HUGE Tips in Designing?

[TheDreamer_EJoy]

Can any one give me any huge tips for design in general and Logo design particularly! I just feel like every thing I do is wrong! I have looked up tutorials and stuff and I understand what they say about design and stuff but I cant seem to use what I learned in my design! So can any one give me some kind of guidance! Email me at EstherJoyDP@yahoo.com Too if you would like to assist me long term or have any like freelance jobs that you could use assistance on!

[Coy]

Can any one give me any huge tips for design in general and Logo design particularly! I just feel like every thing I do is wrong! I have looked up tutorials and stuff and I understand what they say about design and stuff but I cant seem to use what I learned in my design! So can any one give me some kind of guidance! Email me at EstherJoyDP@yahoo.com Too if you would like to assist me long term or have any like freelance jobs that you could use assistance on!

This site has some good information on designing. I did a quick search and found a few. I didn't read through all of them but have at some point. These may help and they might not but it's a place to start.
Basic Principles of Logo format/Design

Good site on LOGO DESIGN

For who wants to learn more... here some cool sites ..and cool stuff

Benefits of Old School design

Using the tutorials online will give you the TOOL's you'll need to creat a good design but it's the concept and start that is going to give you the best end result. I can make a drawing use all of the tools I have but that doesn't make it a good logo. Think about the end result what the client wants and how it'll be used and what it'll be used for.
Keep it simple - example the nike logo, or apple images like that have been around for years and work well. Logo's like my larry's autobody logo aren't always a good logo because it's too complex for the most part, but that is exactly what the client wanted and in his field it will work well for him.

With that said - here is something to give you a place for use to start and evaluate your steps to creat a solution.

Let's try this out.
I want you to design a logo for me. Coy Designs
I like simple, yet abstract looks. Something that flows nicely.
I don't want a type logo, I want an Icon or symbol and a strong font something up-to-date.
I have a tendency to be drawn to dark-ish earth tone colors like red's, blue's and teals. But feel free to use whatever color you'd like.

You can use a simple C or CD combo or even come up with a unique image that would Identify me as a designer.

I would like to choose from 4-6 ruff drafts before you start anything in a vector based format.

[TheDreamer_EJoy]

This site has some good information on designing. I did a quick search and found a few. I didn't read through all of them but have at some point. These may help and they might not but it's a place to start.
Basic Principles of Logo format/Design

Good site on LOGO DESIGN

For who wants to learn more... here some cool sites ..and cool stuff

Benefits of Old School design

Using the tutorials online will give you the TOOL's you'll need to creat a good design but it's the concept and start that is going to give you the best end result. I can make a drawing use all of the tools I have but that doesn't make it a good logo. Think about the end result what the client wants and how it'll be used and what it'll be used for.
Keep it simple - example the nike logo, or apple images like that have been around for years and work well. Logo's like my larry's autobody logo aren't always a good logo because it's too complex for the most part, but that is exactly what the client wanted and in his field it will work well for him.

With that said - here is something to give you a place for use to start and evaluate your steps to creat a solution.

Let's try this out.
I want you to design a logo for me. Coy Designs
I like simple, yet abstract looks. Something that flows nicely.
I don't want a type logo, I want an Icon or symbol and a strong font something up-to-date.
I have a tendency to be drawn to dark-ish earth tone colors like red's, blue's and teals. But feel free to use whatever color you'd like.

You can use a simple C or CD combo or even come up with a unique image that would Identify me as a designer.

I would like to choose from 4-6 ruff drafts before you start anything in a vector based format.

thanks as i said in the email i will get on it! Thanks so much for your help

[Coy]

No problem I'll help the best I can.

When you get to posting something put it in the works in progress section with the synopsis so the "forum" can give input as well. I'm not the best at critiquing work since I feel I have some improvements to work on myself. LOL.. But will do what I can.

[Coy]

Here is another site - What makes a good logo design? | David Airey » Graphic designer

[TheDreamer_EJoy]

ok thanks!

[resurepus]

I just wanted to say that it is a forum, a perfect place for discussions. There is no reason to use email.

[Coy]

I just wanted to say that it is a forum, a perfect place for discussions. There is no reason to use email.

agree. But She was asking something similar; but also different
But gave the same "asignment" and said we should follow it here to get information back from a larger group than just myself.

[TheDreamer_EJoy]

agree. But She was asking something similar; but also different
But gave the same "asignment" and said we should follow it here to get information back from a larger group than just myself.

yup yup

[artfx1]

Forget the sites...Design is in your eye...in your head. Balance is a very important part, maybe most important. Don't worry if it measures right...but does it look right. I see it in my head before I ever draw a line. Remember, you are never wrong as a designer. Different is not wrong, out of the norm is not wrong. You just have to sell it! As long as the customer is happy it is right.
Hope this helps.

[Coy]

Forget the sites...Design is in your eye...in your head. Balance is a very important part, maybe most important. Don't worry if it measures right...but does it look right. I see it in my head before I ever draw a line. Remember, you are never wrong as a designer. Different is not wrong, out of the norm is not wrong. You just have to sell it! As long as the customer is happy it is right.
Hope this helps.

I'd have to agree..BUT lets say you and someone else has almost the same exact image, same text everything but for some reason they choose the other guys. simply cause it just looks better for some reason. It could of been that your kerning was off and theirs wasn't. The client didn't know that, but to them it just looked better for some reason. or that your image might have been a little more to the left than they like. ?

If you want to keep that mind set then use it in making nice pictures for yourself, cause to put it simply we're not designing for US were designing for them. It may be different and what you like, but if you want the job you'd better design for them.
It's ok to color outside the lines, but only if the client likes it.

[Deathdart]

@artfx1: I agree with you completely, design is embedded into a lot of us, but haven't you had times when you knew something was wrong and just couldn't figure it out no matter what you did? If you follow (or consciously break) some simple rules of typography, use some basic principles such as the Golden Ratio (along with the Fibonacci Series), understand the Gestalt Theory, design an effective grid system and in general keep the elements and principles of design in mind when you work, your work will automatically look good, leaving you more time to think about how to more effectively communicate your ideas.

@Coy: One thing every designer must understand is, it's not about what the client wants, it's about what his company needs. 9 out of 10 clients do not know what's good for their growth as a company. You have to determine, through research, the best plan of action for the client and then present a strong argument in favor of what you suggest. You must develop a strategic plan for the client's growth as a brand. This is, of course, only if you want to rise above the rank of designer and be an art director, creative director, senior graphic designer, visualizer, consultant etc.

@TheDreamer_EJoy: Although a lot of people might say that a design education isn't essential to be a designer (and they would be right in saying so), it does help to go to a design school. You'll be able to work with experienced designers and learn from them. You'll also have a library full of books that give you information that the internet never will. Plus you get the experience of working on design projects for several hours every single day. So, the best advice I can give you is to join a good design school if you're willing to invest some time and money. If you're determined to learn online for free, try focusing more on learning design principles rather than software. If you can design well even on paper, that's good enough; the software knowledge will come easily once you learn how to design. And there are enough people around here to tell you exactly how to draw/make a certain thing in any software.

[Coy]

@artfx1: I agree with you completely, design is embedded into a lot of us, but haven't you had times when you knew something was wrong and just couldn't figure it out no matter what you did? If you follow (or consciously break) some simple rules of typography, use some basic principles such as the Golden Ratio (along with the Fibonacci Series), understand the Gestalt Theory, design an effective grid system and in general keep the elements and principles of design in mind when you work, your work will automatically look good, leaving you more time to think about how to more effectively communicate your ideas.

@Coy: One thing every designer must understand is, it's not about what the client wants, it's about what his company needs. 9 out of 10 clients do not know what's good for their growth as a company. You have to determine, through research, the best plan of action for the client and then present a strong argument in favor of what you suggest. You must develop a strategic plan for the client's growth as a brand. This is, of course, only if you want to rise above the rank of designer and be an art director, creative director, senior graphic designer, visualizer, consultant etc.

@TheDreamer_EJoy: Although a lot of people might say that a design education isn't essential to be a designer (and they would be right in saying so), it does help to go to a design school. You'll be able to work with experienced designers and learn from them. You'll also have a library full of books that give you information that the internet never will. Plus you get the experience of working on design projects for several hours every single day. So, the best advice I can give you is to join a good design school if you're willing to invest some time and money. If you're determined to learn online for free, try focusing more on learning design principles rather than software. If you can design well even on paper, that's good enough; the software knowledge will come easily once you learn how to design. And there are enough people around here to tell you exactly how to draw/make a certain thing in any software.

GREAT post and Great advice.

Just to add an * to my part of it. Sometimes you can't get around what the client wants. I can't get around one of mines wants to show them what they need. I'll send you a PM

[TheDreamer_EJoy]

GREAT post and Great advice.

Just to add an * to my part of it. Sometimes you can't get around what the client wants. I can't get around one of mines wants to show them what they need. I'll send you a PM

Thanks EVERYONE! lol I am definitely going to need to to learn basic design principles yes! I could write out a long message to all yall lol but im not gona cause i got things to do at the moment but just know you all helped me very much! keep it comming guys!

[MPostDesign]

best advice for this type of thing: "minimize the variables to maximize the message" -my wise college design professor.