics can be traced back to Minoan pictographs, Sumerian cuneiform, and Egyptian heiroglyphics. Each of those types of graphic shelped those people groups communicate to each other and to us. We do the same today.
What Is A Logo?
Logo: People use this term for many items, but design-wise it is more nuanced. Logotypes refer to the stylized “word” portion of an identity, like Coca-Cola. Logomarks refer to the symbol portion of an identity, like the Chevrolet “bowtie.” Many companies combine both logotype and logomark to form their identity, like Burger King.
Hometown Design.
We recently worked with a local real estate agency to design their logo. They wanted to focus on their name and their hometown. After a couple of hours of design work and communication by phone and email, we landed with this one-of-a-kind logo. Thank you to “The Stephenson Group” for the opportunity! If you are near Commerce and need a great real estate team, give them a call: