Skeuomorphic Design - UI Design Trend 2020
Welcome back Skeuomorphic Design! With the latest updates Apple has presented for iOS 14, and it's development of brand new application icon designs, you can be assured that skeuomorphic design is back for the second half of 2020.
What is skeuomorphic design?
Skeuomorphism is commonly a term used in UI design that describes objects / graphics that are similar to what you'd see in the real-world. What this entails is hyperrealistic shading and depth to the design, to make it look realistic. For example (and we all know the one), but the recycling bin icon is the perfect example showing depth when discarding unwanted files.
In contrast we've had the ever popular "flat design" which has been around for the last couple of years. Flat design refers to a design which doesn't have any depth, is one-dimensional and is created to look clean and simple. We also had the "long shadow" trend, which hung around for too long, also.
From a design perspective the skills involved in making skeuomorphic design is more intricate. It makes crafting the designs have a sense of real world lighting, which can be difficult to capture.
Flat Design vs Skeuomorphic Design – which is better?
It's difficult to say, as both design languages pose their own questions and answers. Flat design can allow for a more minimal, therefore could be considered easier to use from a user interface perspective. But, the eye-candy that skeuomorphic design can bring a sense of the third dimension and a level of realism. Needless to say, designers all over the world have discussed both trends in a huge amount of depth.
Following the iOS 14 UI Design Trend
Ok, so, with Apple's release of iOS 14m / macOS at WWDC comes a trend more towards skeuomorphic design. And, when a company as big as Apple design something 'new' (or in this case bring back the old style), we all stop and tend to follow. Flat design from a UI perspective has made designing easier for a lot of people. Lets face it, they're clean and simple and they look the part. But, how difficult is it to now skim through your phone and look for the app you're after? It's arguably more difficult now, because design is looking a little too similar across the board. Skeuomorphic design allows the eye to capture more of a design, with greater depth. Thus, we take more notice of the design, appreciate its intricacies and gravitate towards it.
A quick guide to copyright for digital design
I often get asked about copyright for digital design work in Australia that I've created, and what it amounts to. I've had a read of the IP Australia website and noted content outlined on their website.
When an idea or creative concept is documented electronically (i.e. on a computer) or on paper, it is automatically protected by copyright in Australia. This includes books, music, film, sound recordings, newspapers, magazines and (in my case) artwork.
The copyright law is governed by the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth) and the Department of Communications and the Arts administers the law.
How copyright applies to code (for websites, for example).
When new software is created in the form of code, it's protected by copyright as an original literary work. The code doesn't need to be classified as original, in that nobody has written similar code before. Authors of the code need to demonstrate they've used skill and labour to create the software in question without blatently copying the code.
How to gain copyright protection
Unlike a trademark, patent or design, copyright does not require any form of registration as it is automatically generated when the work is created. This is great for designers in Australia, who have their work protected from the outset.
What copyright gives the creator
The owner of the copyright gets exclusive rights to;
- make copies of the software
- publish the software
- communicate the sotware to the general public
- make adaptations of the software
- and more!
An idea isn't protected under copyright
A specific form of expression is what is protected content, not an idea (as such). To protect functionality of software in Australia means that the copyright holder would need to apply for a patent with IP Australia.
This is just a really brief post, with some quick information regarding copyright in Australia that I thought I'd post and share on my website. As always, please visit the governing body website of your country if you're an artist not from Australia.
To find out more, please visit the IP Australia website.
Anatomy of Typography - Letter features and characteristics
Sometimes it can be difficult to explain and identify the different features of a typeface. So, let's take a look at the anatomy of typography!
What is type and lettering?
Type and lettering is something we see every day of our lives. It's used for print media such as signage, brochures, in store, flyers and so on. It's also used digitally on the web, whilst we sift through Facebook and Instagram posts, blogs, or the latest Reddit news.
Typography features and characteristics
So what did I do to help indentify features of type? I've put together a poster, which I have hanging up in my office! It contains all the significant features of type, pointing out features such as a stem, eye, bowl, counter, arm and so on. I've also included x-height, leading and baseline, which identify features outside of the characters themselves. Not only does it help explain certain features, but is also super interesting to have a little bit of extra knowledge regardless of if you're a Graphic Designer or not.
I have excluded a few type features, but the everyday, common features have all been included. This is a great guide for professionals and students alike.
What other posters would you like to see made as a graphic design resource? Comment below to tell me what you'd like to see created!
You're welcome to download the file as a reference or bookmark this page. I've included a link below.
Have fun with type!
You can download the image below.
How COVID-19 / Coronavirus is Influencing Marketing and Design
What a world, hey? Hasn't everything changed in the last few months, with the spread of COVID-19 / Coronavirus, companies around the world are changing their marketing due to the pandemic. Whether it's companies closing their doors, or struggling to survive, others like supermarkets are generally thriving and struggling to keep their shelves stocked with essential items.
However, a few big companies have tried to take on innovative, new ways of marketing through the use of design and social media. Social distancing was a word not too common 3-4 months ago, and now it's a household term, known all around the world. Whether it's to keep 1.5m metres away, or 6 feet, whatever measuring system you'd like to use, it's so important to control the spread of the virus and reduce the risk.
Lets have a look at a few companies and how they've used design to encourage social distancing due to COVID-19.
Audi Social Distancing Logo
Audi have spread their rings, usually joined, to demonstrate social distancing in their logo. They're encouraging people to 'keep their distance' with a message and video from one of the biggest automotive brands in the world. Simple, effective and animated, moving the rings apart from each other clearly gets the message across to their viewers.
Mercedes Benz 3 Pointed Star Social Distancing Logo
As you continue through this article, you'll notice a bit of a trend – auto makers. Anyway, Mercedes Benz joined in the social distancing logo trend for COVID-19 by altering their three pointed star logo, moving the points away from the outer ring. They encouraged people to 'stay at home' to stop the spread of the deadly virus.
Volkswagen's New Logo Demonstrates Social Distancing
Volkswagen recently updated their logo and it hasn't taken long for their designers to start playing around with it in creative ways. Like Audi and Mercedes Benz above, they've "social distanced" the contents of their logo, this time separating the V from the W within the outer ring of the logo. It's perhaps not as... beautiful as the two above logos, but the message still gets across, and further thanking people to keep their social distance through this time of crisis.
McDonald's Arches Separate To Demonstrate Social Distancing
The last logo I've spotted which has encouraged social distancing during COVID-19 is Brazil's alteration to the McDonalds logo. By separating the famous golden arches of the McDonalds symbol, social distancing surrounding Coronavirus is encouraged. It's hugely strange to see such an iconic logo altered in such a way, and has also come under some criticism in the media for doing so.
I'll certainly be keeping an eye out for any other logos, marketing media and advertising that encourages social distancing during the time of Coronavirus. It sure is a changed world, and safety is paramount in this time. The message that Audi, Mercedes Benz, Volkswagen and McDonalds have provided is a reminder with good intention, but also gives their companies exposure in what is not only a health crisis but an economical one too.
Logo Design Cost & Process
The cost of a logo design varies from country to country, designer to designer and client expectation to, well, client expectation. It can be a hotly debated topic, where people often question why a logo will cost so much. Well, I’m here to try and explain the cost of a logo and give an explanation as to why I charge what I do for a logo.
The logo design process
The first thing to discuss is the process itself. It’s a multi-step process that can involve such things as research, brainstorming, sketching, comparisons, concepts and revisions. And, with so many variables, that’s part of the reason why a logo ranges in price. From the outset, I’ll say that I don’t have set prices for logo designs, but I do have ranges that I can estimate what the cost will be based on past experience.
A logo can be used in so many different places. And, before you jump on Fiverr and find the cheapest, ill-considerate designer you can find, think about the cost of running a business and how much a logo actually means to the business. Do you ever look at company logos when you visit a website? In a shopping centre? On products? Do you make snap decisions on whether or not you’ll buy that product based on their logo? You might actually be surprised how many people, yourself included, make decisions on what jam to buy, or what gym to join or what clothes to wear based on their logo design alone.
So, a logo can live in many different places; online, digitally, printed on business cards or shop walls, marketing material and so on. And all those variations can result is multiple logos being needed to be created. Logo file formats are usually in raster or vector.
Raster vs Vector Logos – What's the difference?
Raster files are measured in DPI (dots per inch) and have a file extension such as .jpg, .gif or .png. These files are based on pixels, which are set dimensions. So, increasing or decreasing the size may result in pixilation or distortion. That is because the computer is working out where to fill in the pixels.
Vector files can be scaled to any size you can imagine without losing quality, which is great for printing (think billboards) all the way down to social media posts and email signatures. They can also be opened, edited, and saved in different applications, and have a file extension of .ai, .eps, .svg or .pdf. But don’t be fooled, some people place raster files inside vector files – these will not act the same way.
Colour variations of Logos
It should also be noted that logos need to be visible as much as possible. Their usage can vary too, so it’s important to have the logo designed in different colour combinations to make this possible. You’ll generally need light, dark, full colour and monochrome variations of the logo. I like to supply black and white logos for the times when a job might also be set in black and white.
We’ve also got colour options such as RGB (for digital logos), CMYK (for printed logos) and Pantone logos for spot colour jobs.
Costs / Packages of logos
Agencies can charge quite a lot for a logo design. The reason is because of their large overheads and staff that they have to pay, which is fair enough. I generally don’t charge close to what an agency charges which can be between $5,000 - $10,000. For a business, this can be a substantial outlay especially if you’re a start-up.
I tend to charge less, because whilst I have the experience of an Art Director, I still call myself a Senior Freelance Graphic Designer, because I feel like that’s a more suitable title for me. In fact, I’ve had clients who have come from having a logo developed by an agency, not been happy with their job and come to me to get a higher quality logo at a cheaper price.
My process and costs
I generally ask for a 50% up-front deposit to commence the logo design process. This allows me to have confidence in the client, and the client has confidence that project is underway. I’ll always ask the client information about their business. I’m invested in problem solving the situation to create, what I believe, is the best solution for the client.
So, what is the best solution? Well, you may have read in my other articles that targeting a specific socio-economic group and target demographic is the most important thing. This is because you want the logo and brand to appeal to a specific person – the person you want to sell to. This could be a wealthy 65 year old male from Brighton in Melbourne who loves expensive cars. Or, it could be a uni student just scraping through with rent each week and just wants the cheapest gym in town. Either way, your company has a market it wants to hit, and a logo can be massive in targeting the correct crowd.
So, analysing your business with key information is critical. Are you big, are you small, have you been around for 30 years, are you close to the beach, who’s your competition, your market, where are you selling, and so on. So many answers do I want to pack into your logo to design it the correct way. It’s a very psychological and meaningful process that deserves consideration.
Logo concepts and revisions
I generally create three logo concepts first up. I think it’s important to suss out which direction the company can go in, and which of the critical information that I spoke about above, needs to speak the loudest (in the logo). I ask for feedback from the client, to see if my analysis is correct. Majority of the time it isn’t too far off the pace, and a good brief from the client usually makes this the case.
Some designers give a set amount of revisions like 2 or 3, and price their logo based on that. I don’t agree with that process, because if a logo fits after the first revision, then that’s a resolution. If it takes 4 or 5 passes, then perhaps the brief, or my interpretation of the brief, isn’t correct. That doesn’t mean it’s job over, so it’s no stress, it just means that further clarification may be needed.
All of these variables I talk about are reasons why I don’t have a set-in-stone cost. However generally a logo for a small business will cost between $1,500 - $3,000 which is substantially less than an agency. And, I like to think that I put more care into a logo than an agency would too (but I’m bias)! For mid-sized companies, or companies with more exposure, this cost can be more. Somewhere between $2,500 - $4,000.
So, if you’re thinking about getting a logo design created, hopefully this article has helped. I’d be more than happy to discuss your business and requirements with you and give you a more accurate figure. I’ve done a lot of logos now, backed with 10 years of experience, that I have a good idea as to how much your logo could cost.
All the best on your logo making journey!
Supplement Label Designs and Requirements
Now that I’ve designed for quite a few supplement companies, I’ve got a good grasp on what’s required for supplement label design, how it can be applied on packaging, marketing features and elements, hitting key fitness demographics, and so on. Supplement design, whether it be whey protein powder, a fat burner, casein, (the list goes on doesn’t it?!), is a super competitive industry. And, the clients I’ve had requesting their brand on supplement labels has ranged from start-up entrepreneurs, hobbyist, personal trainers, to larger, more established companies.
Design Requirements
First things first, you need to know what type of products you want to sell. As I mentioned, (and if you’re reading this article you’re bound to be interested in all things supplements), there’s so many different types of supplements in the fitness industry. So, knowing what you want to sell is critical, because more often than not, that will dictate the size of the packaging required. Furthermore, the quantities of protein (for example) generally comes in quite a number of different sizes, in different types of packaging. Some are zip locked, some are in tubs and some in sachets.
Nutrition Information and labels
When a food product is sold to the public, generally a nutrition label is required to go on the product packaging or label. I’m specifically going to talk about Australia and the United States here, and say that both countries do require this information.
Even stylistically, the nutrition information needs to be designed in a legible way. This can be quite complicated, so please refer to some of these websites which may help:
Australia Food Labelling
Food Standards Australia Nutrition Information Panels https://www.foodstandards.gov.au/consumer/labelling/panels/Pages/default.aspx
Food Standards Australia Nutrition Information User Guide https://www.foodstandards.gov.au/code/userguide/Documents/Userguide_Prescribed%20Nutrition%20Information%20Nov%2013%20Dec%202013.pdf
Australia Made Logo Use https://www.australianmade.com.au/for-business/using-the-logo/
United States Food Labeling
FDA Dietary Supplement Labeling Guide https://www.fda.gov/food/dietary-supplements-guidance-documents-regulatory-information/dietary-supplement-labeling-guide
FDA Nutrition Labeling https://www.fda.gov/food/dietary-supplements-guidance-documents-regulatory-information/dietary-supplement-labeling-guide-chapter-iv-nutrition-labeling
Often the Nutrition Information will be supplied to me by the client. It is their duty to supply the correct information and guidelines for me to complete.
Using a Template Maker
A template maker for supplement design is often a really cheap, inefficient way of doing business. Calculating the costs involved in using a template maker, how often it’s been used by other companies all around the world, legalities, specification sizes and so on, is extremely risky. It would also be a time where, if you find yourself going down this route in business (in general), you might need to ask if you can afford to run a business. A template maker, whilst useful for some things, would be extremely risky.
Let’s talk about custom supplement label design
Ok, onto the fun stuff! Custom supplement label design, something I specialise in, is what I know best. We have some key areas to focus on here, and they include logo design, software, target demographic, style, and printing types / substrates.
Logo Design for Supplement Companies
I’ll talk about target demographics a little bit later on in the article, but logo design is critical to the success of a brand. So much design aesthetic stems from a logo design. There’s so much consideration that needs to take place and if you’re an experienced Graphic Designer then you’d recognise what has the ability to work and what doesn’t. So, please read further down the article where I talk about appealing to a target audience, because that pertains to logo design too.
One of my favourite logos I’ve created is for Nitracore, a more hardcore style supplement brand. I created custom type for the company specifically directed to appeal to their target audience.
I’ve also created a logo for Megathom, Argyle Nutrition, Monster Performance, Primo Performance and a few more companies.
Software to design supplement labels
Generally, labels I design for clients are created in Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign or Adobe Photoshop. However, it’s usually a combination of two or three of those. Consideration of size of label, resources (like photos, the company logo, and so on), and quantity are assessed. Adobe Illustrator is great for label design (and company logo design for that matter), because of its sizing (un)restrictions. The majority of print based work I create for labels is created in Illustrator. InDesign is really useful for larger quantities of work, so if you have a lot of labels to be created in many variations, this could be my choice of software. Photoshop is generally better to make edits to photos and photo manipulation, mocking up products and so on.
Speaking of mocking up products, this is something a lot of clients end up requesting for their fitness business. To show photo quality renders to customers, without the use of actually hiring a photographer, the perfect setting, and so on, is so appealing. You can also rotate the product on different angles, so showing it on a gym floor, or presenting it in a nice, natural (or in some cases, really abstract and stylistic ways) is so engaging. I generally use Cinema 4D – one of the most powerful 3D rendering programs in the world – to create the product renders.
Designing appealing labels for customers
Supplement labels are no different to most other print-based graphic design work. Considerations for who your target audience should be at the forefront of your mind. For me, that’s certainly the case. Identifying who your customer is could involve the following:
- Location of the customer. This could be as specific as your local area, state, country, multiple countries and so on. Even with the internet, it’s important to realise who are typically visiting your website.
- Physical abilities of your customer. Are they just starting out in fitness? Is it their hobby? Are they semi-professional? Professional athletes?
- Age of your customer. Younger demographic? Older?
- Gender specific product or a skew towards a certain gender.
- Your main competition. Are their labels similar to yours? How can you differentiate yourself from the competition?
- Cost of your product relative to the competition. This is so important, because often consumers will look at your product side by side with another, similar product. If their protein powder looks and feels more expensive, that may mean that they opt for their product, or end up using yours because it in fact looks and feels cheaper.
Often clients will approach me and state that they want their product to appeal to everyone. And yes, that would be fantastic! However, it’s never the case.
If we look at a company like Optimum Nutrition, for example, who are iconic with their label designs, they’ve made their labels appear expensive, the typography used demonstrates their product is more geared towards hobby to semi-professional athletes, at a mid-range demographic and a slight skew towards males. With all of that considered, the price point for a brand like Optimum Nutrition is generally more expensive, and that’s because of their more luxurious look. Now, they also have the backing of reputation, too.
Supplement Packaging, Bottles, Sachets (etc).
After the logo and supplement label is designed, often clients will print their labels onto tubs, bottles and sachets depending on the sizes of their products. There’s such a wide range of options in regards to printing.
A few options could be:
- Matte / Glossy Paper
- Silver Metallic Paper, sometimes with a white underprint.
- White Film BOPP Polypropylene which is great because it’s waterproof and tearproof
- Clear Film BOPP Polypropylene
- Chrome Film BOPP Polypropylene
There’s a range of costs involved in regards to quantities, types of print, quality, paper and so on. They’re best discussed on a case-by-case situation.
So that’s about all for supplement label design in terms of a general guide. I hope it’s helped give you a better understanding of what’s required. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions!
Exhibition Space Design and Signage
Successful exhibition and event signage, and signage in general, can be a powerful tool in marketing your business at a trade show. The cost may be substantial because of the large amount of material used to produce the signage, however this would (most likely) be offset by the exposure you would gain from a successful marketing campaign.
Designing Exhibition and Event Signage for Melbourne Businesses
I’ve created exhibition signage for several companies, but two companies in particular spring to mind – both located in Melbourne. The printing process was undertaken by local companies, too, which made it easy to work in conjunction with. They also assisted with the construction of the banners themselves. The reason why that’s an asset to the process is that large format printing can be a somewhat difficult operation.
Working with the exhibition space
There’s plenty of factors that should be considered, including location of exhibition, booth location, physical space, visibility, lighting and mood of the exhibition itself. It’s important to have a stand that factors in all of those considerations. For example, demographic plays an important factor in the design of the signage because as a promotional tool, you want the target audience to appeal to what you have on display.
Signage design considerations
Viewable Angles
When working on the design for signage at exhibition spaces, it’s important to consider viewing angles. At what angles on a horizontal plane can the artwork be viewed? Will signage be cut off or obscured by additional, manmade elements such as tables, stools and chairs? How can we maximise the brand exposure on the signage itself? The logo of the business should be viewable as practically as possible.
Text and Content
Furthermore, something I always consider is average human height. When you think about signage within a booth, especially with readable elements such as text or iconography, what’s the ideal range to view the content? And, will the content be obscured by other people. Hierarchy of text also plays a role in this case, as perhaps the heading should be the reading element from a far, and subsequent text should be read up close.
Graphics and Artwork
In terms of the artwork itself that is displayed on the signage, a lot of companies want as many vibrant colours as possible to highlight their booth. This might, in fact, draw eyes to your booth, but will it be for the right reasons? You always want your branding material to reflect your product or service.
Marketing your graphics towards your specific target audience is proven to be the best way to sell product / service. Bentley, an expensive automotive manufacturer, use subtle monochromatic tones to sell their premium product. It adds to the depth and quality of their product. And, rightly so. It’s one of the most expensive cars in the world. Toyota, on the other hand, tend to use a lot more colour with a lot more vibrancy to make their product appeal to a broader, cheaper target demographic.
Additional design assets for a successful marketing campaign
Of course, it’s important to remember the other assets in conjunction with your exhibition booth signage, such as a brochure showcasing your product or service, perhaps a flyer to quickly show customers what you offer, and business cards to introduce yourself and employees. Pull-up banners are also a great way of capturing the attention of viewers with short, sharp messages or visuals. All these types of touchpoints are important to impressing potential customers. Why? Because, customers love to see professionalism, quality and most importantly be able to trust the business.
Personal Business Card Designs
I recently made some new, modern personal business cards featuring my new logo. I thought it would be nice to make a few variations (5 in total), with the background of the back being different artwork that I've created over the years. I wanted to keep the front – where my name, phone and email address is – nice and clean. Legibility and cleanliness are two big factors, for me, for this particular side of the card.
These cards are printed on a 300gsm substrate in a standard size for Australia. I went for a gloss finish, with a laminate over the top. It allows the colours to appear rich and vibrant, even though they're generally monotone looking for the most part.
A special thanks to Simprint Digital in Dingley, Victoria, Australia for getting these printed or me. They always do a fantastic job and I'd definitely recommend them.
Above: 'Day 7' business card design featuring artwork created in Adobe Illustrator.
Above: United business card design featuring the artwork created for Desktopography.
Above: Heights business card design featuring the artwork from the Depths / Heights series.
Above: Inifinite business card design featuring artwork created in an isometric, 3D style in Illustrator.
Above: Flow business card design featuring artwork created for EvokeOne Digital Art Group.
New Logo and Website - A Graphical Insight
New Logo and Website - A Graphical Insight
With my brand new website and logo now live, I thought it would be nice to show them both off in a graphical visual representation. This series of images allows you to see a snapshot of my personal logo design process, history of my logotype, concepts and ideas and web development.
I believe my new CK logo is an evolution of my previous logo, which is what I set out to be the case right from the beginning. The change was one, I felt, I had to make. I want to take my business in a slightly different direction and have a somewhat fresh start. The new logo is far more brandable, a bit less style specific and appeals to a wider target audience than the existing one did. As much as I liked my existing logo, I didn’t feel like I could achieve this. Furthermore, it was important for the design of the logo to be relatable and relevant to my existing design style.
Visually, I wanted it to be accurate. I considered a lot of things such as angles, line weight, visual balance and complexity. Whilst I executed a wide range of different styles, I was the most happy with this particular concept as it felt like it was me.
I’m really happy with the way its turned out and I’m super excited to start using it and adapting it to different things.
You’re welcome to ask any questions you might have about the logo design process or branding in the comments section below!
Recreating a logo design in vector format
Often I'll get approached by companies asking whether or not I can recreate their logo in vector format – typically created in Adobe Illustrator (such a common program used to create vectors), for print production. This could be for stationery such as letterheads and business cards to bigger prints such as posters and even billboards. The fact of the matter is that a company needs to have generally have an EPS (Encapsulated Post Script) file in order to print their logo at different sizes.
Why the original logo wasn't created in a vector format to begin with is difficult for me to know. It may be the inexperience of the designer in creating a logo. Or, the client may not know what file format they required at the time. The most common problem is that their logo was initially designed in raster format within Photoshop (or similar) and is now in a JPG or GIF file format which is definitely not recommended.
Logo conversion from JPG / GIF to Vector (AI / EPS)
The difficulty in conversion from JPG / GIF to AI / EPS typically depends on the complexity of the logo design. The more intricate the logo, typically the more difficult the logo re-creation process. Another major factor is the quality of the scan or JPG of the logo itself. If it's unclear or low-resolution details may be lost in the conversion process. Typography can also be a challenge to trace if the original typeface isn't known or available.
You can see how pixellated a .jpg logo can be when resized. A vector logo, on the other hand, has no quality loss.
Converting a logo from photo to Vector (AI / EPS)
Another request I receive is to recreate a logo or illustration from a photograph or a scanned image.
In the example above, I've taken a photograph (left) of the logo design which needed to be printed on several more leather seats. Using Adobe Illustrator, I recreated this intricate logo (right) so the client could use the print as often as required. With the new logo now in a vector format, no quality loss will be made no matter what size the client decides to print the logo design in the future.
Why have a Vector Logo Design?
It's extremely important that a logo be created in vector format, using a program such as Illustrator (AI and EPS file formats). The logo, when created in Illustrator, then has the ability to be infinitely scaled from as small to as large as you desire.
If your company needs a new logo or if you need a logo recreated for vector, please contact me to discuss your project.