There are nearly 550 words that you can create using the letters in the word “THANKSGIVING.” And what’s amazing is how many you can use that to position a client and graphic designer for more success. So as we enter this thankful time of year, when helping others is top of mind, I thought it would be fun to point out a few things in a creative way.
All of the highlighted words below, and many others used in this article, can be found in the word “Thanksgiving”:
Giant
Giant type or images can be sized to your advantage. But at the same time, you can’t make everything giant in a design or layout because you lose the contrast between large and small. The contrast is what helps control a viewer’s eye and how they absorb information. Making something giant means that you have scale difference—and that can be interesting and useful in graphic design.
Ink
Choosing the proper ink colors for a brand or logo is important for consistency. Graphic designers use color conversion charts and tools to ensure color consistency across all printed items. This is important because of the variable methods of printing items such as full color printing (also known as CMYK) or spot color printing where a specific ink color is used.
Gain
Gain is a printing term used when referencing how ink will spread on a piece of paper once printed. Paper like newsprint usually has a much higher “gain” when compared to a glossy coated paper, where the ink is not absorbed as much and tends to sit on the surface better. As graphic designers, we want to gain more business from producing nicely designed marketing materials and websites; but gain is another thing you should be aware of when printing. Some settings or adjustments will need to be made in anticipation of the ink and paper being used to help compensate the ink’s gain.
So let your punctuation hang out there.
Hang
As a graphic designer, I prefer to hang punctuation in a text block. This means that quote marks are placed beyond the confines of the paragraph margins in order to keep the paragraph or text visually aligned. It is a geeky typography thing that us designers like to do. So let your punctuation hang out there.
Think
How a graphic designer or client thinks will determine how effective a particular design or marketing material will eventually be. Those who can think and collaborate in a creative manner will see the most beneficial results.
Ask
You must have conversations with your graphic designer and “ask” questions. Your graphic designer should be asking even more questions from you so that they can formulate an effective and interesting design.
Saving
Saving money on printing costs or saving time doing the job right the first time is a means for a mutually beneficial relationship between a client and a graphic designer. Strategic thinking and planning will lead to carefully thought out designs and solutions to business problems.
Hint
When creating a design—whether it be a logo, invitation, package or advertisement—showing just a hint of something can be nice to have. Imagine an elegantly printed black package using a matte paper. Using a hint of a shiny silver foil embellishment can help bring the package design to life. So never underestimate just a hint of something, because you don’t always need to hit someone over the head to make a statement.
Sign
Take this article as sign that you might want to consider giving your next design challenge to Trillion’s graphic design team. The New Year is around the corner and what better way to kick it off than with some fresh ideas?
Thanks
This was a fun little article. I know it’s a little different from most of our other pieces but it reflects a way of thinking that we try to keep vibrant at Trillion. When we design projects for our clients, we are determined to show them creative new ways to approach their challenges. It’s why they keep coming back! If you need help with an important graphic design or web design challenge, give us a call at 908.219.4703 or complete our contact form.
