Dec 13 and we are all sat around the table here; some familiar faces and some new ones in the creative studio. A few hours, a long discussion and we are all very excited – 2011 will be very eventful year for Acuity Designs.

Acuity Designs has just expanded to include a whole new creative space crawling with all kinds – from graphic designers to web developers, from marketing specialists to usability experts; we have just included a whole bunch of new exciting people! Our new team members come from varied background and some of them have some very exciting brands and clients in their portfolio.

Over the course of 2011, Acuity Design will be focusing on its creative offerings, with the addition of 3 remarkable designers. From illustration to brand design, from web design london to customized design solutions, we hope to be creating award winning designs!

Another area of expansion has been the Online Marketing / E-Marketing offerings from Acuity. Now with a bespoke team of internet marketers putting their minds together to come up with online campaigns, search engine optimization and other marketing solutions through the digital world, our clients will receive a service (and of course the results) expected from some of the best in this field. Our current marketing team, led by a previous Head of Online Search of a large UK media company, has indulged with major brands and dot com companies.

And of course, we will be posting more and more helpful stuff here for all of you guys! Everything from design to development, you will find our articles, inspirations, solutions, discussions on these blog pages throughout 2011.

Watch this space – ‘Cuz we are stepping it up!

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Brazilian ad agency Moma has given some of the worlds most modern brands a vintage 60s sepia makeover for an ‘Everything Ages Fast’ campaign.

The ads, created by Moma’s Rodolfo Sampaio, have been running in Brazilian newspaper Meio & Mensagem to promote media seminars from Maxi Midia.

Sampaio said: “Maximedia is an event intended for people working in communications. An updating event.

“Being that one of the greatest concerns these professionals have is to constantly reinvent themselves. What’s new today, is old tomorrow. With this in mind we’ve developed this campaign, showing how the tools in communication are quickly outdated. We are greatly impressed and pleased with the feedback we are seeing throughout the world.”

Story via BrandRepublic

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Once again, I found an excuse to upgrade my monitor and so went on the hunt for the best design appropriate monitors. A while back I did another search and came up with the list of monitors for design.

I went for the HP w2558hc in the end. Great monitor and I can’t recommend it enough. Calibrated it and its as close to print as I have ever seen with any monitor. It’s stunning. Below is the shortlist of monitors i had in my head:

On A Budget

Samsung SyncMaster 2232BW

Got A Little to Spend

Iiyama ProLite E2607WS

Got A Flexible Budget

HP w2558hc

Splashing Out

NEC SpectraView 2690

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This is a fairly ‘intermediate’ tutorial, although most beginners will be able to follow along with the video. It’s a neat little tutorial packed full of lots of little gems and tricks which we use in order to arrive the result; which is a much more stylistic portrait, that’s a lot more emotive and also has greater depth. The change is supposed to be subtle and thus its an effect your likely to use a lot more often than some of the tutorials floating around. Hope you enjoy! and its of use! Don’t hesitate to drop a comment below…

You can view a full resolution version of the final image here: FINAL IMAGE

You can view the final next to our boring chap here: SIDE BY SIDE IMAGE

You can download the stock image of our boring chap here: STOCK IMAGE

Lets begin!

Follow step by step below or watch Video of the tutorial

To begin with we want to secure an original copy of our stock image using the ‘padlock’. Now duplicate this layer 3 times. Name the layers ‘desaturated, black and white glow and sharpening’ : this should give a clue as to what we are going to do to each layer.

Now you want to turn of visibility by clicking the ‘eye’ icon on the bland white glow layer and the sharpening layer. Select the desaturated layer and then hit at the same time COMMAND+SHIFT+U or for windows substiture COMMAND with CTRL. Then set the desaturated layer’s blending mode to Multiply. You hsould notice this creates a nice shadowy effect to the image.

Turn off the visibility on the desaturated layer and now make the sharpening layer visible. Navigate to Filter -> Other -> High Pass . You should see the below. Moving the slider makes the filetr pick up more or less lines. Play with this until you find a sweet spot. For this image I decided upon 21.5

It might look weird once you click’OK’ – the key is to change this layer’s blending mode to  Overlay and you should immediately see an increase in the sharpness of the image. This is a neat little trick for sharpening up images it’s at times are much better option than some of Photoshop’s standard sharpening tools. A great little process to run before taking photos to print.

Now you want to select the black and white glow layer as we want to create an adjustment layer above it. At the bottom of the layer panel click the circular icon for adjustment/fill layers and select Black and White.

The purpose of this step is to create a base for us to build up upon with the the subtle touches to the image. The aim at this stage is to try and make much of the facial skin white but to bring out many of the facial features and emphasise them (e.g bags under eyes / iris / white of eye / shoulder blades / mouth / forehead lines). This will serve the final effect and feel. In the adjustment layer settings if your following this verbatim – you can enter the same settings – if you are being adventurous, experiment with the slider until you receive the desired effect.

Once you’ve configured the adjustment layer  – hold shift and select the adjustment layer + the black and white glow layer. With them both selected hit COMMAND+E . This will merge them. Alternatively, you can right click and select ‘merge down.’ after this re-name the layer ‘Black and White Glow. Re-arrange your current layers in the order below and insert 3 new layers above the sharpening layer.

Here is another neat little technique. We want to fill each layer with 50% Gray. Select it and hit SHIFT+F5 and then choose 50% Gray.

Following this we then want to name the layers for the part of the image we will edit using them and then set all 3 layer’s blending mode to overlay. The 50% Gray will seem to disappear. Then select the Burn Tool as shown below.

We are going to touch up the mouth first and we will begin with a smaller hard-brush. We also want to begin using ‘Midtones’ at a low exposure. As we apply the effect below we are going to switch back to these settings and increase exposure / brush size/ brush weight to achieve the subtle effect. bit by bit.

Using the burn tool and different setting , with the mouth layer selected. We want to gradually emphasie the cracks / gap in the lips . The key is subtlety.

Repeat the same process on the forehead with a slightly larger and slightly softer brush. We want to gradually emphasie the lines across the brow . Once again, the key is subtlety. It is almost unnoticeable but when all these are combined there is a clear difference in mood etc.

Repeat the same process on the bags under the eyes with its relevant layer selected using a larger and much softer brush.the aim is to sink the eyes further into the head and create a slightly tired / deshevelled look.  Don’t forget, the key is subtlety.

Now above the desaturated layer, insert a new layer and name it two face, setting its layer blending mode to soft light. Get a very large soft brush and lower its opacity and flow. Select the colour black in the tools palette. Now paint one side of the image, softly and gradually with the brush until you have an effect as below. It may be beneficial to paint without soft light set so that you can see the areas affected as in the second image. The effect should be as in the first image.. very subtle but evident.

Now, with all the effects and processing we have done, the eyes have become somewhat blackened and lost. So lets add back some of their sparkle. Create a new layer and name it eye detail. With a thin hard brush, select the colour white. Create spaced iris like lines radiating from the center as below. They do not have to be perfect but try to prevent traveling into the white of the eye.

After completing this for both eyes. With the eye detail layer selected; navigate to Filter -> Blur -> Gaussian Blur and you should see the dialogue box below. We want to remove the hard edges of the lines and create a somewhat sparkle like glow, so the blur does not need to be harsh.  I selected 4.

Once the blur is complete, set the layer blending mode to soft light.

Select the desaturated layer as we want to add an adjustment layer above it. Now select the adjustment / fill layer icon as earlier but this time select Channel Mixer… and enter the settings as in the second image. Once configured set the layer blending mode to soft light and we should see the dark side and areas of the face made slightly darker, increasing the contrast.

After completing this I noticed the whites of the eyes were slightly dull. So as earlier lets use our 50% Gray technique. Select the shoulders layer and insert a new layer above it. Name it eyes and fill it with 50% Gray, setting the blending mode to overlay. This time, instead of the Burn Tool we want to use the Dodge Tool. Now with a soft, applicable sized brush begin to re-whiten the whites of the eyes, zooming out and back in to ensure you do not over do it.

In the latter stages now, you want to select the uppermost layer – eye detail and holding shift select the black and white glow layer. Then right click on the selection and select ‘Duplicate Layers’

The new layers should remain selected. with them selected hit COMMAND+E to merge them.  Then re-name this layer which should be a reflection of what we have done thus far to ‘blur pop’. This should indicate what were are going to do now.

With the blur pop layer selected navigate to Filter ->Blur -> Lens Blur . This blur is going to be slightly over done to help make our chap pop out from the background and try and achieve somewhat of a 3D depth to the image. I used a value of 39.

After hitting OK, you should see a heavily blurred image. With the layer selected, add a layer mask.  This can be done by clicking on the layer mask icon at the bottom of the layers palette or by navigating to Layer -> Layer Mask -> Reveal All. Now equip a large soft brush with Opacity of about 65%. Select the white panel that has now been added to your blur pop layer. With your brush begin to paint on your image and you should witness your sharper image below begin to come through. Do not reaveal the background, nor the edges. It’s ok if its quite rough, it will add to the natural effect  – which is what we want!

Hopefully You should have something like the below:

A full resolution version of the final image here: FINAL IMAGE

The final next to our boring chap here: SIDE BY SIDE IMAGE

Video

Part 1

Part 1 – Photoshop tutorial – Boring Photo to Emotive Portrait from Acuity Designs on Vimeo.

Part 2

Part 2 – Photoshop tutorial – Boring Photo to Emotive Portrait from Acuity Designs on Vimeo.

Part 3

Part 3 – Photoshop tutorial – Boring Photo to Emotive Portrait from Acuity Designs on Vimeo.

Hopefully You should have something like the below:

A full resolution version of the final image here: FINAL IMAGE

The final next to our boring chap here: SIDE BY SIDE IMAGE

Hope this was helpful!!

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1) Just Creative Design – Bad Graphic Design
Yes, this is a controversial topic, however I hope to raise awareness of some mistakes you may be making in your graphic design pieces that are making you look amateurish, but please keep in mind that none of these are hard and fast rules, this is only a general guide of things you should be aware of.

2) Smashing Magazine – 10 common mistakes in Logo design

A professional business should look professional. New business owners often invest a lot of time and money in property and equipment, but do not often match it by investing suitably in their logo.

3)Noupe – 10 Common design mistakes

Below are ten of the most common mistakes web designers make, along with examples of sites who do things right. Some of these are easy to correct if you’re aware of, others might take a bit more time. But all are fixable and worth the time and effort to correct. While this is by no means a comprehensive list of common errors, it is a good starting point.

4)Daily Blog Tips – 43 Web Design Mistakes You Should avoid

Some of the points are common sense, others are quite polemic. Most of them apply to any website though, whether we talk about a business entity or a blog. Enjoy!

5) Crestock.com – 7 common design mistakes that clients love

From flash intros, to logo theft, to information overload, clients often ask a design team to do a lot of stuff that’s just plain wrong. Here are 7 of the most common mistakes clients might ask you to make — and how to talk some sense into them.

6) Desin cubicle – 10 common typography mistakes

The goal of this post is to help designers and clients understand the importance of good type skills, while avoiding some of the common mistakes. Please keep in mind that most of these mistakes are subjective and can be changed varying on the project, goals or circumstances.

Below is a list of 10 common mistakes used in type design/layout that can make a large impact in the effectiveness and appearance of your designs, in addition to saving you time and money when dealing with printers.

7) Web Pages That suck – Biggest mistake in web design

These ladies are laughing at you. Why? You designed your web site for your needs, not their needs. It gets worse. After they stop laughing, they’re going to one of your competitors’ sites and buy something.

8 ) Andbreak.com – 101 common designer mistakes

A lot of people are nowadays starting a new web site, may it just be personal blog or your own ecommerce site. With a growing number of web page we also see a growing number of web site designs.

The main stream of web sites are flawed with mistakes that are easily avoidable. Here is a list of what I found the most important mistakes made by web designers.

9) Articulate – 5 common visual design mistakes

I was working with a student intern the other day. We reviewed his first attempt at a rapid elearning course. For this review, we focused on the course’s visual design.

Overall, he did a great job, especially for someone just starting out. However, he made some mistakes that are common to many of the courses I see. I thought I’d do a quick rundown of what they are and provide some tips on how to prevent them.

10) Turbomilk – 10 mistakes in icon design

It is much easier to criticize somebody else’s work than to create something cool yourself. But if you apply a systematic approach to criticizing, make a numbered list and prepare illustrations, it will be regarded as a fully-fledged analysis! In my opinion, icon design is undergoing a transitional period. On the one hand, screen resolutions are increasing, hence enhancing icons. On the other hand, we still have good old pixels. Icons sized 16×16 and even smaller are still widely used. And so, here are the most commonly observed mistakes in icon design…

11) Smashing Magazine – 15 common mistakes in E-commerce design

Selling online can open up huge new markets for many businesses. When your store can be open 24/7 and you can reach a global market without the costs of mailings and call centers, it can be a huge boon to your business. But there are plenty of things to consider when designing an ecommerce site. It’s not as simple as throwing up some shopping cart software and plopping products into a database.

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So your self-promotion has worked and you have that all important new client. The project itself has scope for you to add some personal style or artistic flair to it as well. After the initial brainstorming, research and sketches you are nowhere – with nothing visual to guide yourself. Creative block!

We have various ways that we attempt to get around creative block:

- A Thesaurus

This has worked particularly well with illustration pieces where clients have given us a word as a ‘theme’ – brainstorming doesn’t always do it. Picking up a thesaurus or using the thesurus.com with your theme word can shed new light on different interpretations/concepts/understandings of the word and theme.

- Walking Away

This may sound somewhat foreign and not make much sense; but quite often when stuck, the best thing to do is to turn off the macbook, put down the sketchbook and go do something completely unrelated. At times, giving the brain time and space to think can work wonders – you might not get a classical ‘eureka’ moment but when you next sit down to tackle the project you may see ideas flowing a lot more naturally than before. Worst comes to worst, the cd collection you just organised was a terribly important task that you can now check off the procrastination list.

– Other people’s work

Inspiration and not Imitation is the key here. A useful way to see how others have approached branding companies in similar sectors etc. Also, will hopefully give you a new direction to head down in your interpretation of your brief.

Some good resources:

- 10 sources of Logo Inspiration
- Web Design Gallery
- Illustration inspiration

- Asking Others

The design community is a great place. You tend to get out of it what you put in. Helping others will pay off when yu need help in return. Asking for different approaches/ techniques / research paths / colour choices etc can help get you through the block and into a place where your able to develop the project!

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During our web travels we came across a nice little video by Becky Nasadowski that attempts to answer visually, the question: what is graphic design?… Enjoy

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Whilst surfing the web after buying my new Samsung T220 monitor, I was looking for a way to calibrate, as out of the box it was glaringly bright – great for movies etc – poor for design work. What I ran into was Supercal. Is a great tool, and after running a few test priints after calibration process which took me roughly 20minutes, the gap between what I saw on screen and my photographs printed on my Canon ix4000 had decreased monumentally. Highly reccommended!

Visit Site: Here
Direct Download (mac): Here

SuperCal™ is a visual display calibrator capable of measuring and correcting most conventional displays, including LCDs, CRTs and projectors. SuperCal doesn’t require any hardware measurement devices – only your eyeballs – yet it can be much more accurate, based on how well you pay attention to what you’re doing .

SuperCal lets you accurately measure the response of any display and build a profile with a corrected gamma table that improves the appearance of your display under Mac OS 9 or X. When your display is properly calibrated, you’ll notice much smoother tonal gradations and cleaner-looking anti-aliased text.

SuperCal was designed to provide the most accurate calibration possible without the use of a hardware measurement device. Very few users can afford to purchase a hardware calibration device like an X-Rite or Colortron, but all users need a properly calibrated display, whether they are retouching digital images or shopping for clothing on the internet.

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How essential is a design degree to a designer?

Having gone through the process of formal education in graphic design and illustration (and paid the accompanying expenses) Many designers have often had to ask themselves the question: ‘was it worth it?’

The simple fact is that, with the evolution of the internet to a level where intellectual and technical resources are freely available, those wishing to break into our industry have at their fingertips the necessary tools and know-how to make a start. Fortunately, the majority of professional designers aren’t selfish with their knowledge, and a huge number of blogs and articles will address issues such as common layout mistakes, and advice on getting work print-ready etc. So the theory of designing can be ‘self taught’ relatively easily, and it’s not just a case of accessing the necessary tools online, but not knowing what to do with them.

However. Something to be said for formal training is that you can learn a lot better by doing. You tend to remember methods of design practice if early on in your education a tutor has been able to drill it into your thinking. One good example being when I was studying for a foundation degree we had many sessions focussing only on principles of hierarchy. Nothing but old school cutting and pasting and enlarging on a photocopier. Ultimately these methods, which may have seemed tedious at the time cemented an understanding of hierarchy in my thinking that would never have stuck so well had it just been some advice that I read say, in a blog post. (think the karate kid, painting the fence.

Of course there’s a middle way between being completely self-taught and investing thousands of pounds and several years in a design BA. Many institutions offer short, part time courses or evening classes that can really be useful as they equip you with technical skills to make a success in the design world, but most importantly they provide the mentoring aspect that can help to establish good practice early on in a designer’s career.

Extra Links:

http://www.lcc.arts.ac.uk/courses/further_education.htm

http://www.chelsea.arts.ac.uk/shortcourses/

http://www.gold.ac.uk/icce/shortcourses/

Do you think you need a degree to freelance?

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This post is a short extension and continuation and summary from a previous article: Importance of Copyrighting Your artwork - it would serve well to read this before reading the following, as good background knowledge.

1) Deviant Art
By uploading your work to a personal gallery on deviant art, you can protect your work under a variety of licences such as the creative commons license.
Creative Commons Licence

2) Post It to yourself
The first way is to for instance with a logo, save all formats of the file you have onto a disc, and then send the disc in a sealed envelope by recorded delivery to your home or business address. Keep the postal marks and seals on the letter and file it away in storage, never to be opened unless required in court. This is further enhanced by also placing in the envelope documented proof of the idea evolution, such as initial sketches/(film or media cards)photographs/materials that went into the final composition. This is not the ‘proper’ method of copyright, all it can essentially do is in court prove that you created the work first.