Langfeld DesignConnections

SEO for Web Designers

noreply@blogger.com (Marilyn) — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 21:30:00 +0000

SEO, or search engine optimization means optimizing the content of a web page for search engines so that the page shows near or at the top of the page of search results. Why is this a concern for web designers and web developers?

Web designers and developers don't normally consider themselves content creators or writers. However, web designers and developers are often the people who are tasked with adding titles, headings, meta tags, and span styles to web pages. These items can all be used to optimize a web page for search engines, so it's important for web designers and developers to have a basic understanding of search engine optimization.

SEO vs information architecture

A lot of time is typically given to information architecture at the beginning of a web development project. Information architects and front end developers plot the flow of information in a web site to develop the most logical flow and navigation schemes that will work most efficiently for users of the site.

You might say that information architects look at a site from the top down (though not all sites are top-down hierarchies). SEO begins at the other end, or bottom-up, on each individual page of a site. It is based on users searching for very specific information, using search terms and search phrases. When a user searches for information, they are free to select from the results, so the result that matches their search most closely is the result they will most likely choose.

This means that they enter a site on the page they are looking for, and often leave from the same page, either after satisfying their interest in the page, or moving from there to whatever action the web page moves them towards (often to the shopping cart on an e-commerce site).

Keywords

An SEO professional will analyze the terms that are most likely to be used by people interested in a specific page (called keywords), will make sure that those terms appear in the title, the headings, emphasized text (either bold or italic). SEO specialists develop lists of up to 20 keywords for a topic, and add them to the Titles, Heads, Meta Description and emphasized text on a page. As a web designer, you won't be tasked with developing keyword lists, however, if you are aware of how search engine spiders work, you can make sure than main keywords (including location) are used throughout a page.

Organic Search Engine Results

We're discussing what is called Organic Search Engine Results in this article. That means the unpaid results that search engines such as Google, Yahoo, MSN, AOL, Ask and others return in their main listings. Not the paid ads, although those paid ads use the same techniques to increase relevance which helps them rise to the top of the results page.

The Title of Each Page Counts

Each page of the web site should have a unique title that will interest the person who sees it in search engine results. Take a look at Google search results. First you see the Title of the page, then the Meta Description Tag (if the web developer has included it). Search terms are highlighted throughout. After the Meta Description Tag information (or whatever information the search engine's spider has found, usually the first paragraph of the page) comes the url.

The Meta Description Tag

Even if you habitually fill in the page Title, it's less likely that you add a unique Meta Description Tag, yet this is what search engine spiders look for after finding the page Title. Here's the HTML syntax for the Meta Description Tag (add angle brackets at beginning and end):

META NAME="Description" CONTENT="Your descriptive sentence or two goes here."

You can assist the searcher (and your client of course) by adding a summary of the page to the header of the page in a Meta Description Tag. Or you can make your client aware of its importance and ask them to supply copy for each page's Meta Description Tag, if they are interested in determining what copy a search engine shows, rather than leaving the choice up to the spider.

Headings, Pull quotes, Boxed Text, Emphasized text

The next thing search engine spiders look for are the Headings you have used throughout. So, if content comes to you without Headings, add them! Break content into short paragraphs and add Headings. Add pull quotes, boxes, emphasized text. Search engine spiders will pick these elements out and rank your page higher for the terms emphasized in these ways.

There's more to SEO

A full SEO campaign will include many components, including identifying competition and their use of keywords, keyword analysis, adding keywords to content, links-building programs, adding fresh content on a regular basis, submitting web press releases with inbound links, etc. The web designer/developer might only participate in a few of the components. These may be very important components though, so discussing them with your clients is worthwhile and can add to the services you provide and the compensation you receive from each web project.

Have a very Happy Holiday!

noreply@blogger.com (Marilyn) — Sat, 23 Dec 2006 01:56:00 +0000

As the year winds down, it's time to reflect on the past year and consider the coming year. We hope you will find peace and health in the New Year.

Design Competitions and Events for 2007

noreply@blogger.com (Marilyn) — Sat, 23 Dec 2006 00:46:00 +0000

For the past two years, we've compiled a list of Design competitions and Events and published dates here in this blog. This year, we added a Design Calendar to the main website. In addition to the list, updated for 2007, you'll also find a calendar, showing all the events/deadlines month by month.

We'd really appreciate your help with this project. Send urls and details of design competitions and events, and we'll add them to the calendar. Help us make this calendar better and better.

500th painting sold

noreply@blogger.com (Marilyn) — Sat, 03 Jun 2006 14:57:00 +0000

500th-painting-sold
Originally uploaded by mlangfeld.

I recently blogged about websites-as-graphs. Now it's time to introduce you to one-thousand-paintings as well.

When I found the websites-as-graphs site, it referred me to www.onethousandpaintings.com to support the author. So, I decided to check it out. I found an intriguing conceptual art site. Sala, the author of both sites, is in the process of painting and selling paintings of all the numbers from 1 to 1000.

I love both the idea, and his method of using the Internet to market the paintings. He's masterminded a viral marketing campaign that's been very successful to date. I just purchased the number 72, which was the 500th painting to be sold. He's already over half way to his goal of selling 1000 paintings. I wish him success in this project!

Websites as graphs

noreply@blogger.com (Marilyn) — Mon, 29 May 2006 10:13:00 +0000

langfeldesigns-websitesasgraphs.jpg
Originally uploaded by mlangfeld.

Would you like to see a visual representation of your website's structure? Someone else's? Check out Websites_as_graphs and you'll see some of the best known sites on the web graphed using a Java applet on the page, created by Sala at his Aharef blog.

If you're a Flickr fan, you can check the websitesasgraphs tag to see graphs that people have created. Each one different, and beautiful.

Here's what the colors mean:
blue: for links (the A tag)
red: for tables (TABLE, TR and TD tags)
green: for the DIV tag
violet: for images (the IMG tag)
yellow: for forms (FORM, INPUT, TEXTAREA, SELECT and OPTION tags)
orange: for linebreaks and blockquotes (BR, P, and BLOCKQUOTE tags)
black: the HTML tag, the root node
gray: all other tags

I've always thought that mathematics was a source of great beauty, and still do. Here's a great example. Thanks, Sala, for your generosity in sharing this tool with us.

And if you like conceptual art, you can support Sala's work at onethousandpaintings.com where you can buy a painting of your favorite number and support his work. I bought the one hundredth painting! The earlier you buy, the less expensive the price of the paintings. I bought my number just before the prices rose for the first time. Get yours soon, before they rise again!

The Come to Me Web

noreply@blogger.com (Marilyn) — Thu, 02 Mar 2006 19:43:00 +0000

Yesterday evening I attended a presentation by Thomas Vander Wal, who invented the term folksonomy, on the "Come to Me Web" at the DC Future Salon in Bethesda, MD.

The "Come to Me Web" contrasts with the "I Go Get Web", which is how Thomas characterizes the first stage of the World Wide Web. Using the "I Go Get" metaphor, the user, connected to one device (computer), navigates to information s/he is seeking, and may add it to their "personal info cloud" on their one device.

The "Come to Me Web" characterizes a person with several networked devices (computer, music player, auto, mobile phone and/or pda, etc.) who needs access to their "personal and local information clouds" during their daily activities.

Thomas gave us an enlightening example of this: a knowledge worker who prepares a presentation on their work computer, leaves the office after transferring it to a mobile device, which they read on the subway ride home. At home they sync calendar and address book information, along with the presentation and emails from their work computer to their home computer and their portable, with which they plan to make the presentation. But the portable breaks, so they forward the presentation to their contacts at the location of the presentation, since their addresses had been synced earlier.

There were a few more steps in the example, but I hope you get the idea. We create several clouds of information around us that Thomas calls personal, local, global and external information clouds. We have greater and lesser access to the various clouds. We are now on the brink of the revolution he calls the "Come to Me Web", where we will be able to access greater amounts of "our" information wherever and whenever we need it, on whatever device we are using at the moment, through use of trusted-device syncing, rich media formats.

Thomas' message to web and software developers is to begin to think about the information needs of a person as they move through their days, including their contexts, and moving forward to what they will want to do with the information once they have it. For instance, if using a local search engine on a mobile device to find a nearby Thai restaurant, it will be most effective if the engine can determine your device, its location (through GPS if on a mobile device, for instance) and give you designed-for-mobile data that is relevant to your current location. We are moving towards a web that serves you the information you need depending on your location, device, your stored preferences, etc.

The title says it all, don't you think?

DC Brainjams all day long!

noreply@blogger.com (Marilyn) — Thu, 02 Feb 2006 11:08:00 +0000

Conversations
Originally uploaded by chrisheuer.

I spent Monday Brainjamming with an interesting group of people at the DC Improv. Chris Heuer's set of DC Brainjams photos document the day.

The idea of Brainjams is to bring together people with a variety of interests, to network and explore their differing perspectives together in an open space. Allowing sparks to fly, ideas to cross-pollinate, information to flow, this is also known as an Unconference.

Our group included several software entrepreneurs, web and print journalists, a public radio data analyst, web designers and marketers, IT consultants, a management development consultant, a technical recruiter, an ag(e)ing advocate, etc., most of whom (but not all) are also bloggers.

After some preliminary exercises and speed-dating-like introductions, we put Web 2.0 under the microscope.

We looked at the evolution of the web from collections of static data pages to web applications that encourage community and self-expression. From blogging to tagging, from My Yahoo to MySpace, people are using the Web to share ideas, opinions, recommendations, photos and reviews, as well as working together collaboratively using wikis and other web-based tools.

One of my interests in attending the jam was to better understand what I can offer clients beyond web sites. This requires thinking in new ways about how to encourage community involvement, if it is appropriate. I left the full day and evening with new friends and colleagues, lots of possibilities opening in front of me, and a new model of collaboration I can draw on in the future. Well worth the time spent and highly recommended. Chris Heuer and Kristie Wells, thanks. See you next time!

BrainJams
BrainJams30Jan2006
unconference
web 2.0
blogging
social networking

Search vs. Browse: Why Google Video search stumbled

noreply@blogger.com (Marilyn) — Sun, 29 Jan 2006 15:14:00 +0000

Google became the most-used search engine with their simple interface. Simple design. Focus on the task at hand.

They tried to extend this design solution to the Video arena, and stumbled. Why?

Just think about it a little. When you do a search, you have a term in mind. It may not be the correct term, but the responses you receive will normally help you refine your term if needed.

What do you do when you want to see a video? Do you know the name of what you want to see? Only if it's a classic and you're already familiar with it. Otherwise, you browse, either at the video store, on your cable system, using a Netflix catalog, etc.

I went to Google Video when it first opened, to take a look at it. It used the same interface as Google Search, with disastrous results. I couldn't find anything I was interested in, except a few I Love Lucy shows. I left, unimpressed.

Next I took a look at iTunes Music Store. It's interface is quite complex. It took me a while to find TV shows. But once I browsed to TV shows, I was shown an interesting sampling, and could also browse all the TV shows they carry.

So what? Well, as a web designer or client, there's an important lesson to learn. Not simply that Google can make mistakes. Rather that you need to understand how your users will interact with your page/site. Simplicity for simplicity's sake doesn't always work. The iTunes Music Store is complex (and may become too complex as they add more items), but its current complexity allowed me to browse and find shows I never would have thought to use as search terms.

Search and browse are different activities. Know what activities your audience will be most comfortable doing, and design for that activity.

google video
search
browse
user interface

Comic Sans is No Laughing Matter

noreply@blogger.com (Marilyn) — Wed, 25 Jan 2006 13:55:00 +0000

Comic Sans is a hot topic in the world of typography and graphic design. It's one of those fonts that graphic designers and typographers love to hate.

The designer of Comic Sans, Vincent Connare, strikes back with an essay on his reasons for designing the type face. He says that he designed the font for a specific project, where a comics-style font was needed. Times Roman just didn't work in a cartoon speech bubble.

Well, on that point he is correct. Comic Sans looks fine inside a speech bubble, better than Times Roman, which was the type chosen by the progamming team before he created Comic Sans.

He goes on to say that his intention was that the font be used only in children's projects, where its hand-drawn forms would work well. But it eventually found its way into Microsoft's core fonts, ensuring broad - and incorrect - usage by millions of office workers and other non-designers who want to show their personal creativity, and are tired of Times Roman and Helvetica.

I've been surprised and shocked to see classic faces such as Helvetica and Times Roman being named as hated fonts on design forums and designers' blogs. Obviously, overuse breeds contempt. It's a good idea for graphic designers to become aware of type fatigue as opposed to bad type design. Helvetica, Times, Trajan, Copperplate Gothic, Optima, Palatino, etc. (all faces I have seen mentioned on type-I-hate lists) are well-designed type faces that have been overused at different times in their histories.

Comic Sans is a different story. I won't be so bold to say it is badly designed, though it is not a type face that I have ever used (before the cartoon that accompanies this post). Again, it is the overuse and inappropriate uses of it that are the problem.

It is often used by people who want to "humanize" the look of their documents and don't have better options available in system fonts. So a font that does look fine for few words used in a speech bubble is used as a text face, where it fails miserably to the eye of a trained designer.

Is this a tempest in a teapot? What do you think?

comic sans
typography
graphic design

2006 Graphic and web design competitions

noreply@blogger.com (Marilyn) — Tue, 24 Jan 2006 03:24:00 +0000

Last year I compiled a list of design competition links without their respective deadlines. So, when I thought to compile a similar list this year, I didn't realize that many of the competitons have deadlines in December and January. Next year I'll try to compile my list in November or December. Listings without dates indicate that the deadlines have already past or have not yet been announced.

Design association competitions:

Society for News Design Best of Newspaper Design Awards deadline January 18 2006,

Webby Awards deadline January 27, 2006,

Society of Publication Designers (SPD) student competition deadline February 1, 2006,

Art Directors Club (ADC) 85th Annual Student Awards deadline February 8, 2006,

Society of Environmental Graphic Design (SEGD) deadline January 31 with a late deadline February 14, 2006,

Association Typographique Internationale (atypi),

American Design Awards Semi Annual Design Competitions deadlines February 15, 2006 and August 15, 2006

AIGA 365: Annual Design Competition and 50 Books/50 Covers deadlines March 3, 2006,

Art Directors Club of Metropolitan Washington Annual Show deadline April 1, 2006,

Australian Graphic Design Association deadline June 2006,

Design Council UK,

Society of Typographic Aficionados organizes Type Gallery deadline July 2006,

International Society of Typographic Designers,

Society of Graphic Designers of Canada Graphex 06: GDC National Design Awards deadline November 10, 2006.

Design magazine competitions:

Graphis entries closed for 2006,

Metropolis Magazine Next Generation deadline January 20, 2006,

Communication Arts Interactive Design deadline January 27, 2006,

Graphic Design USA American InHouse Design Awards deadline January 30, 2006,

ID Student Design Review February 1, 2006,

Print Regional Design Annual deadline March 1, 2006,

CMYK Magazine Interactive Media and Call for Aspiring Creatives deadlines March 10, 2006,

HOW Self-Promotion Awards deadline March 20, 2006, Perfect 10 Awards deadline April 14, 2006,

eye with a deadline of August 10, 2006, International Design deadline September 15, 2006,

Folio sponsors the Folio Show.

Corporate competitions:

Adobe Design Achievement Awards deadline April 28, 2006,

Mohawk Show 7 deadline May 31, 2006.

Industry association competitions:

Magazine Design Awards,

Bookbuilders West,

Bookbuilders of Boston,

Western Publications Association,

International Association of Business Communicators,

Magazine Publishers Association,

American Society of Magazine Editors,

American Society of Business Publication Editors,

Writing that Works Apex Awards deadline March 15, 2006.

Extensive calendars:

The Workbook resource calendar including advertising, photography, illustration as well as design.

Taxi Design Network Awards and Competitions Calendar includes a broad range of design disciplines.

Whew!

design competitions
graphic design competitions
web design competitions
graphic design

Paula Scher hosted by ADCMW

noreply@blogger.com (Marilyn) — Fri, 20 Jan 2006 04:47:00 +0000

paulascher.jpg
Originally uploaded by mlangfeld.

This evening Paula Scher presented her approach to graphic design to members of the Art Directors Club of Metropolitan Washington (ADCMW).

She described the body of her work as being directly influenced by New York, where she has worked during most of her career. Even her choices of type, often tall and narrow, vertical and architectural, are influenced by the verticality of the city, the overlapping conversations, the conflicting emotions that make up the multi-layered environment of New York. Interesting, especially to the DC audence, since she grew up in the Washington metropolitan area.

An extraordinary typographic designer, Paula also paints typographically, exploring cartography as well as Information overload in her paintings. She reminded us that designers used to paint comps for book and album covers, so that painting type comes naturally to her. I still have a set of gouaches from those days myself, so I understood just what she meant.

You can check out some of these web pages to learn more about her work: Paula Scher: Chrysler Design Institute Award 2000, Paula Scher, AIGA Medalist 2001, Paula Scher's Atlas of the World, Paintings.

paula scher
pentagram
graphic design
environmental design
typography

Experimenting with textorized images

noreply@blogger.com (Marilyn) — Wed, 18 Jan 2006 14:24:00 +0000

As I mentioned in another post late last year, I've been experimenting with Textorized images since the end of last year, when I discovered the possibility on Flickr. I thought I'd share some of my favorite images so far, so you can see a little more of what's possible.

Textorizing works by defining edges and replacing those edges with strings of type, so that normally dark areas become hollow outlined edges. This poses an issue for many images, so many of the photos I've tried textorizing don't work well. It also seems to be important to use images that will make visual sense, so simple, recognizable shapes seem to work best, if you want recognition.

The length of the words used in strings also affects the final image. Surprisingly, I like longer strings sometimes, shorter strings other times. I thought I'd like all shorter strings when I began to experiment.

Overall light images seem to work well. I was surprised by the polar bear image. I thought there would be some detail inside the bear. Instead the ice field surrounding the bear shows most texture.

I'm hoping to find uses for the technique in my work. The only drawback is that textorizing only works well on a small percentage of images that I've tried. So, it might be hard to work it into a project. I'll let you know as time goes on.

I hope you enjoy these images. I've been toying with the idea of producing some posters or T-shirts if I hear that there is interest. Please let me know what you think.

Farewell Stuart Pierce Glendinning

noreply@blogger.com (Marilyn) — Tue, 10 Jan 2006 13:16:00 +0000

Stuart Pierce Glendinning
Originally uploaded by apg.

Farewell Little Stuart. You touched so many hearts in such a short time. Your brave struggle to live has been shared by your parents with an ever-growing community of people from around the world. We will all miss you terribly.

I cried along with many others on December 29, when your Dad posted the photo we see here on Flickr. I had been watching for your dad's photos to appear from the day I learned you were born. Such a wonderful soul in such a tiny body.

I've wanted to say these things before now, but hesitated, until the newest post by your Dad. He says, "I struggled with whether or not I should share my pictures of Stuart publicly. I am so glad, now, that I did. I strongly believe that this was a large part of Stuart's job here with us...." Amen.

Happy Textorized New Year!

noreply@blogger.com (Marilyn) — Fri, 30 Dec 2005 03:13:00 +0000

happynewyear.jpg
Originally uploaded by mlangfeld.

What's a textorized New Year? I'm not exactly sure, but I do know that textorizing is an SVG-based technique for converting an image into strings of text that define edges and outlines.

Max Froumentin developed the technique a while ago. I learned about it from Paul Downey, who runs the Textorized Group on Flicker. I've just begun to learn how to best use the technique and love the idea of text creaing images. Lots of possibilities!

So, I hope you'll enjoy my exploration of textorizing this New Year!

Yellowikis

noreply@blogger.com (Marilyn) — Sun, 20 Nov 2005 16:08:00 +0000

Yellowikis.jpg
Originally uploaded by mlangfeld.

I'm working on some marketing basics for my design practice lately. Along with other strategies, I've updated my Yellow Pages advertising, both in print and on the Web. Thanks to Richard McManus's Read/WriteWeb for introducing me to Yellowikis, open business listings, a user-updated web business index that's slowly becoming known and used.

Any of you out there that have a business might be interested in both adding a listing and letting others know about this free business listing service. It is a wiki, which means that it is freely editable. It depends on its users to add listings, plan for expansion, translate pages into other languages (it's English-based).

yellowikis
marketing
yellow pages

Design Inspiration: Newseum and the Redesigned Guardian

noreply@blogger.com (Marilyn) — Sun, 18 Sep 2005 23:20:00 +0000

Reading about the Guardian newspaper's redesign brought to mind the Newseum, the Interactive Museum of News, which I visited in Arlington, VA before it closed in 2002 for relocation to Washington DC. It is scheduled to reopen in 2007, so sponsors events with other organizations during this interim period.

I'm happy to say that the Newseum has a web presence which includes a guided tour of the new museum, special features and a visual comparison of front pages from newspapers all around the world (though heavily US oriented). It's called Today's Front Pages and is a fine resource for comparing both front page headines and layouts.

When I first saw the the redesigned Guardian front page I was surprised to see the masthead dropped down below a row of photos and captions, and the masthead reversed out of a colored background. After taking a look at front pages in Today's Front Pages, I see that other newspapers, such as the Chicago Tribune, have instituted those ideas already, though perhaps not as successfully.

The new front page is very clean and modern, at least the first edition. We'll see how well the design holds up in use over time. One of the little controversies of the new design is the masthead using a lower case letters, with the words run together: theguardian. The concern is whether the paper's authority is lessened. In my opinion, the effect is modern, friendly and open, which works well with the Guardian's left of center stance.

Appreciating Vint Cerf and Bob Kahn

noreply@blogger.com (Marilyn) — Wed, 11 May 2005 18:53:00 +0000

(If you don't know who they are, let's just say that without these two computer scientists, the Internet as we know it today might not have been born).

Vint Cerf and Bob Kahn, photographed by Warner Sterling at the event

It's already hard to remember what life was like before the World Wide Web, only a decade or so ago. The Web couldn't have come to life without the worldwide network that began as ARPANET in the 60s and evolved into the Internet over a few short decades.

Receiving the Turing Award

Vint and Bob are about to receive the Turing Award, the most prestigious award in the computing world for their pioneering work on the design and implementation of the Internet's basic communications protocols, including tcp/ip. See A Brief History of the Internet and Hobbes Internet Timeline v8.0 for more detailed histories of the Internet.

DC Internet Society celebration

Yesterday evening the DC Internet Society (DCISOC) held an celebration for Vint and Bob on the occasion of their receiving the Turing Award. It was a wonderful time to hear their reminiscences, to reflect back on the history of the Internet, and to look forward to the future and what we would like it to bring.

Why care?

I've seen graphic design move from a completely manual art to a computer-based one, from an often isolated endeavor to a networked one due to the Internet. The impact of the Internet on design is inestimable. Thanks you guys!

Print design using two colors (LymFil brochure)

noreply@blogger.com (Marilyn) — Tue, 19 Apr 2005 03:03:00 +0000

This time, let's look at using only two colors in a print design. Many brochures are created using two colors of ink in order to limit printing costs. The challenge is to create visual interest with the two colors chosen. In addition, black is often chosen as the body type color, so that there's actually only one accent color.

Color sets the emotional stage

In the example brochure, a cool, medium blue was chosen along with black. The decision stemmed from the subject matter of the brochure, which is a disfiguring disease called lymphatic filariasis. Cool blue can calm emotions, is often seen as scientific, and is very distinctive on an uncoated paper, so was a logical choice for this subject.

Next let's look at design techniques that can be used with a single color in addition to black. Several are used in this particular brochure.

Background color, reversed white type

Solid blue was used as a background color on the inside front cover, with reversed white type. A full-page photograph was printed as a background in blue and lightened enough that text in black and a quote in blue would be visible over it on the inside facing page.

Duotone photographs

Photographs that were not used as backgrounds were printed as duotones, which means that both inks were used. This extended the range of tones in the photographs, making them stronger, more vibrant. In this brochure, the blue ink was used only in the shadow areas of the photos, so that they would not look too blue.

Color accents

Color can also be used in accents, such as titles, box text, quotes, etc. as it has been used in this brochure.

When all these techniques are used, a two-color brochure can be just as successful as a four-color brochure.

Color schemes in graphic design (TB media kit)

noreply@blogger.com (Marilyn) — Mon, 21 Mar 2005 03:34:00 +0000

Color is one the major tools of all the design arts: graphic design, web design, interior design, product design, architecture, etc. Designers spend countless hours working out color schemes for projects. I thought you might be interested in how this is done. Or at least in how I approach color selection.

How do designers choose colors?

Each project is different and each graphic designer approaches color individually. I'm beginning this series with the Media kit/poster for the Stop Tuberculosis Programme of the Western Pacific Region of the World Health Organization that was designed to accompany other kits that had already been developed.

I was given several constraints; I was asked to use brilliant, hot, bright colors and to use the same basic grid layout as had been used before.

Choosing the background color

The first choice I made was the background color: a brilliant red. This color choice was initially questioned, since it is often used in Chinese designs, while the kit would be used in many Asian countries, not only in China.

I was asked to use Chinese characters on the cover, so I thought it was appropriate to use Chinese red as well. My client and I discussed the issue (when I presented the design comps I had prepared). We came to an agreement that red would be a good choice for the overall color for the project.

Accent colors

After I selected the background red I experimented with accent colors. I didn't consult any color scheme books or generators. That would not have worked for this particular project, since the client wanted all the colors used to be vibrant, which wouldn't normally be shown in a color reference.

So I kept selecting colors and using them in my design program until I had a set of three that pleased me. I thought that red and violet would be interesting together, so I tried that combination. I had purchased the calligraphy and brush painting from the same Chinese calligrapher, and thought it would add interest to use the brush painting in the background as a pattern, as well as to do a reversed image in the left margin.

Once I was satisfied with those two colors together it was fairly simple to find a third color that worked with the first two. I needed that color that would sit above the background. Lime green worked; the calligraphy was pushed to the foreground as I intended.

Color chords

I find that colors work a little like chords in music compositions. When you play them together, they produce what I call a color chord (major, minor, etc). It's my job to add colors to the mix until the color chord is just right for the project.

Color theory reference books

Many fine books have been written on color theory. If you would like detailed information about the theories of color, these books will provide an introduction to the subject.

Interaction of Color: Revised Edition by Josef Albers

The Elements of Color by Johannes Itten

The Art of Color: The Subjective Experience and Objective Rationale of Color by Johannes Itten

Color Choices: Making Color Sense Out of Color Theory

Pantone Guide to Communicating with Color by Leatrice Eiseman

Designer's Color Manual: The Complete Guide to Color Theory and Application
by Tom Fraser, Adam Banks

Please let me know if you have a favorite book to add to this list.

Creativity and the pregnant cow

noreply@blogger.com (Marilyn) — Fri, 28 Jan 2005 20:01:00 +0000

Where do design ideas, concepts and inspiration come from?

I expect everyone has a slightly different answer to this question. Early on, one of my most influential mentors set out a formula for the creative process wrapped in a funky visual image. Believe it or not, the visual image we explored was that of a pregnant cow out in a field sunning herself and chewing her cud.

"What on earth does that have to do with the creative process?" you might wonder. First let me describe the phases she outlined to help me understand the creative process.

Input

When facing a creative challenge, I first research the topic or question. I let what I've found sink in, then do some more research. This is the input phase.

Reflection

Next comes a phase of reflection, where I put the topic out of my conscious mind.

Brainstorming

When ideas come bubbling up of their own accord out of my subconscious I move to the phase of brainstorming (either alone or in a team). No judgments, just ideas.

Synthesis

Next comes synthesis. I begin to sketch out or write out ideas, and to judge them. If I get stuck somewhere, I begin to layout anything I do have (sometimes an outline or headlines or a visual image). Whatever I have to work with. The process of working on any part of the project seems to allow my subconscious to continue to process and often results in new ideas. Ones that work.

So what about that pregnant cow?

Lynn, my mentor, had me visualize a pregnant cow in a field, no stress, no anxiety, chewing and rechewing (processing input), digesting and redigesting the results, while waiting for the pregnancy to inevitably result in birth (of ideas). So, when I do become frustrated or blocked, I remember that cow, and give my conscious process a rest, trusting myself to give birth to new ideas.

I'd love to hear your experiences with your creative process. Similar to mine? Totally different? Anyone else out there visualizing pregnant cows?

How I learned graphic design

noreply@blogger.com (Marilyn) — Mon, 24 Jan 2005 18:18:00 +0000

Lots of people ask me how I became a graphic designer.

Working in print shops

In my case, I began by working in a print shop or two, making negatives and plates, running small presses, typesetting and designing cards and other small projects, ordering paper and other supplies, etc.

Learning typesetting and graphic design

Next I worked in a typesetting studio while it transitioned into a design studio. So I was able to learn the basics of typesetting at first, then graphic production techniques and production management, and finally graphic design. I learned by doing, and by watching the owner and other designers create their designs.

Finishing a college degree

While working at the design studio I finished a college degree in liberal studies, focusing on graphic design, and opened my business. My first business project, actually my senior project, was a moon calendar poster. I designed it, finished the layout and presented it to my advisor, who then said, "You've got to get it printed." When I protested about the cost, she actually loaned me the money for printing... and so propelled me into business. I produced and sold the calendar for three years. It was a wonderful experience.

Opening my studio

When a client who had left the studio six months before saw me selling my calendars, he asked me to work for him. He became my first client.

Reading all I could about graphic design

I learned a tremendous amount about type design, graphic design and design theory, photography, illustration, the history of printing and books, etc. by building a library of classics. Check out the resources on my site, where I'm adding new books and other resources all the time.

My secret

Here's my secret for learning to design: choose any professionally designed visual communication you like, be it an ad, a brochure, a poster, a magazine spread, a web site, whatever. Try to figure out how it was created.

How were the colors chosen? What are the names of the typefaces used? How is space divided? How is empty space used? How was the photograph used taken, or the illustration created? How does your eye travel when it sees the design?

Next, try recreating the example design for yourself, but change something about it. Direct copying doesn't encourage you to think creatively. At the same time, do try to learn from what you like.

Practice makes perfect

By doing this over and over, and then comparing your creations with top designs, you'll begin to train your eye. The act of comparing is very important. Most people love what they create themselves, but few can create master designs. So, keep looking at what others are creating. That's the best way I've found to train your eye.

Making your site accessible

noreply@blogger.com (Marilyn) — Fri, 21 Jan 2005 15:33:00 +0000

One of the most confusing components of web design is accessibility. It refers to the process of making your web site able to be easily used by people with disabilities.

That sounds simple, but disabilities may include blindness, low vision, deafness, learning disabilities such as ADD and ADHD, loss of limb, etc. Solutions for one group may conflict with solutions for another.

Accessibility testing

The only way to really know if your site is accessible is to test it with disabled users, but that's often difficult for individual site owners.

NCI accessibility testing and guidelines

Luckily, more and more information is becoming available on the web. I was recently referred to Guidelines for Accessible and Usable Web Sites (by an article at GUUUI: The Interaction Designer's Coffee Break. The 31 guidelines listed derive from the results of extensive testing by the Communication Technologies Branch of the National Cancer Institute (US).

Since blind people are one of the largest groups with special requirements (since they use screen readers which turn text into spoken word), using these guidelines will go a long way towards making your site more accessible.

SEO, a side benefit

A side benefit of making your site more accessible is that search engine spiders will also be able to read it better. So you increase your page rank (SEO or search engine optimization) when you make your site more accessible.

rel="tag">[accessibility]

Graphic design competitions and awards

noreply@blogger.com (Marilyn) — Sat, 15 Jan 2005 18:39:00 +0000

I was recently asked for information on print design competitions. I decided to investigate, so here's what I found.

I can certainly state that the running of design competitions is a growth industry! In fact, every major design magazine and assocation seems to run competitons annually, and occasionally semi-annually. I've pulled together links to all the major design competions (please let me know if I've missed any).

Beginning with design and related associations offering yearly awards, we have: International Council of Graphic Design Associations (ICOGRADA), American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA), Art Dire ctors Clubs (ADC) in major US metropolitan areas, Society of Publication Designers (SPD), Society of Environmental Graphic Design (SEGD), Association Typographique Internationale (atypi), Australian Graphic Design Association, Design Council UK, Society of Typographic Aficionados, International Society of Typographic Designers.

Continuing with major design magazines, we see: Graphis, Communication Arts, Print, ID, eye, HOW, Folio sponsoring the Folio Show, CMYK Magazine, Graphic Design USA.

Moving along to industry associations, we find: Magazine Design Awards, Bookbuilders West, Bookbuilders of Boston, Western Publications Association, International Association of Business Communicators, Magazine Publishers Association, American Society of Magazine Editors, American Society of Business Publication Editors, Writing that Works Apex Awards.

I saved one of the best for last. One of the last resources I checked has one of the most complete set of contest listings: the Workbook resource calendar including advertising, photography, illustration as well as design.

Whew!

Welcome, Bienvenue, Bienvenidos 2005

noreply@blogger.com (Marilyn) — Mon, 10 Jan 2005 14:10:00 +0000

I'm welcoming 2005 with a newly expanded and redesigned web site for Langfeldesigns. I received so much positive response about this blog design that I extended it to my entire website, and changed a few things on the blog as well. In addition to purely cosmetic changes here, I added a navigation bar to the blog, so you can move more easily back and forth between web site and blog.

The web site now sports larger portfolio images (much requested by visitors), a section on services offered, and an expanded resources section.

I hope you like the 2005 version of Langfeldesigns.com!