If you already have a Joomla template or website and want to get it customized, there are lots of web design services which can do it for you on affordable prices but the best service on internet is Template Tuning. It can develop custom joomla templates that send an effective message, enabling you to build a strong web presence.

The best part in template customization is that you can get Joomla template for few bucks and get it redesigned for affordable price, instead of going through whole process of web development and designing.

Getting custom Joomla templates is very easy. Customization process takes only 3 steps.

1 – Choose a website template from huge collection, which has all types of templates.
2 – Live chat with support manager to explain your customization needs.
3 – Monitor the process and get the work done.

Here i am listing some Joomla templates which you can select for customization or browse for more. I have mentioned the number of every template which you will need to start the customizaton process.

Custom Joomla Templates

Template #36884

Template #368884

Template #36781

If you are just looking for Joomla templates on sale, check Web Site Templates on Sale but for custom Joomla templates services Template Tuning is best.

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Template Tuning provides template customization services that meet premium quality standards.A team of hightly web professionals will be working with you on your project to personalized the template for a resonable prices.

Template Tuning can also development a unique design based on your needs. If any of the current website templates does not meet your requirements you may order the unique web template to be designed and developed just for you.

Get Your Customized Web Templates in 3 Easy Steps

With this template customization services from Template Tuning you can quickly and easily get a exclusive and professional looking website that will match your requirements. All you have to do is follow 3 simple steps.

1 – Choose a website template from huge collection, which has all types of templates.
2 – Live chat with support manager to explain your customization needs.
3 – Monitor the process and get the work done.

Popular Packages

There are different popular packages available:

Full site customization (CMS based) – $299

CMS template installation, changing logo and menu names, adding content on 4-6 pages.

5 html pages Content Package – $399

Adding customer’s content to 5 html pages template with a flash header.

VirtueMart/Magento Store – $699

Converting any template to online store based on VirtueMart or Magento platform.

Premium design package – $910

5 pages html website from scratch, with a flash animated header and customer’s content

Check out the full price list.

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You have Photoshop, you know how to use it and you are prepared to go all out. We have all been there, especially in the beginning. But whether you are a professional or an amateur, there are plenty of common mistakes people make that you will want to make sure you avoid. Some are common sense, some are easy to spot and others you might not even know you are doing.

Here are five things you should always make sure you never do:

Overuse of Photoshop

Guess what? People can tell when something has been too obviously Photoshopped. Go online and you will inevitably find the "It looks shopped, I can tell by the pixels" joke. This AIDS charity unfortunately didn’t get the memo. The first thing you will notice is the overdone sunflower background. But look closer at the bike itself. The background was so overdone that it broke into the main image and left the bike with half a wheel and pedal.

You see this all the time, with designers who want something busy in the background to catch your eye. Keeping the subject on a plain background would not only have been more visually appealing, but it would have been easier for them to spot their mistake.

Missing Limbs

It is amazing how much time magazine editors will spend airbrushing their models into impossibly perfect specimens, and then remove whole limbs from their bodies. For example, this Stuff model was sitting there innocently posing in front of a pool when someone stole her leg! Her leg is in every other picture, but appears to have been tragically eaten by passing sharks. Not one to be unprofessional for a moment, she apparently continued on with the shoot without a flinch.

Alternately, there might be too many limbs. Here we see a woman walking along a beach alone. Already, she seems awkward by the way she is moving like an extra person is there, but invisible. Looking closer, we see that is exactly what happened…there is an extra hand from the person who was shopped out of the photo.

Tiny Details

The little things are noticeable. If you screw up an angle, it might not be that big of a deal. But what about those much more obvious tiny details that will make the viewer do a double take?

For example, this picture of a Playboy model from Brazil appears to have no belly button. Here is another woman who has apparently been built in a lab rather than born. This one has a middle so small that her organs much be in mini size.

Perhaps by favorite example is this one. The man’s hand is really a woman’s, with long nails and all. The woman’s arm is backward with the elbow facing in. Even her knee is off kilter.

Reflections

When there are too many reflections – or not enough – it is a subtle problem that still manages to look very unprofessional when caught. But it is perhaps the most common mistake made with Photoshopped images. Look at these clouds in the water…most of them are not in the sky to begin with.

Floating Objects

I should say right now that I could have this one all wrong. It might not be a Photoshop mistake at all…she might be part of the X-Men. Her power is being able to levitate and mentally toss plates at her enemies. Her name could be Dishtosso. But if that isn’t the case, the designer fell into the common mistake of leaving an item unfixed and so flloating in midair.

Conclusion

These are all such stupid mistakes to make, and some are very obvious. Don’t do it yourself, and remember that Photoshop is a tool, not a toy.

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Ji Lee is a graphic disgner and creative director at the Google Creative Lab, was born in Korean and currently living in New York. Here i am showcasing some of his work in which he created an image out of a word, using only the letters in the word itself.

Source: Please Enjoy

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Ad agency Moma Propaganda of Sao Paulo created a wondeful series of retro future ads for Facebook, YouTube and Skype as part of the “Everything Ages Fast” ad campaign for Maximidia Seminars.

Advertising Agency: Moma, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Creative Director: Rodolfo Sampaio
Art Director: Marco Martins
Source: Ads of the World

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There is nothing quite like a grid, is there? Clean, functional and simple to use, it is a basic tool in the designer’s arsenal. That is why there are so many resources available on the web to assist you with creating, using or sharing grids.

Here is a list of 10 brilliant resources to put into your own little grid-based design box.

Boilerplates

If you feel like doing it without having to create your own CSS framework (I can already see a bunch of you nodding your heads with great enthusiasm), you can check out these boilerplates.

HTML5 Boilerplate

HTML5 is fast becoming the No. 1 used, experimented on and recommended format for just about any project. The versatility provided by the update to the old classic is a big reason for that, and there have been some amazing experiments that show what it is really capable of.

Gridless

Compatible with both HTML5 and CSS3, this boilerplate makes it easier to create websites viewable on multiple browsers, with design specifics like layout and typography as a main focus.

Traditional Frameworks

If you want to go with what is affectionately referred to as "old" frameworks – showing how quickly new technology truly is released – you can try out these dinosaurs that are still just as good as the day they were released.

960 Grid System

This is one of the original sites dedicated to existing framework and design. A great deal of new designs originated from this source. You can find a lot here to get you along.

YAML

Standing for "Yet Another Multicolumn Layout," this framework describes its products as "bulletproof and flexible." That is a promise it is able to keep, as it gives you the tools you need for simple and rapid CSS framework development. It has everything you need, so YAML is a must to check out.

Brand Spankin’ New Frames

Sometimes you want something new and cutting edge. These websites offer that, though most of them take bits here and there from the old classics to keep them relevant to the original grid we have all come to know and love.

Columnal

This grid system is a really nice one. It was created by taking a number of CSS layouts and combining their elements. Then, custom coding was thrown in the mix to provide a unique style. Each piece for the new system was taken from both 960GS and CSSGrid, based on their elastic grid design.

Skeleton

If your main concern is having a boilerplate that is mobile friendly, this might be the choice for you. The CSS/JS mixed files are made to allow for development that works at any screen size. The flexibility makes it easy to create one site that will work on mobile screens as well as standard laptop or computer screens.

G5 Framework

For front-end framework compatible with the standard CSS3 – as well as HTML5, jQuery and PHP – your best bet is G5. It is a great starter for any basic website, made specifically for fostering efficiency in web development. It has a great list of features.

Easy Percentage Grid System With HTML5

The name is a bit of a mouthful. But the layout is clean and simple, working on a six-column grid. If you are a beginner who doesn’t know that much coding, you will want to stick with this one. It has a full tutorial on how to change things like the column titles and content. It also shows you how to add or remove columns without disrupting the design.

jQuery Masonry

This is a jQuery-specific plug-in that creates a unique layout with a great image-heavy design. The whole build is based on a grid that is different from many of the standard column designs you see today. It pushes it all into a much more compact and well-organized design than the CSS floats standard.

Less Framework 4

Less Framework is extremely simple. It takes a single grid and gives you four layout options and three typography presets in one package. The idea is that you have a more basic layout, allowing for a more adaptive website without the need for future framework. Whether it is viewed on a PC, laptop, tablet or mobile device, it will fit properly.

Conclusion

Whether you are a fan of frameworks or not, you will find what you need to take advantage of simple grids for web designs on these 10 sites. They give you amazing resources, and they are only a few of what is out there.

Leave your suggestions for other great tools to put into your grid-based design resource box in the comment section below.

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Stock photography is the supply of photographs licensed for specific uses. It is used to fulfill the needs of creative assignments instead of hiring a photographer. Today, stock images can be presented in search able online databases. They can be purchased and delivered online. Often, they are produced in studios using a wide variety of models posing as professionals, stereotypes, expressing stereotypical emotions and gesticulations or involving pets.

As more and more stock images are being evolved, more options are becoming available for the photographer and photo buyer. Image licensing is an important aspect which the buyer as well as the photographer must know.

Royalty Free

Royalty Free stock photography gives the image buyer the option to use the image in as many ways as desired while only paying one fee. License pricing are generally lower with Royalty Free. This license is cost effective because the buyer is choosing not to protect against competitive usage. The images are easy to use because the buyer doesn’t need to determine or track usage and is free to use in the images in multiple ways. Of course, there are also disadvantages. For the buyer, there is no protection against conflicting use by competitors and photographs offered in the Royalty Free domain are generally of lower content quality.

Rights Protected

Rights Protected license prices are generally higher then Royalty Free. In this case the buyer has control of the license and there is protection against having the photo used by a direct competitor for a competing use. Records of every use of a photo or image are kept to avoid conflicting rights between competing end users. Usually, images tend to be higher quality in content and subject matter for Rights Protected license. Rights protected images are licensed for a specific period of time and for a specific application which is negotiated in advance. The reason one would use rights protected imagery is to prevent competitors from using the same image in the same marketplace.

Rights Managed

Rights Managed is a license type similar to Rights Protected but does not guarantee exclusiveness unless an additional fee is paid. Usually, license prices with Rights Managed are somewhere in between Rights Managed and Royalty Free. Rights Managed means that the buyer pays for a license to use the stock photo for a specific use for a defined time period. Usually, the licensing is not transferable. They are only granted to the person or company who purchased them. The buyer may not sell, rent, loan, give, sub-license, or otherwise transfer the photograph or the right to reproduce the photo to someone else.

Use of stock images must be appropriate to your design and content. There are certain points you must keep in mind while using the stock imagery:

a – Don’t use a stock photo when you can easily illustrate or get a photo shoot yourself.

b – Don’t use Cliché or over used images.

c – Avoid using images that have been masked or have bad paths clipping. Instead you can do it yourself if you are really good at cropping the backgrounds.

(Image Source: hand with clipping paths)

d – Never use pictures that do not relate to your concept or content.

(Image Source: nature photography)

Don’t use the image just for decorating the page or the element you thought was nice, but use image that is in reference to your content.

a – If you buy the low resolution version of the image just because it is cheap, you’re going to ruin your effort and the whole design.

b – Do not use images that look out dated or non professional.

c – Using pictures in which the model has over posed will not look good.

(Image Source: Man with happy facial)

d – If you want to use the image that is extended better use the professional ones instead of using the image that has poor cloning.

(Image Source: Cloned dog)

e – Placing the selling product directly over the image looks really retard and non professional.

(Image Source: boy with hand)

Stock images are found in wide variety and it has become so easy to find almost any image on the internet through certain specified sites. E.g. ShuuterStock, Corbis, Gettyimages or masterfile. These images are available on low resolution so since they have the copyrights issues, therefore cannot be copied directly to be used in print ads. Either the client buys them or orders similar images. Use of stock images is hassle free, you don’t have to hire a photographer or create backgrounds or pay lot of money for the photo shoot. Stock image sites get all the information, how much is the viewership determines the price, in which region the image will be used and whether royalties are due to the image creator or owner. Sometimes you just have to pay once to use the multiple images or pay in a bundle and use a series of 3 or 4 images annually. Use of stock images in ads can be as creative as possible. Do you really want to use the image just as it is or should you be thinking more on conceptual basis? One important question….

Use of simple stock images without tempering.

(Image Source: Sweet couple of red fresh)

Now this is an example of treated stock images using the creativity and not just placing the image as it is. Use of different colors in the back ground have been treated.

Stock images have copyrights, you just can’t pick up any image from internet and use it, you either buy it or order it. On the other hand many ad agencies use stock images to present the concept to the client and on approval later arrange the photography in the same atmosphere and replicate the images with their own models. E.g. if you are selling shoes obviously you will not use the images of shoes of some other company, rather will present the concept and then use your own shoes in the photos. The appealing look of the product or the appetizing appeal of any food item is just through the right image. Stylists, experts and photographers put in their best efforts to make the product look amazing so the audience is compelled to buy it. This is the art of stock imagery not achievable by any layman.

(Image Source: Food Passionate)

Tempting…isn’t it? This is the art of stock images.

When we use an image that we’ve bought, begged or borrowed from someone else, we are implying (to potential customers) that it is our work because it’s showing the service we are selling. This is breaking the law…lying to your clients is not just good. Take reference from images, think and then re establish the images yourself. You may use a part of an image or just the background but selling somebody else’s product is not just good. In this way only you will be able to develop the trust and confidence of your clients who might not know at a later stage that you have actually stole somebody else’s images.

(Image Source: Bungalow Interior)

This is not your work so just use this image for reference.

This is not your product but you can use it to refer to the concept, can replace with your own imagery but leading to the same concept.

Treatment of images as discussed above can be a very creative thing. Use of different softwares can make the process easy but just treating the image for the sake of treatment won’t work, you have to give it a certain character.

You will be able to see lots of images being used in this poster. All these images represent glamor and glitz though even without treatment those would have worked, but giving them a distinct character make the whole image look more vulnerable and appealing. Not necessarily you have to pick an image and treat it, even a simple dot can say a lot. But stock images make life easy…you believe it or not, without them in today’s world, half of advertising wouldn’t even be possible.

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In recent years branding has bombarded our world with flickering images traveling through our eyes daily. Which to adopt, which to leave, what does a certain brand tell, how does it emphasize its presence. We go to shops, malls or retail outlets to get a certain thing which we need. Do we actually get compelled by all the branding or do we just pick up the stuff of our choice or that we had been using for years and are satisfied. Is there risk involved in trying a new brand. These all questions rise in our minds every time we go to retail outlets, therefore it’s important to brand that specific place which is called POP or POS in advertising. The place where the product is available must be designed, represented in a way that the customer gets so much attracted that he tends to buy the product. E.g. food items can have a great appetizing appeal in the imagery in the form of branding.

Refreshing, something you would really want to have. Same is the case with other items, the more appealing to the eye, the more sales and more customer demand.

This is a poster by Island Oasis representing few drinks it serves. Anyone looking at this, tired, thirsty would not let it go. It looks amazing with the beauty of bright colors and thirst quenching delights.

Designed Items Used for POP

Several items can be designed in reference to the establishment of the brand and services its providing. Few examples can be posters, shelf markers, mobiles, wobblers, door stickers, drop downs or even a kiosk.

Posters

In-house posters can serve an effective way of developing a reasonable relation of the brand and the customer. It serves as a reminder to people walking in the store that this brand prevails here. Poster is a good way of describing your product in detail or the services since the interaction level of the poster and the target customer is just of a few meters. He can read it see the images in detail and also can have a direct idea of what the brand is about. Posters come in general sizes like 18×23 inches or 20×30 inches. But other than these custom sizes can also be made depending on the availability of the size of the panel or wall on which it has to be displayed.

This campaign was developed in order to promote nestle delights in the season of Christmas. These in-house posters serve as a prominent platform not only to promote the brand, but in the clutter of all the other desserts being introduced in the Christmas season, these Nestle desserts look better, appealing, mouth watering. Use of words starting with “in” gives these posters a unique character.

Posters can also serve as a good way of depicting a certain promotional program of a certain brand. Just like in the above example, a contest being held by Sunsilk is being promoted through this poster which can reach thousands of people coming to retail markets. It can be placed in the beauty parlors, jewelry shops or anywhere where lots of women come. Thus posters are effective ways of reaching thousands of masses by being placed just at few places.

Shelf Markers

Shelf markers are labeling solutions. The shelf on which product is placed can have a label showing the product details or just the name or just the image. This catches the attention of the viewer as soon as he sees this branding. It compels the viewer to pick up the product being displayed in the form of shelf marker.

Shelf markers are usually very simple and direct since the space available to paste them onto the shelves is very small. It’s just a methodology to attract the customer.

Mobiles

Mobiles are hanging from the roof. They can be in cut outs or simple ones and pretty mobiles not only enhance the beauty of the shop but also serve as continuous reminder to the customer of a certain brand. With air when they revolve and rotate they look beautiful and movement always catches the eye.

Wobblers

Wobblers are 3D unique printable items which are very eye catching. One part of the wobbler is pasted against a flat surface and the bended extended portion hangs in the air giving a feeling of 3D. It’s wobbling around in the air which increases its credibility of being seen more.

Their construction can be very creative as to how they will wobble, which bending part is more durable that the whole structure does not get tore off.

Door Stickers

Door sticker printing though serve a purpose of telling a person either push or pull, but now they have become an effective way of endorsing a brand.

The new thematic of KitKat expressed different personalities different form ordinary based on the concept of “Have a break”. The same campaign showed two different characters along with the signs of push and pull and at the same time giving the concept of break.

Drop Downs

Drop downs are any printable item showing the direction towards the product. It’s a form of branding that shows the customer where is the exact place of our product so he doesn’t have to look for it in the whole retail outlet.

Kiosk

Kiosk is a small, separated garden pavilion open on some or all sides. Kiosks were common in Persia, India, Pakistan, and in the Ottoman Empire from the 13th century onward. Today, there are many kiosks in and around the Topkap? Palace in Istanbul, and they are still a relatively common sight in Greece.

In the Western hemisphere and in English-speaking countries, a kiosk is also a booth with an open window on one side. Some vendors operate from kiosks (see mall kiosk), selling small, inexpensive consumables such as newspapers, magazines, lighters, street maps, cigarettes, and confections.

Kiosk is a stall/booth where separately any product is available from the rest of the products. It gives a product unique identity and by separating gives value to a product. Glamorous, bright, colorful graphics have been seen on the kiosks to attract the customers.

In order to decide which items should be part of POP, it’s important to know the true essence of the brand and the target market.

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Anybody who works in the field of marketing design will know that researching other logos and pages is critical in keeping up with the changing trends that permeate the web. Since what is popular is inexplicably decided and ever fluid, there is a risk of running behind if you don’t check regularly to see what is out there.

But in the last few years – and especially the last five or so – there are some design trends that are everywhere. This is generally because they are actually very good and easy to adapt to other changes in the marketing world. They are also able to be included in plenty of other more unique or new looks, which makes them basic style staples.

The problem is that this means they are overused. In particular, there are seven design basics that you will see all over the place, and you might want to keep an eye on if you want to try to use them yourself. Mainly because you run the risk of creating something that looks like any other logo or design that you will come across on the web. Who wants that? No one hoping to set their skills (or personal businesses and sites) apart from the pack, that is for sure.

Below are these seven trends that you have to be very careful if you decide to use them yourself.

1. Badges and Buttons

It used to be that you would see badges or buttons all over the web, and that wasn’t a surprise. It is a much more attractive way of presenting a gateway than an average link, especially with the dull, active and inactive text settings of the days or yore. You can also stack, line or place them in locations that are more pleasing to the eye, rather than just laying it out list a list or burying it in text.

Most commonly you will see these badges presented as bright, glittery boxes. They seem to shine thanks to the often-blended white gradient layers along with the block lettering and creative logo use. Since they appear to glow at you from the screen they can be really appealing.

But have you noticed who is using these the most? Companies such as Apple or social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook have more or less monopolized the use of badges in the last couple of years. Need proof? Look at app download pages or the share buttons on blogs all over the web. It is almost a shock to see them used for anything else anymore.

This overuse added to brand association spells death to the badge and button as a multi-purpose design option for others.

2. Speech Bubbles and Megaphones

Social media and networking has presented a new way of communicating to people all over the world. Since that is its primary function on a user to user level (even marketing is within this line of usage), it stands to reason that speech bubbles and megaphones would be used in logos and banners.

After all, those are direct visual representations of what these sites have sought out to do.

But the idea of showing it to be a "talking" logo has become old and stale. I have lost count of how many companies use this now, and they all seem to look the same. It isn’t that a visual showing talking and listening can’t be utilized, but perhaps something a bit more creative than the now overdone comic-era speech bubble?

3. Fun With Opacity!

I think all designers have had their fair share of fun with the lovely Multiply and Overlay features in  Photoshop? By changing the opacity of any layer you can create a really cool effect with next to no effort on your part. It can change the entire look of a logo in an instant, and might make the difference between something standard and boring and something elegant and well designed.

Possibly the most recent example of how this old technique is being utilized is in the Microsoft Silverlight logo, which was a beautifully done one that is immediately recognizable to even those who only occasionally use Internet Explorer as their browser.

Since it is so versatile and is a tool of design rather than a method, this once doesn’t have the same problem of becoming boring like some others on this list.  But it is still easy to use the wrong blend of colors or shapes, which will be less than appealing.

4. Kawaii Illustration

I keep seeing these logos all over the place, especially when it comes to apps such as Seesmic and GitHub, two very adult, industry-oriented tools for power users looking for marketing opportunities on the web.

It is not something you would expect to see advertised by adorable, fluffy, giant eyed woodland creatures.

But lately they appear to be everywhere, and that in itself shows the popularity of the trend. No one seems to know what started it, but it doesn’t look like it will be going away.

The problem with using it is that if you are not very specific about how you are presenting it, the brand you are marketing might get lost in the cuteness that is the adorable animal.

Make sure to be clear about what it is attached to, and watch to make sure it is not too similar to those used by other companies and web apps.

5. Scripts, Slabs and Other Cool Fonts

I am going to take a wild guess and say you have used Archer more than once in a logo design. I don’t think there is a single designer among us who hasn’t, or used one very similar to the point of being almost indistinguishable. Since it was probably the most popular font of the last three years it would be silly to scold you for it.

But I will tell you to step away from the Archer now. Slab serif fonts are still a great tool, but keep in mind how often they are used and the way they have a tendency to make logos all look very similar.

Instead, try to go with a more unique, lesser used alternative to the old boys. If it is something you haven’t really seen before, use it! Try building a logo to fit the font rather than the other way around. This will give an immediate creative boost and set you apart with next to no additional effort.

6. Verdant and Plant-Inspired

In this case I am not going to say "be careful when using" this design choice. I am going to say to ‘be careful not using it’, because it a really ignored look. That is unfortunate because flora and fauna are great ways to present a natural and pleasant looking logo.

Depictions of nature give people a sense of ease, and even a plant related silhouette will seem warmer and inviting than many more modern and bare looking designs that have become the norm online.

But too much of flora is still no good.

7. Quadrangles

What are these things? Seriously, they are lopsided and fit no actual shape known to man. They are somewhere between a rectangle and a trapezoid, and they are everywhere these days. Which is interesting, because symmetry was once considered a great ally to the designer, especially for logos.

The problem here is that quadrangles can appear so uneven that it gives an off-putting look to the entire logo. You have to balance it just right, and without proper color schemes, font and placement it just looks wrong. I have never personally liked one I have seen, though I can see why those who like fun and modern designs might get into it.

Tell Us Your Own!

There are so many trends out there we can’t keep up with them all. Which do you see that could be used correctly, and what ones are a flop? Let us know in the comments.

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Web designers are prone to commit mistakes while designing a website. Budding designers are more vulnerable to make such mistakes while attempting to implement new ideas. If you are a budding designer or even an experienced professional in web designing you need to be careful and alert for avoiding such mistakes. Many developers are increasingly relying on website templates for minimizing chances of mistakes in designing a site. Let us focus on some commonly made mistakes of web designing. 

Faults in Site Structure 

Many designers fail to offer balance between the space occupied by information and white or blank space. Text, images and menus should appear on a contrasting background and distances between the designing elements should give a clean and clear look. Overcrowded web pages fail to hold attention of the viewers. Check out the margin, “padding” style while creating a site.

Example of clean web design

Browser Issue 

The site should be displayed perfectly with all commonly used browsers. Many designers simply forget to check the browser compatibility or skip it in haste. Web developers relying on website templates often commit this mistake. There are several browsers and each have various versions to complicate the issue. This happens because many users avoid upgrading their browsers. Identify the popular browsers used by the website’s target group and check compatibility of your site with them. 

Miserable Navigation 

This mistake can drive out interested traffic instantly. Visitors look for desired information while visiting a site. The desired information should be maximum three clicks away. Many designers bury the content too deep and frustrate the visitors. Portion of the text and navigational elements should be properly highlighted to guide the visitors. Many designers use unconventional names for Home, Product, About and other sections that can confuse the user. Website templates are great way for small and medium businesses to develop or redesign their site with proper navigational elements in place.

Using Flash and Music

Budding designers have a fascination to use Flash and background music. This slows down the response time and page loading is disturbed. Many users don’t have access to high speed Internet connection and need to wait a long time for the page loading. This disrupts the smooth browsing experience of users and they often skip to another site. Website templates using flash should be tested before developing. 

Websites with background music are rarely appreciated by users. While it may be good for websites promoting music or audio guided tour, the viewers should be given an option of controlling the sound rather than auto-playing from the beginning. 

Unlabelled Links

All the links of a site should be properly labeled. This is crucial when you are designing a site from scratch or using any website templates. When this is not followed users get confused about the destination where the link will lead. Grouping similar links with same color or fonts, changing the color of used links, using clearly visible buttons are encouraged. Designers sometimes fail to distinguish the text links within content. 

Typographical Faults

Using too small or too large fonts creates wrong impression. Messages are best delivered through smart web safe fonts of optimum sizes. Style of the font should not be so clumsy that the user has difficulty in reading or understanding. Experimenting too much with fonts is a common mistake that should be avoided. Using website templates may minimize chances of such mistakes.  

Images Not Optimized

Images used on a website should be resized or compressed to save space and loading time. When it is not done, images take long time to load and the viewers often leave the site without waiting. Providing thumbnail view and linking those to larger images is a smart solution that many designers fail to implement. JPG, PNG and GIF are commonly used formats. Other formats of images may take a long time to load. When an image or few images are used as background the designer should be cautious about the loading time and level of optimization. 

Wrong Color Combination

Many designers fail to take into account the purpose of site and target viewers while selecting colors for a site. Colors used for designing a corporate site should be different than a health site. Using contrasting colors or too many colors is a bad practice. Most designers fail to adhere to the principle of using three primary colors. Shades of these complementary colors may be used if required. Many website templates offering excellent color combination may be used as reference.  

Poor Text Format

Visitors searching for information prefer to scan the content before going to details. Chunks of text repel them. Many designers fail to present content that can be easily scanned. Using bullets, numbers, headings, sub-headings, highlighting with bold or color are some simple steps that are often overlooked. Website templates can be a smart reference point for developing a site.  

Designing a website involves several critical stages and a designer should be careful about the errors that may happen. While some errors may happen inadvertently some are due to lack of proper knowledge. The tips mentioned above may be followed to minimize chances of mistakes. 

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It may appear very simple to design a magazine cover by just placing a photograph and writing on it, but actually it’s not only creative but technical also.  Amongst thousands of other magazines placed in the shelf, what points you must know as a designer to grab the attention.

Create a Bleed

All magazine covers need to be designed by first choosing the option of creating bleed. In latest softwares this option is available itself, otherwise you create cutting margins yourself just by dragging the rulers and leaving certain space on all sides.

Creating borders will help you fix your image right in place. Also don’t forget to write the copyrights of the image you are using. The name of the photographer, phone number, e mail address and usage rights.

Creating Frame

Rectangular frame will help you to place your image in a way that it touches the margins of the document and you will exactly know which part of the image will be in cutting area of the paper and which part will be visible.

Fit the Image

Scaling the image to your exact requirement needs to be in proportion. Never stretch the image haphazardly to distort it. Always use shift key to stretch the image if you are working in Adobe Photoshop.

Creating a Masthead

Masthead is the upper portion of the magazine cover which has the title of the magazine. The text should appear on the top portion, why? The answer is very simple…viewer’s eye always travels from top to bottom so of course you would want to show the name of the magazine first, so always use the title on the top. The problem with the above image is that there’s no head room. Where will you place the title, it will come on the nose or on the eyes which definitely will ruin the whole image and the cover. So the photographers are always told to keep the space on top of the picture for the title. The title if already established is in certain type or font, otherwise for new names you can be as creative in typography as possible.

Adding of Date, Issue Number and Publications Name

Apart from creating the masthead, you need to write the publications name, date and issue number. That separate place can be on left or right but at a readable corner, since it is as important as the masthead. It clearly states the volume number, date, website or publications which must also be in larger font. Graphic element can also be added to create its enhancement.

The Story

When somebody looks at the magazine they want to know what’s the lead story behind using this model. What is inside the magazine that I would want to buy this magazine. Create a text box that will have the least impact on your main photo but surely reflects the model’s use. Use a bold font but never use the same font as masthead.

Colors

Colors can make a drastic change in your cover. Choose a color for your text that best suits the image as well as stands out. Graphically text can be as creative as possible. Swatches and color palettes can be exported also from some other software but you must know which ratio of color will appear after printing. The drop shadow trick works very well in highlighting the text. Same goes for glow or bevel techniques.

Magazine doesn’t necessarily have to be a fashion magazine, but mostly yes, it is. Any corporate magazine cover would definitely be more sober, minimal colors and no glamour. Product magazines highlight the product and cover will definitely state the usages. Whatever magazine cover you are designing, it takes lot of strength and creativity with good composition.

Some of the Best Magazine Covers

Here i have colleced some beautifuly designed magazine covers for your inspiration.

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Advertising is a mode of communication which targets at some service or product and then urges the audience to take some desired action. Different modes of advertising compel different attitudes and actions. Advertising messages are usually paid for by sponsors and viewed via various media; including traditional media such as newspapers, magazines, television, radio, outdoor or direct mail; or new media such as websites and text messages. Press ads refer to the advertising printed in newspapers or magazines. In modern times this industry has developed so much that millions of dollars are now spent on the publicity through widely read newspapers or magazines. Depending on the context of the brand, it is decided which communication language is required and in which newspaper or magazine. E.g. ads of tv shows can be published in magazines depending on the age group. Kids shows would be advertised in a magazine related to kids. Like the following ad

Similarly many ads can be published in the newspapers but since newsprint quality is not too good so ads with lesser colors will appear good.

Press ads refer to advertising to a mass number of people mainly through the following steps:

• Awareness
• Knowledge
• Liking
• Preference
• Conviction
• Purchase

Starting from the initial level of awareness, newspapers and magazines are the best way to create it in lesser amounts, till the end result of purchase. With the growing rate of internet usage, web ads and web banners are becoming more useful, even in these circumstances, newspapers still sell more. Easy, readily available and cheaper medium to advertise.

Press ads can be in varied sizes, the width of ads depends on columns of the newspapers, e.g. you can have 1 column or 2 column or 3 column or 4 column upto 8 column ad with varying heights.

1 column =3.8cm
2 column=7.8cm
3 column=11.8cm
4 column=15.8cm
5 column=19.8cm
6 column=23.8cm
7 column=27.8cm
8 column=31.8cm

1 column press ad

2 column press ad

3 column press ad

This is a very interesting example of 4 column ad, with spaces in between to make a complete image.

These are the standard widths of press ads depending on columns; the more columns the more expensive.

Placement of Ads

Placement of ads is also an important issue. If the brand is endorsed on the front page of the paper, more likely it will grab more audience but more expensive it will be. Similarly on the back page, inner second page are the places where you can draw more attention of people. Moreover it is also important to know which other ads are being published on that page. If the other ads are brighter, more colorful more vibrant, then definitely you have to work more on your ad to make it better than others. Classified section can also be used to advertise, but in that case you don’t have much space for creativity, either it will just be text or minimal imagery, or just the logo or the tagline. This is a very cheap method but risj factor is involved, what if you do not get the right response.

Now you can very well se hoe ads are placed in newspapers, size and matter does matter.

Copy of the Ads

Copy of the ads is the most sensitive issue. The copywriter must exactly know what to address and to whom. It should be crispy and witty, less words and more meaning. Lesser the copy, greater appeal will your ad have. Press ads have the ability to reach to people through words, therefore when you have details or more information about the brand, press ads are preferred since they can accommodate more text. Press ads give all the information and the contact for future reference. Weekend newspapers are more selling, therefore people prefer to advertise in the newspapers on weekend edition since they have more chances to reach to a greater number of people.

Now this ad has the ability to reach to people through words and mostly press ads are like that.

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A brief is a document received by the client which clarifies the aims and objectives of the campaign required and explaining the designer or agency about the brand’s identity. This document is very important in terms of development of the campaign but in usual practice this is forgotten mostly. Either the conversation takes place between the designer and the client verbally or just few simple points are discussed. But actually the designer is not supposed to write the brief but must know how it is made since he can be in a better position to deliver good designs and can understand the purpose of it.

The brand issues or opportunity that the new communication must address

• To stay top of the mind and bring brand closer to the consumer we need to give a fresh look to the communication
• Build brand further on its positioning

The target consumer affinity group

• Gender (Males or females and which age group)
• Belonging to A, B, C or which class
• The target audience profile (Students, career oriented people or any other)

Current consumer usage, attitude and mindset

• Usage: e.g. Chocolate is an impulsive buy that is done frequently
• Attitude e.g. Treat yourself
• Mindset e.g. knowing a certain brand that delivers chocolates and how many variants, flavors, ingredients

The desired consumer behavior, attitude and mindset

• Choosing the chocolate of that certain brand maybe for a pleasurable break (Kitkat), choosing a chocolate that gives me an exotic feeling (Bounty), mindset that my appetite will be filled with the most desirable taste (Snickers).

The consumer understanding the brand can leverage to achieve the desired consumer change

• Desired consumer understanding: e.g. for Kitkat people are bored at times and they look for a break from their monotonous routine, or for Debeers, Diamonds are forever the desired consumer behavior is spend some but enjoy for the whole life, keep them with you forever and never worry.
• Desired consumer change: Kitkat gives me break from my boring routine so I have to buy it, or I should get nike shoes because I just have to do it, I need to have the power and should be able to achieve the impossible. This is something very conceptual and depends mainly on the concept and the taglines.

Role of brand in relation to the insight

It goes same as the tagline or the concept; Kitkat a break from monotony, Philips Sense and simplicity, Horlicks taller, stronger, sharper and so on.

What should the communication say

• What medium to be used, whether photographs, images or vector based or just typography
• It should highlight the concept of the campaign and brand personality
• How is it communicating with the target audience

The brief implies to the total information about the brand and communication style. It also indicates certain USP’s (Unique selling propositions) of the brand and complete list of the designed items which need to be developed. The timelines, language of communication and reference material are also mentioned. The purpose of the brief is now very clear since without it no creative campaign can be developed.

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For any company, promotional kits and promotional items play a very important role. It not only increases the value of company’s name but also works as a proper utility item which actually pleases the client. Souvenirs can be of varied types, the important part is how to design them and what points must be kept in mind.

First of all you need to decide which souvenirs a company needs according to its brand personality. It really isn’t necessary to design typical mugs or key chains, but promotional items can be very dynamic and varied. They should carry the message that a company is carries a certain insight. What is the concept of the company, how it works and what does it offer. Is it giving you a souvenir which is practical and can be used or is it just for enhancing the beauty of the table.

The souvenirs must carry a logo ofcourse, but apart from it what else is required. The contact , the tag line and probably in some cases the services a company is offering. Whatever items you decide to design you must know the construction and technical aspects of printing. If it’s a mug is your design going to be printed on a sticker sheet or any other material; thermoplastic resins, wood, metal, glass, crystal, silver… is the design embossed, carved or sand blasted. Experience, know how, advanced search, passion, originality and quality are the keymost features to design good souvenirs.

Cribs, components, diorama – Gadget-Souvenirs – Icons – Religious – devotional articles – Silverware items are all considered to be part of promotional items. Either the company decides to give away one item or a series of items, you as graphic designer have to decide it’s presentation and packaging. Is it going to be dispatched in a box or envelop or a basket, totally depends on what items you are making and what is the identity of the company.

These are usable items but in the above examples you can see that merely sending away non usable items can be creative also.

This a very interesting example of a promotional item. It’s a fun foam puzzle, beautifully made and definitely fun to use.

The aim of making souvenirs or promotional items is that the client’s mind is bombarded by company’s name several times a day. It serves as a reminder that you need to give us more work, keep contacting us. As long as it’s on the table, more people are watching it, more business. As long as you are using it you will keep thinking about the good things certain company has sent you. It enhances the image and produces more publicity and more business.

The target market must be kept in mind in order to design the souvenirs. Obviously you won’t design a technical pen for women who are being sent the promotional item from a ladies boutique, you might send them a t shirt or maybe a beautiful scarf or any piece of clothing with the logo stitched or knitted or woven. Whatever items you decide, they must be properly presented and should carry the complete profile of the company.

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