Dash of Inspiration – Typography Speaks
A Dash of Inspiration, A Cup of Creativity by Doreen
Typography Speaks Louder Than Words
Every week I stop by some of the online graphic art magazine sites to see the latest articles for designers. This past week, Smashing Magazine published a wonderful read about “visual language” and a designer’s use of typography to explore the interaction between the look of type and what the type actually says. Carolyn and Jessica; the authors of this article, do a fantastic job of providing both written and visual examples of how showing the same message in a design can be presented in a number of ways to convey and encourage a diversity of responses.
I think you’ll see here how important typography is to the overall design and that it should be kept in the forefront of the designer’s mind from the early moments of creating that design, particularly in greeting cards where both imagery and message are paramount to the customer. Typography should NEVER be an afterthought on the card face that gets stuffed wherever there is space left, the designer should know at the beginning of their card design where the text will go, what it’s visual attributes will be and how it will convey the message of the imagery it shares space with.
We’ve talked about typography before; so if you are new to the GCU Community Blog, be sure to visit our old posts where both Corrie and I have shared many great articles on typography for greeting cards as well as some terrific fonts for you to grab!
Image courtesy of SmashingMagazine.com
On my Facebook Fan page, I post links weekly to great CU downloads and often those are fonts. Here are links to some from the previous months posts and feel free to stop by and Like the Salon of Art Facebook Page to grab new goodies for your design arsenal every week!
See you next week!
When Typography Speaks Louder Than Words by Carolyn Knight, Jessica Glaser
Curse Casual Regular by Jayvee D. Enaguas
SpicyRice-Regular by Astigmatic
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Critique Clinic – April 14-15, 2012
How does it work? For three days a week (Friday-Sunday midnight), I will open the clinic to any artist who wants an honest peer review and critique of a card which gets plenty of clicks but no sales, so something’s probably not quite right, or you’ve got a new design you want to test drive, or you’re unsure about the marketability of a card. Or perhaps you’re a newbie who isn’t sure if a recently submitted card is up to a marketable standard. Anyone is welcome to participate. In fact, I encourage everyone to at least look at the cards in question and read the critique comments – you may learn something. The purpose of the clinic is to help artists improve the commercial appeal and marketability of their cards.
THE RULES
- ONE card per artist only.
- Card must be for sale at Greeting Card Universe.
- We will take an unlimited number of artists, including those who have submitted recently, HOWEVER I reserve the right to close a clinic for the day if the submissions become overwhelming. If the clinic has been closed, and you submit a card, your comment will be deleted.
- To submit a card for critique, post a link to the card at GCU in the comments section of this clinic post. Allowances will be made if you’ve had a card declined, or made a new design you’d like advice on. Give us the link where we can see the card, such as your private gallery, Flickr, etc.
- Any artist is free to comment and/or give a critique of a submitted card. HOWEVER, post-and-run comments like “great card” or “you suck” will not be tolerated, nor will abuse. Criticism should be constructive, not destructive. Play nice or you will be banned.
- I also won’t tolerate temper tantrums if you decide your “artistic integrity” is being stepped on because you asked for a critique, and someone told you the photo you’re using isn’t in focus. If you can’t take honest criticism, don’t submit. Once gets you a warning; twice and you’re banned from submitting in the future.
- Artists who critique may do so by giving their opinion, posting an example of another card, or pointing the submitter to a video, on-line article, or other helpful suggestion.
- Don’t forget that artists who are giving you tips and helpful advice are volunteering their time and trouble. Be nice. A link back to their store on your website or blog is appreciated (but not mandatory).
- You are free not to take any advice offered. There’s no guarantee any card will be a bestseller, so don’t come into the clinic with unrealistic expectations.
- Rules may change as we go along and we see how things turn out, okay?
So without any further ado, I declare this week’s Critique Clinic open!
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Fonts: Kimberly Geswein
If you’re looking for cute, handwritten fonts, look no further: Kimberly Geswein makes Fonts with Heart.
The best thing is that she allows pretty unlimited commercial use for just a $5 licensing fee per font which can be easily paid via PayPal. Here’s an example of her work. She has many more fonts in her collection.
For just $5, you can have a lot of fun!
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Lightning Round: Hippity Hoppity – RESULTS
We’re hopping around blogs today in our Lightning Round: Hippity Hoppity! Here are the entries. Participants, thanks for playing, and please share the links on your blogs. And everybody, don’t forget to visit our wonderful entries and leave comments.
And the winner of our random drawing is… Renae Frankz! Congratulations, Renae!
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Aura 2000
I Spotted the Easter Bunny
Renae Frankz
Easter – Some Bunny Loves You
Betty Matsumoto-Schuch
Filling In Fur Pete’s Sake
Betsy Bush
Hippity Hoppity Challenge
Eliz Designs
Cute Frogs on Cards and Gifts
Janet Lee Designs
My Favorite Frogs
Christi Madden
Bernard the Easter Frog
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Design Spotlight: Nancy Mink
Today’s Design Spotlight is on Nancy Mink, who has a unique and visually interesting style. I really like her cards. Thanks for the glimpse, Nancy!
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My favorite card is Sister Birthday Treasures.
As a licensed watercolor artist for home decor and fabric design, I look to the countryside for inspiration; whether it is as close as my backyard in northwest Oregon or across our beautiful country. This was painted with my sisters in mind (their names are on the flower labels!) We all enjoy flowers, spring and anything to do with gardening.
Simple pleasures really are priceless treasures; one only has to slow down a bit to notice and appreciate them.
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Dash of Inspiration – Happy Easter
A Dash of Inspiration, A Cup of Creativity by Doreen
Happy Easter!
I write this article each Sunday so it’s ready for all of you 1st thing Monday mornings, so this week for me it’s Easter and it actually looks like spring outside in the foothills of California.
March brought a somewhat regular routine of sun followed by rain followed by snow which seemed to rotate through each week. Our yard is filled with buds of growth making us want to begin planting, yet I know in my heart that the last frost has not arrived and I’ll be sorry if I put tender new plants in the garden!
This week I thought I’d give you a couple links to some beautiful spring art. For those of you who have not yet felt the touch of spring in your own gardens, perhaps you can warm up a little inside and enjoy some beautiful blooms!
See you next week!
Lovely Spring Art at Fine Art America
Beautiful Spring Art at RedBubble
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Critique Clinic – April 6-8, 2012
How does it work? For three days a week (Friday-Sunday midnight), I will open the clinic to any artist who wants an honest peer review and critique of a card which gets plenty of clicks but no sales, so something’s probably not quite right, or you’ve got a new design you want to test drive, or you’re unsure about the marketability of a card. Or perhaps you’re a newbie who isn’t sure if a recently submitted card is up to a marketable standard. Anyone is welcome to participate. In fact, I encourage everyone to at least look at the cards in question and read the critique comments – you may learn something. The purpose of the clinic is to help artists improve the commercial appeal and marketability of their cards.
THE RULES
- ONE card per artist only.
- Card must be for sale at Greeting Card Universe.
- We will take an unlimited number of artists, including those who have submitted recently, HOWEVER I reserve the right to close a clinic for the day if the submissions become overwhelming. If the clinic has been closed, and you submit a card, your comment will be deleted.
- To submit a card for critique, post a link to the card at GCU in the comments section of this clinic post. Allowances will be made if you’ve had a card declined, or made a new design you’d like advice on. Give us the link where we can see the card, such as your private gallery, Flickr, etc.
- Any artist is free to comment and/or give a critique of a submitted card. HOWEVER, post-and-run comments like “great card” or “you suck” will not be tolerated, nor will abuse. Criticism should be constructive, not destructive. Play nice or you will be banned.
- I also won’t tolerate temper tantrums if you decide your “artistic integrity” is being stepped on because you asked for a critique, and someone told you the photo you’re using isn’t in focus. If you can’t take honest criticism, don’t submit. Once gets you a warning; twice and you’re banned from submitting in the future.
- Artists who critique may do so by giving their opinion, posting an example of another card, or pointing the submitter to a video, on-line article, or other helpful suggestion.
- Don’t forget that artists who are giving you tips and helpful advice are volunteering their time and trouble. Be nice. A link back to their store on your website or blog is appreciated (but not mandatory).
- You are free not to take any advice offered. There’s no guarantee any card will be a bestseller, so don’t come into the clinic with unrealistic expectations.
- Rules may change as we go along and we see how things turn out, okay?
So without any further ado, I declare this week’s Critique Clinic open!
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Tip: Finding An Image Source
Ever wonder about the original source of an image you’ve stumbled across on the Internet? Where’d that cool thing you saw on Pinterest really come from?
Well, in case you didn’t know, finding the original source of an image (photograph, graphic, clip art, etc.) is easy, and you can learn the trick in about ten seconds. Ready? Here we go!
Open 2 tabs in your browser. In one tab, bring up the image. In the second tab, go to Google and click on Images. So far, so good. Now grab the image in the first tab, drag it into the second tab to just under the Search box. A box will open that says Drop Image Here. Do it. Google will perform a search for the image.
Cool, isn’t it? l’ve tried it and it works like a dream. But we can even go a step further…
Suppose you have a piece of clip art you’ve stored on your hard drive for years and you’ve forgotten where you picked it up at. A GCU reviewer is asking you to identify the source before they’ll approve your card. What do you do?
Just open the folder where you’ve stored the image. Open your browser and go to Google, click on Images. Same deal but first, you’ll need to minimize your browser window. Now grab the image from your folder and drag it to just under the Search box, and drop into the Drop Image Here box. Voila!
Now this isn’t magic. Sometimes, the source can’t be found. You could have too many multiple sources, too, such as a popular image shared a lot on places like Tumblr. But the technique will make your detective work a little easier.
Try it out!
And just in case you wonder where I dug up the information in this tutorial, here’s the original source of the tip. 🙂
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Design Spotlight: Marilee Harrald-Pilz
Today we’re putting the Design Spotlight on Marilee’s Card Shoppe – she has a very pretty style that makes me smile!
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This is one of my popular cards on Greeting Card Universe. It’s painted it traditionally in watercolor and hand-lettered. I liked the idea of hearts as flowers – a bouquet of love.
I work traditionally in watercolor and ink, and have had a varied career as a concept artist, illustrator of children’s books and magazines, greeting cards, and licensed characters.
I have two grown children, and live with my husband and dog Eddie in a suburb of Chicago. I enjoy reading, antiques, the outdoors, drawing and painting with pastels.
Learn more about Marilee through her website, Marilee Sketches blog, and Marilee Designs blog.
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Lightning Round: Hippity Hoppity!
It’s been a while since our last Blog Carnival, so I thought I’d ease you all into it with a quick Lightning Round: Hippity Hoppity!
Just make a post on your blog (or a Squidoo lens or other on-line page) with a bunny or a frog theme – anything goes – and include links to 3 (three) cards at GCU with bunny or frog designs. That’s it!
Submit a link to your post in the comments section here. Deadline for submissions is April 10th. On April 11th, I will create a master post with all entries to be shared among the participants.
The winner of our random drawing will receive their choice of a $10 gift certificate to MyFonts.com, $10 Amazon.com gift certificate, OR 5 free card credits.
So get hopping ’cause some-bunny’s going to win and it could be you! 🙂
GCU Community 