CO N T EN TS

DYNAMIC
GRAPHICS
AU G U ST/S E P TE M B E R 2 005 - VO LU M E 1 0 N U M B ER 4

FEATURES

34 Seeing I to i by Paul Chin

Effective intranet design involves more than an
in-house version of an external website.

40 9 Type Rules for Web by Allan Haley

Create more effective graphic communication by
following these simple rules.

44 Fresh Web Design by Michelle Taute

Forget quickly dated sites. Here’s how to increase
shelf life online.

50 Building Traffic by Sheree Clark

It’s not a party until the guests arrive: Strategies to drive
visitors to your website and keep them coming back.

56 www.MeMeMe.com by Alissa Walker

Yes, a web portfolio is all about you, but it’s really
This issue’s Color on Call features a
about what you can offer clients and employers.
hip-hop color palette, as illustrated
in this poster composited by artist
D. Kiku Yamaguchi (page 32). 64 Brave New Brand World
by Terry Lee Stone
Aiwaworld, an online brand experience for an electron-
ics manufacturer, features its own audiovisual language.

COLU M NS & D EPARTM ENTS

14 Design Dynamics by Sheree Clark

Keeping the faith ... in yourself: Mastering self-doubt.

16 Smart Moves
22 Tech Matters by Rita Amladi
Prepping images for on-screen viewing.

30 Real-World Solutions
A nationwide religious program gets a local look.

32 Color on Call
Hip-hop: urban, culture, style, rap music, inner city

68 How’d They Do That?

Create a PDF slide show with Acrobat, plus nifty blurs,
borders, TV-like effects, and image alterations.

2 DynamicGraphics
2 DynamicGraphics
CO N T E NTS

DYNAMIC
GRAPHICS
AU G U ST/S E P TE M B E R 2 005 - VO LU M E 1 0 N U M B ER 4

REG ULARS

8 From the Editor

10 Letters
72 Classifieds/Connections
76 Workspace Savvy
The latest must-haves for desktop
and library

80 Cover to Cover/Coming Up

Check out our NEW WEBSITE, dynamicgraphics.com, debuting Aug. 1! Although the techniques and ideas outlined in Dynamic Graphics are offered with
the best possible intentions, the publication or its publisher will assume no liability
for their success or failure in any real-world business application.

Dynamic Graphics magazine (ISSN 1094-2548/USPS 016-929) is published

bimonthly by Dynamic Graphics Group, 6000 N. Forest Park Drive, Peoria, IL
61614-3592, for $36 per year in the U.S. Single copies are $7.95 each. Prices vary
Design ideas for the real world
outside the U.S. August/September 2005, Vol. 10, No. 4. Canadian GST Account
No. 125145193. Canada Post Permit No. 2493675.

50 DRIVE BUSINESS
TO YOUR WEBSITE POSTMASTER: Send change of address forms to Dynamic Graphics magazine, P.O.
• Get your portfolio on track Box 9006, Maple Shade, NJ 08052-9006. Periodical postage rates paid at Peoria,
40-63 • Master the 9 online type rules
• Freshen up your content
Ill., and additional mailing offices. Visit www.dynamicgraphics.com/dgm and click
Subscriber Services, or e-mail directly at [email protected].

INTRANET © 2005 Dynamic Graphics, Inc. All rights reserved. Contents of this magazine may
34 vs. INTERNET not be reproduced in any manner without written consent from the publisher.
DESIGN FOR THE DIFFERENCE Mention of any product does not constitute endorsement by Dynamic Graphics
magazine. Dynamic Graphics magazine assumes no responsibility for return of
unsolicited manuscripts, photos, art, or cartoons, and reserves the right to reject
any editorial or advertising materials. Unsolicited materials should be accompanied
by a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Dynamic Graphics magazine is a regis-
tered trademark of Dynamic Graphics, Inc.
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2005
$7.95 US $8.40 CAN
0 4>
Production Notes:
This issue was produced using InDesign 2.0 on PowerMac G4s. Text imported from
dynamicgraphics.com 0 74470 90182 2
Microsoft Word and set in Clarendon BT, Gotham, and Adobe Garamond. Unless
otherwise noted, all Pantone color references that appear in the magazine are
taken from the Pantone solid to process guide coated. All visuals placed in posi-
tion and separated electronically. Output direct to plate at 150 lpi at RR Donnelley
& Sons Co. All rights reserved.

Printed in the U.S.A. using soy-based process color inks.

4 DynamicGraphics
DynamicGraphics
 DYNAMIC
Subscriber Services
To change your address, visit www.dynamicgraphics.com/
dgm, click Subscriber Services, then Address Change.
Remember, the post office will only forward mail for 60 days.
GRAPHICS
Editor Tom Biederbeck
If you receive a bill after you’ve paid, our letters prob- Art Director Kathie Alexander
ably crossed in the mail. Please disregard any bill or renewal Managing Editor Marcy Slane
notice you receive soon after mailing your payment or order. Assistant Editor Tami Terrell
(If you continue to receive notices, let us know.) Editorial Contributors Rita Amladi, Paul Chin,
Sheree Clark, Allan Haley,
If your issue is damaged or missing, call 888.698.8542. Cassie Hart, Terry Lee Stone,
We’ll replace the issue or extend your subscription, whichever StudioAlex Photography,
you prefer. Dynamic Graphics is published six times a year. Michelle Taute, Alissa Walker
Cover Consultant Celli Hott
To know when your subscription expires, check the Editorial Director Emily Potts
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For group rates, e-mail [email protected].

6 DynamicGraphics
FRO M T HE ED ITO R

No one understands the paradox of the

internet better than those who design for it.
In one sense, the web is by nature amorphous,
formless, capable of carrying any message. It’s also
expanding like the universe itself, ever faster in every
direction. In short, it’s “virtually” anything it’s willed to be.
Yet the internet carries its limitations—like the HTML code on
which most sites are built—that inhibit the ability of designers to create
effects they’re used to in more established media. Although the potential
is limitless, and no one can predict what the web will be capable of even a
decade from now, we still have to live in the circumscribed present.
This issue is our attempt to resolve the paradox in real-world terms.
Terry Lee Stone’s exploration of Aiwaworld.com on page 64 is, in a way,
an answer to the question “With so many possibilities, where do we go?”
Similarly, “www.MeMeMe.com” on page 56 is Alissa Walker’s vision of
where imagination and skill can take your online portfolio. “Building
Traffic” on page 50 is Sheree Clark’s take on the practical challenges of
driving clicks to your site, and “Fresh Web Design” on page 44 allows
Michelle Taute to survey how leading web designers create with ease
of updating in mind, to keep their sites captivating.
Selecting and managing type is a practical reality in any
medium; on page 40, type authority Allan Haley issues
“9 Type Rules for Web.” And because intranets are becom-
ing critically important to many organizations, we are pleased
to introduce Paul Chin to readers with a comprehensive look at
how internet and intranet design differ, in “Seeing I to i” on page 34.
Potential vs. practicality in an online age is very much on our
minds these days, not least because we’re launching our own seriously
enhanced website on Aug. 1. Visit us at www.dynamicgraphics.com; as
always, we’ll be interested in your appraisals.

Tom Biederbeck, editor

8 DynamicGraphics
LETTERS
Creative Feedback

“ I ’ M A LWAYS T RY I N G TO F I N D 8th Annual DESIGN MAKEOVERS Issue ! PLUS 2 FREE IMAGES!

Where’s Alex?
Love your magazine but a recent article left me a
WAYS TO M A K E L E A R N I N G Design ideas for the real world
little frustrated. Your article about the web make-
over of StudioAlex Photography in the June/July
F U N AND THIS PUZZLE REFRESHING
REDESIGNS
issue [V10N3] showed what changes were made, but
nowhere was I able to find the actual web address
Art of the Makeover
P R OV I D E S A D I F F E R E N T PUT SUBSTANCE BEFORE STYLE

Power Packaging
to visit the site. A search of the web for StudioAlex
REVITALIZE FOR MARKET CHANGE

Colors of Summer
HEALTHY FOR THE HOT SEASON
Photography also produced no results.
FO R M AT FO R S T U D E N T S .” Jim McCauley
JUNE/JULY 2005
Sequim, Wash.
dynamicgraphicsmagazine.com $7.95 US $8.40 CAN

Learning is fun In your recent issue of DG, I wanted to view the

I am a subscriber to DG, and was so delighted That’s just “geat!” website of StudioAlex Photography but could not
to find “The Print Puzzle” in the April/May We received the latest locate a working URL—even when I used Google.
issue [V10N2]. I’m a full-time instructor in the issue of DG today and What is the correct URL for the website redesign?
Commercial Art Program at Des Moines Area the three designers Charles McDonald
Community College in Ankeny, Iowa. I will be in our office eagerly Sacramento, Calif.
took turns reading the
using the puzzle for students to complete as a learn-
articles. Then I came
ing tool in a Production Art class I teach. The to Kathie Alexander’s
class focuses on printing methods, production, and article on Professional “ I R E A L LY L I K E YO U R
desktop publishing. I’m always trying to find ways Anesthesiologists in
to make learning fun and this puzzle provides a the Makeovers section ARTICLE ON THE REDESIGN
different format for students. Thank you for creat- [June/July V10N3].
ing a great publication! The article was great; O F S T U D I OA L E X . . . E XC E P T IT ’ S
Melissa Rarick however, the “After”
Ankeny, Iowa logo appears to have
a flaw. “Of Greater
N OWH E R E
New York,” appears
The financial picture TO B E FO U N D. ”
to be missing the r
I’m an in-house designer at a consulting firm
in the word Greater.
and have subscribed to your magazine for years. I I am sure it was a
appreciate your pragmatic advice (e.g., the story on mere overlook but it I really like your article on the redesign of
presentation graphics a few months back [Feb/Mar was continued onto StudioAlex ... except it’s nowhere to be found. The
V10N1]) and would like to see articles regard- the next page in the only studioalex.com is in Slovenia and it’s a film
ing financially oriented design, as well as tips on logos in the web lay- production company ... and StudioAlex firearms
PDF generation. At my firm, I deal continuously out. I bet you get a photography doesn’t show up in Google, either. So
with content of a financial nature. Creating charts, lot of feedback from where do I go to look this great site over?
graphs, and tables is thankless work—extremely designers since by Norm Stevens
time consuming but not interesting or particularly profession we are Des Moines, Iowa
taught to notice de-
attractive! I’d be grateful for an article with guide-
tail more closely than
lines on presenting clean, concise financial data, others. Still enjoying
Alex’s current, not-yet-updated website (a page of
as well as coverage on data-friendly software. (I’m your magazine. which you see in the magazine) can be found at
constantly recreating charts in Illustrator—given to Steven Harriger www.periodictable.com/studioalex.
me in Word, which cannot generate hi-res images. Wellsville, N.Y.
Learning a better system would be a huge help!) Catch a wave
Furthermore, PDFs, which have become the stan- I wanted to thank you all at DG for the wonder-
dard in document portability, can be tricky. An arti- ful redesign of our newsletter [FSU Dept. of
cle on fool-proofing PDFs would be really useful. Oceanography, June/July 2005, V10N3]. [DG
Abigail Dean designer Ronda Schierenbeck] did a beautiful job
Chicago, Ill. and we’re going to do our best to recreate it. I was
so excited on receiving the magazine that I imme-
diately started a new template in InDesign. I’ve

10 DynamicGraphics
 already installed the two fonts she recommended, Smart readers agree
and I’ve found a wave that I’m going to try to use. There is at least one
Now our next newsletter this fall will have the excit- more reader who
ing new look that Ronda recommended. would like to see
information on a)
Rachel Smith
Judaica design and b)
Tallahassee, Fla.
working with photog-
raphers rather than
Unfortunately a file snafu caused inconsistency in color (yawn) more stock
in the “After” version of this makeover. Our apologies. photography. I like to
work with photogra-
phers when I can. Not

image “I AM SO G L AD T H AT
H E M A D E CO M M E N T S I N T H E
only am I supporting a
fellow professional, it’s
fun—and even more

downloads
creative—to collabo-
rate. On the subject
ARTICLE ABOUT OUR CURRENT
of Judaica: I can’t tell
you how many times

with I M AG E RY A N D FO NT S B E I N G

I N CO N S I S T E N T. ”
I’ve needed to find
resources and been
stymied. It’s a beauti-
ful tradition, rich with
She didn’t do it—honest artistry and worth
I really like the makeover of our brochure [Doeren mention in an issue.
Mayhew, June/July 2005, V10N3]. [DG creative Elizabeth Williams
director Michael Ulrich] did a nice job of keeping Bushey
Middletown, N.Y.
the look professional and conservative, but fresh
and updated. I am so glad that he made comments
Billing advice?
in the article about our current imagery and fonts A few questions come
being inconsistent. I’m especially happy he men- to mind after read-
tioned our logo should function as a signature, not ing your Makeovers
Look for this “free” as text—I couldn’t agree more. I only wish some- issue [June/July 2005,
where within the article (in big, bold print) we could V10N3]. How many
icon within the have stated: “Caroleigh was not responsible for the hours were involved
original brochure, she just wants to fi x it!” I’m anx- in the logo and design
ious to get started on our new look and have ordered makeovers, and
pages of the how do you decide
paper samples of the stock Michael recommended.
what they’re worth?
Caroleigh Zawacki-Fulcher
magazine. Then Troy, Mich.
I’m curious how to
bill for projects like
those. I’ve done small
visit www.dynamic Standards guides? projects, and I know
I am wondering if you have ever done an article I haven’t billed cor-
graphics.com/ or know of another resource about how to create a rectly, and in some
graphics standards guide and tips on what it should cases underbilled by a
downloads for include. I am downloading guides that I find on the generous amount. Will
web and they are all quite different. you have an issue cov-
ering this subject?
instructions on Heather Shelby
Prince Howard
St. Joseph, Mich.
Cleveland, Ohio
how to download We did a branding issue in Feb/March 2004 [V9N1]; We’re looking into
the article you’ ll want to read is “Style Guides:
your free images! Branding From the Inside Out” by Sheree Clark, pp.
ways we can cover
these topics in future
32–35. In this issue, we show examples from a style issues. Stay tuned.
guide in “Seeing I to i” by Paul Chin, pp. 34–39.

12 DynamicGraphics
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Ask the Experts

Keeping the Faith ... in Yourself

Mastering self-doubt is an essential
step in the creative journey.
I’m an established graphic designer Recommended bottom line is there are no absolutes, and if you
with a significant client base resources: dwell too long with the question you’ll get lost in a
and a steady workload. Lately, The Science of kind of Alice in Wonderland reasoning (which will
though, it feels like pulling teeth Self-Confidence do nothing to get you out of the mind-game pickle
to get a project completed. When (audio CD), by Brian that prompted your self-doubts in the first place).
Tracy, $79.95, Brian
I’m gung ho and really believe in a
Tracy International,
design, the client shoots it down. Or A second, and more important, consideration is to:
www.briantracy.com
I spend endless hours at the drawing board and still
don’t like anything I come up with. Either way, I end Effective Meditations Realize that success—and your worth—comes
up doubting myself and thinking my work isn’t up to for Overcoming from within. It is, quite simply, counterproduc-
par with “good” designers. Self-Doubt (audio tive to compare yourself and/or your work to oth-
cassette), by ers. Look at others’ work, by all means. Admire it.
What you’re describing is a common phenomenon Deirdre Griswold, Embrace and study it. But consider that what you’re
among those of us who make a living from being $13.98, Effective looking at is the past. It was created in a moment
creative. Unfortunately, when your work is judged Learning Systems, that is gone. You are here and this is now; you
harshly—or when you don’t like what you’re pro- www.efflearn.com have different parameters, goals, perspectives, and
ducing—it’s hard to not succumb to doubts about opportunities. There are any number of apparent
Supplies: A
your worth as a talented professional. Troubleshooting
“failures” documented in history that turned out to
The truth is that there probably are times when Guide for Creative be triumphs. Herman Melville, the author of Moby
your work isn’t as good as it could be. No matter Difficulties, by Julia Dick, never knew his novel would be regarded as a
the reason—lack of time, inadequate budget, physi- Cameron, $12.95, classic. The artist Matisse began exhibiting in 1896,
cal illness—the point is it really might not be up to Jeremy P. Tarcher, but it took him 13 years to achieve fame; one can
par. And there are clearly going to be times (thank www.amazon.com only imagine the demons of doubt that plagued
goodness) when you think your solution to a project such a trailblazer at the time. Those who have
isn’t any good, but you’re wrong. Maybe you’re just The Sound of Paper: become known as true masters endured, persevered,
in a funk and nothing you do will appeal to you. Of Starting from Scratch, and most importantly believed. They trusted them-
by Julia Cameron,
course, there are instances where you think the work selves even in the face of self-doubt.
$12.95, Jeremy P.
is good, but the client doesn’t; sometimes the client is
Tarcher, www.penguin
right, sometimes wrong. The more you think about putnam.com
And finally:
it, the more befuddling it can become. A way to sort
it out is to keep a few important things in mind: Sheree Clark (sheree Bear in mind that this too shall pass. Every one
@saylesdesign.com) of us has experienced a slump. Sometimes the down
Accept that “good” is subjective. “What is good is managing partner period is due to overwork, stress, or some physi-
design?” has been the basis of articles, books, theses, of Sayles Graphic ological challenge we’re facing. Other times there
conferences … and there is still no authoritative Design in Des Moines, is no ready answer about what the problem is—we
answer. Is it good design if a project wins awards Iowa; an author and just don’t “feel creative.” Whatever is going on, it’s
but does nothing to achieve clients’ goals? If a piece speaker on organiza- important to keep a sense of perspective. Most situ-
tional and business
is created by a well-regarded master, does that auto- ations—even seemingly desperate ones—are tempo-
issues; and owner of
matically make it high quality? The definition of Art/Smart Consulting,
rary. A good night’s sleep, a vacation, or a talk with
excellence is “the quality or state of being outstand- which provides self- a professional counselor can help. And while there
ing and superior.” OK. But who determines that the promotion and busi- clearly are times and situations that require more of
criteria have been met? And to make the concept ness strategies to a fi x than a “time out,” the fact remains that beating
even more elusive, what is good also changes. Have creative professionals. up on yourself, faulting your work in comparison
you ever found yourself surprised when you look to others, and continuing to toil when the flow just
back at some of your past work, by how good (or isn’t there, are counterproductive. Step back, take a
bad) it appears in the context of the present? The deep breath, and keep the faith. g

14 DynamicGraphics
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Design to offer two new stock icon collections. The
Scandinavian-inspired Helsinki collection includes
64 clean-lined icons in bold colors, while the Tower
Grove CMS collection comprises 74 miniature icons
designed specifically for web applications and con-
tent management systems. Each group sells for $79. SVA takes a Webby
See the complete sets and other offerings at www. Teaching web profes-
iconbuffet.com. sionals everywhere
a few lessons, the
website of the School
of Visual Arts (SVA)
VDP, visually in New York City has
been named a winner
Taking variable data in the ninth annual
Webby Awards by the
printing to a new level International Academy
of Digital Arts and
of visual sophistica- Sciences. SVA was
recognized in the
tion is the promise of School/University
category. It’s the third
DreamType, a dynamic major award for www.
schoolofvisualarts.edu
imaging process that since the site was
redesigned last year.
transforms your design Iridescents add luster
FiberMark has introduced Iridescents by Corvon, Credit for site design
into an image-person- a line of packaging materials that combines luster goes to creative direc-
and reflectivity in an array of colors and finishes. tor and SVA vice
alization template for Created by a proprietary process, the Iridescents president Anthony
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spec document, and so clients can produce prototypes for test market- in collaboration with
ing and approvals. For further information, e-mail media development
DreamType creates the [email protected]. firm Funny Garbage.
One of the site’s ele-
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personalized output.
Explore the potential at www.dreamtype.com.

16 DynamicGraphics
continued from page 16

Extraordinary
internet art
Demonstrating that
the internet is more
Data Diaries by Cory Arcangel, 2003

than just a medium for

commerce, Rhizome
ArtBase 101 is a cur-
rent exhibition at New
York’s New Museum
of Contemporary Art
that presents a strik-
ing array of innovative
works conceived for
the web. The exhibi-
tion is comprised
of 40 selections
Fontify yourself from the archive
Turn your personal scribblings into an actual font of Rhizome.org, a Envelopes de luxe
that you can use on your computer with Fontifier. nonprofit organiza- Two new lines of luxury envelopes from Thi-
It’s a web-based service that turns a scanned sample tion that provides an bierge & Comar have become available in the U.S.
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just $9 (and you can preview your font for free and the global new media in a partnership between the French parent com-
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ego-gratification has never been easier. Try it at Cromática is a translucent line with great
exhibition (through
www.fontifier.com. Sept. 10), all 40
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works will be avail- invitations, and retail; these envelopes are available
able to the general in 13 colors. The Dentelle line owes its personality
Better on ice online public at the to a unique quilted texture and comes in six pat-
Exact Ice is the new high-brightness white opaque Rhizome website. Go terns. Both come in a variety of sizes and four styles,
from Wausau Paper. Boasting 95 brightness, a to www.rhizome.org/ including the new baby #10. For information or
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Exact Ice is available in six text and cover basis statesenvelope.com.
weights. For a swatchbook or sample pack, con-
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continued from page 18

Peace, love, and posters Thoughts on men & Back to the Lounge
Gary Burden, legendary designer of rock album cov- machines Created by Bill Gardner in 2001, LogoLounge.com
ers, has teamed up with Canadian paper producer has become a virtual design franchise. New postings
Domtar and environmentally conscious printer Man seems to be from the popular site are now offered by Rockport
a rickety poor sort
Insync Media to create an exhibition of oversized Publishers in a second volume, featuring nearly
of a thing, any way
“re-imaginings” of 14 of his celebrated works. 2,000 logos organized by client type along with
you take him … He is
Featuring classic designs developed for artists always undergoing
expanded profiles of 10 top designers and their latest
like The Doors, Joni Mitchell, Richard Pryor, The repairs. A machine campaigns. Learn more about LogoLounge.com in
Eagles, and more, the 47 x 47-inch posters were that was as unreliable “Building Traffic,” in this issue on page 50. Get the
unveiled at Los Angeles’ Whisky A Go-Go nightclub as he is would have book ($50) at www.rockpub.com.
in May. Printed on Domtar’s EarthChoice papers, no market.
the posters will travel North America this year, com- —Mark Twain
plete with artists’ recollections and inside stories of
the works’ creation. Domtar intends to present the Any intelligent fool
exhibit in Denver, Chicago, San Francisco, Dallas, can make things big-
ger, more complex,
and Toronto.
and more violent.
While Burden acknowledges that times have It takes a touch of
changed since the artworks were created, he says, genius—and a lot of
“The social and environmental ethics we advocated courage—to move in
in the ’60s and ’70s are more relevant than ever. I the opposite direction.
was first drawn to Domtar and Insync Media when —Albert Einstein
I created Neil Young’s Greendale book and was
impressed by their commitments to environmental
sustainability.” (The Neil Young project was docu-
One machine can
do the work of 50
Don’t keep
mented in “Imagining Greendale,” DG magazine,
April/May 2005, V10N2.)
ordinary men. No
machine can do the
work of one extra-
us guessing:
To request information on Domtar Earth-
Choice papers and swatchbooks for individual prod-
ordinary man. Share your thoughts.
—Elbert Hubbard
ucts in the line, phone 888.324.6423 or e-mail Your opinions about Dynamic Graphics maga-
[email protected]. For more on Insync Media’s One man that has a zine are very important to us, so we’re offering
commitment to sustainable printing, visit www. mind and knows it you the opportunity to share your views
insync-media.com. can always beat 10 online. To take this brief survey, go to www.
men who haven’t dynamicgraphicsmagazine.com and look
and don’t. for the 8-ball icon. Click on it and you’ll go
—George Bernard directly to the survey form.
Shaw Once you’ve taken the survey you may
register for a drawing for a book that’s reviewed
The real problem is
not whether machines
in this issue, Branding: From Brief to Finished
think but whether Solution, from Rotovision (see page 79).
men do. It takes just a minute or two to complete
—B.F. Skinner the survey. It’s more reliable than ESP. You get
to sound off, and you might win a great book.
Human history
becomes more
and more a race Q: Should you take
between education the survey?
and catastrophe.
—H.G. Wells
A: SIGNS POINT
TO YES.

20 DynamicGraphics
T E C H M AT T E R S | Rita Amladi
Build Your Skill Set

Prepping Images for On-screen Viewing

Boost impact with these tips for getting more
out of imagery in electronic environments.
Most of us have spent our careers Sizing for digital
focused on design and production Preparing files that
for print. But we’ve reached a point will be viewed in a
where we’re routinely asked to create digital environment
requires balancing
or share artwork in media that might
image quality with file
not be completely familiar. You may be asked to
size. A digital portfo-
send design comps to a client by e-mail, to “throw lio for online use will
the images on a CD,” to create a quick slide show or need smaller files than
PDF document to be viewed by clients on any plat- one for distribution
form. Or maybe you’d like to create an online port- on CD, for example.
folio of your best pieces to be e-mailed or posted to When sizing, consider
a website for potential clients or employers. if the images will be
In each of these cases, you’ll have to process be printed on a color
your artwork in different ways than you would for printer—a factor that
prepress. In this article, I’ll share some ideas on pre- will suggest larger
files. Regardless of
paring and presenting your visuals in electronic form.
how much you’ll be
reducing file size,
Familiar … but different keep in mind that you
When prepping files for digital media, you’ll be will probably want
performing some familiar production tasks such as to add sharpening
cropping and resizing, contrast and color correction, to enhance image
sharpening, and choosing a file format—although details. Photoshop
the kind of correction and sharpening you’ll do here CS2 offers a new
is different from processing images for print. Smart Sharpen filter
You can perform these functions in any image- to add lots of sharp-
ening to images while
editing program such as Adobe Photoshop, Adobe
minimizing sharpening
Photoshop Elements, etc. I’ll be showing these tech-
artifacts and halos.
niques using Adobe Photoshop CS2. Tip: Apply sharpening
to a duplicate layer for
File size trade-offs greater flexibility, and
First, a few notes on file sizes: Digital media offers view the main subject
an unexpected bonus. When the viewing is to be at 100 percent zoom
done online, final file sizes are miniscule compared to ensure the image is
to what’s required for high-quality printing. This is not oversharpened.
to match the resolution of monitors, which tend to
be around 72 dpi, and to ensure that artwork can be
speedily e-mailed and uploaded/downloaded from
websites. Happily, this also translates to smaller
archived projects.
On the flip side, you’ll need to master the art of
balancing image quality with file size. Improved qual-
ity inevitably means a larger file size, which can be a
no-no. Unfortunately, there are no simple rules for
determining optimal file size. Optimal size depends
on the purpose, resolution, and dimension of the
final piece. For example, a comp for a DVD menu

22 DynamicGraphics
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CIRCLE 13 ON CONNECTIONS CARD
continued from page 22

might feature a full-screen image at 72 dpi, with Type on the web

only a few selected colors. Or a rich-color pho- • Specify appropri-
tograph shot on location and e-mailed to a client ate, legible typefaces.
might need to be proofed on a color printer, requir- Sans serif for body
ing a larger file. Each situation has unique require- type and sans or slab
serifs for display type
ments based on factors like the transfer medium,
work best. For more
appearance of colors, final resolution, and storage. on selecting type
for the internet envi-
Work on a duplicate ronment, see Allan
It’s important that you edit a copy of your original Haley’s article “9 Type
artwork, which may have been created for a different Rules for Web” on
purpose. You can either duplicate the file on the page 40.
hard drive, or choose Duplicate from the Image • When choosing
menu in Photoshop and save it with another name. a type color, check
the Only Web Colors
checkbox in the Color
Crop and resize
Picker. This keeps the
The goal for resizing an image is to end up with the
type from dithering or
“ideal” file size—that is, the smallest possible file shifting in a browser
size on disk and the best image quality at an appro- on an 8-bit display.
priate viewing size. Unless the resulting image will • Use anti-aliasing
be printed as well (or you’re aiming to stay inside a on display type to
standard printable size such as 8 x 10 inches), you minimize the “jaggies”
should be thinking in terms of pixels. (Standard on low-resolution dis-
units such as inches and points aren’t relevant to plays. Don’t use anti-
this medium, which uses pixels as building blocks). aliasing on type that’s
Before resizing your image, try to anticipate how smaller than 10 pt., or
on type on patterned
it will be viewed. If you plan to e-mail the image, it
or transparent/fuzzy
should fit into a standard browser window. In this backgrounds; this
case, make the image no wider than 600 pixels (the makes it hard to read.
height does not matter here), and set the image reso- • If your artwork is
lution at 72 ppi, since this is the highest resolution a text-heavy, optimize
computer monitor will display. But if your client will using the GIF format
need to print the art to, say, a desktop color printer, with enough colors to
set the resolution to roughly 150 ppi. represent anti-aliased
Crop your image to keep the best parts, rotate edges smoothly.
creatively, straighten crooked lines, or simply set the • If you’re creating
a mockup of a web
final size. The Crop tool in Photoshop will do all of
page, set the HTML
these tasks very effectively.
text to be aliased so
Alternatively, you can crop the image and the viewer has a good
then use the Image Size dialog (Image > Image idea of what the page
Size) to specify final dimensions and resolution. will look like if a visi-
Use the Bicubic Sharper option (available in Adobe tor’s browser does not
Photoshop CS and higher) to keep the image looking show font smoothing.
sharp despite reduced size. Tip: Save yourself some
time by creating an Action to replay these settings on
every image that will be saved for this medium.

Size and slice

If you are prepping a high-resolution file for upload-
ing online, learn how to slice an image. Slicing is
a way to make a large image load as many smaller
ones, making it appear to load faster. You can also
use the slicing feature in these programs to optimize

24 DynamicGraphics
continued from page 24

some parts of the artwork differently from the rest. Show off on screen
For example, a part of an image that contains pho- It’s important to
tographic imagery might compress better as JPEG display images pro-
slices, while a text-heavy part of the image can be fessionally whether
optimized as GIF slices. A slice can also contain you’re e-mailing one
or sending a set of
hotspots and links.
comps. Experiment
with these techniques
Select a color standard to wow viewers:
Images that are to be viewed on screen still need to • Instead of sending
be edited for contrast and color flaws. The first order artwork as a plain e-
of business is to set up some basic parameters for mail attachment, prep
the display of colors in the image. This is because it first. Create a back-
there isn’t any “standard viewing environment” on ground so colors in
the web, nor will e-mail applications and browsers the image pop. Many
color-manage your artwork to your satisfaction. A photographers set
common approach is to convert the colors in the their images against a
black background for
artwork into a smaller color space that will display
this purpose.
colors in a somewhat muted, albeit consistent fash- • Frame your artwork
ion to all viewers. for instant distinction.
Choose Convert to Profile from the Edit menu Add a simple black
in Photoshop CS2 (in previous versions, choose keyline, or use rules or
it from the Image > Mode menu), and choose the white space to border
sRGB IEC61966-2.1 profile as the destination color artwork to create a
space. This color model represents all the colors avail- “poster” appearance.
able on any standard monitor, which makes it a suit- Use creative edge
able one-size-fits-all choice for this purpose. effects to make art
stand out.
• Create a PDF slide
Correct tone and color
show from Photoshop
This is where you can let your artistic talents shine. or Adobe Bridge CS2.
Unlike in correcting print images, you need not set This sets up in a snap
up highlight/shadow endpoints, as these images will and can provide piz-
not interact with ink and paper. Use your favorite zaz (see page 68 for
tools to create pleasing exposure and color balance. instructions).
One of my favorite techniques for creating • Quickly create a
professional-looking art under a deadline is to use customized online
the automatic color correction options available in portfolio with the
the Levels/Curves dialog in Photoshop. Click the Web Photo Gallery
feature in Adobe
Options button in either of these dialogs and experi-
Bridge or Photoshop
ment with each of the three settings in the dialog. CS2. Well-designed
I’ve found that most images are enhanced by one of templates make the
the last two items (Enhance per Channel Contrast process easy. You
or Find Dark & Light Colors), especially when com- can add background
bined with the Snap Neutral Midtones setting. audio to the Flash-
Photoshop CS2 gives us a nifty feature called based templates by
Exposure, which lets you make minute changes to renaming any mp3
the exposure and mid-tone scale of an image. Choose file “useraudio.mp3”
Exposure from the Image > Adjustments menu. and dropping it
into the template
folder. Avoid audio
Sharpen
if you’re creating a
When reducing the size of an image, you need to permanent profes-
add sharpening to enhance the details in the image. sional portfolio—see
In Photoshop CS2, you can use the new Smart “www.MeMeMe.com”
Sharpen Filter to add prodigious amounts of sharp- on page 56 for why.

26 DynamicGraphics
 L L
H E name isO
my

CIRCLE 2 ON CONNECTIONS CARD

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all-Heidelberg shop. Find out where thousands of your colleagues
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CIRCLE 15 ON CONNECTIONS CARD
continued from page 26

ening to images while minimizing sharpening arti- Recommended load speedily. The viewer will need to use Acrobat
facts and halos. As in earlier versions of Photoshop, resources Reader, available free on Adobe’s website. Designers
you can use the Unsharp Mask filter to enhance Web Design Essentials, and photographers can present layouts and comps
contrast along color transitions in the image. Tip: by Maria Giudice and with sharp-looking type, single or multipage docu-
Anita Dennis, $36,
Apply sharpening to a duplicate layer for greater ments, even slide shows with transitions. In other
Adobe Press, www.
flexibility, and view the main subject at a 100 per- words, you can make your art as fancy as you want.
adobepress.com
cent zoom to verify that it is not over-sharpened. With PDF you can also create documents with
Designing Web some security measures such as password protection
Choose a file format Graphics.4, by and built-in print permissions. This is a good way to
As a rule, JPEG is the best format for photographic Lynda Weinman, safeguard your artwork from being copied or printed.
images, whether for e-mail, websites, or PDFs. The $49.50, New Riders, If you follow this general workflow, you’ll pro-
GIF format handles solid color art, vector illustra- www.newriders.com duce good-looking and professional images for on-
tions, and type-heavy artwork better than JPEG. I screen viewing. You’ll win your client’s gratitude for
like to use the Save for Web dialog in the File menu Adobe Photoshop CS2 creating art that travels well as an e-mail attachment,
for saving. This dialog lets you choose a file format Classroom in a Book, and is ready to post to a website with minimal down-
$44.99, Adobe Press,
by previewing and comparing the effect with large load times on your client’s web browser. g
www.adobepress.com
thumbnails. It may also be a good idea to make file
format decisions by checking download times on a Adobe Photoshop CS2 Rita Amladi ([email protected]) is owner
standard dial-up modem. on Demand, by Andy of Orion Arts & Communications, which pro-
PDF is rapidly becoming the format of choice Anderson and Steve vides digital imaging training and consulting.
for sending comps and proofs via e-mail. The format Johnson, $31.49, Que She is a Certified Technical Trainer and an
allows you to present your artwork in a variety of Publishing, www. Adobe Certified Trainer for Photoshop, and
professional ways while creating a file that can down- quepublishing.com teaches on a variety of digital design topics.

CIRCLE 12 ON CONNECTIONS CARD

28 DynamicGraphics
R E A L-WO R L D S O LU TI O N S
Design Makeovers from the Pros

Generations of Faith
A nationwide religious program
is given a friendly, local look.

Because his church was joining the 1. Original illustration 1

nationwide Generations of Faith (GOF) DG’s creative direc-
movement, Edward Goett of the Holy tor Michael Ulrich
Family Catholic Church in Mount searched for an illus-
Sterling, Ill., needed a new brochure to tration with a com-
munity theme and
showcase its involvement. The GOF program’s aim
a large age span.
is to “involve all parishioners in the liturgical year Although this piece
celebrations of the Catholic church, regardless of from liquidlibrary is
age, social status, or gender,” explains Goett. “GOF keyworded under
serves as a means of educating all members in their “family reunion,”
faith while bringing them together as a parish fam- with a few changes
ily.” Each church designs its own GOF brochure to it works perfectly.
reflect its region and community. “Fortunately, almost
The town of Mount Sterling is a small, close- every character in this
knit community of about 6,500 people. Since the piece was drawn sep-
arately, so edits were
brochure has to reach all age groups but also appeal
easy,” Ulrich says.
to this small town’s sense of community, Goett and
Image 019C9805DC,
DG creative director Michael Ulrich decided that www.liquidlibrary.com 2
photography was not the best way to go. It would be (get it free at www.
too difficult to find images of such a wide age span dynamicgraphics.
that could all fit on an 8½ by 11-inch piece of trifold com/downloads)
paper. Plus, examples from other Catholic churches’
GOF marketing collateral included images that 2. Typography
wouldn’t reflect the small town’s flavor or that of its “Linotype’s Rockwell
parish. They all seemed too regional—some were too is a slab serif geo-
urban, others too Southwestern. metric with a large
x-height that is ideal
Ulrich chose a liquidlibrary illustration under
for readability,” says
the keywords “family reunion” and edited it to better Ulrich. “It also works
fit the theme. He took a few people out of the illus- well for all ages and 3
tration so he was able to zoom in to show the wide isn’t too ‘cartoony.’”
age span (“generations”), and of course he added a ITC Lubalin Graph
priest to tie in the Catholic theme. is another slab serif
“I chose the Rockwell font family because it has that would work.
a light and fun air about it,” notes Ulrich. “It appeals Both are available at
to both children and adults, and because it has a www.myfonts.com.
large x-height it’s easy for both seniors and students
3. New characters
to read.” Another slab serif, ITC Lubalin Graph,
The church commit-
would also work well.
tee requested that a
“Our brochure targets every Catholic, from priest be added to
the newly initiated to lifelong Catholics, and Mike’s the illustration. Ulrich
design is right on the mark,” says Goett. “The entire took the older man,
committee was very pleased. The design of our GOF flipped him horizon-
brochure is a major step toward implementing this tally, changed his hair,
program, and Mike has given us a design that may be eyes, and smile, and
adapted to specific liturgical celebrations.” g added a Roman collar.

30 DynamicGraphics
 Cover Map
The close cropping of The inside spread of church committee
the Generations of Faith the brochure gives requested that the
(GOF) brochure’s art information on the brochure’s design
conveys a light, interac- program structure could be used repeti-
tive mood—a departure and an overview of tively, and that it not
from the lecture-based the GOF Topics. The become outdated.
instruction often asso-
ciated with church.

JUSTICE and
MORALITY

Caring
for God’s
Creation
Feast of St. Fra
ncis
of Assisi, Tue
sday,
Insert October 4, 20
Skin color
There are as many An insert inside
05
skin tones as there the brochure will 4:00 Blessin
g of Pets
are people, and the announce the upcom- 5:30 Par takin
g
human eye tends to ing GOF gathering’s 6:15 Gatheri
ng
be forgiving when it theme. A simple, pre- 6:30 Breakin
g
comes to skin color. formatted flyer that 7:00 Sharing
You shouldn’t be too is laser-printed on 7:15 Celebra
ting
extreme when illus- colored stock is an 7:30 Prepari
ng
trating traditional, effective solution to
Born in 1181 at
realistic skin tones, starting from scratch Assisi, Umbria,
C0 C0 wealthy merch Italy to a
but if the need arises, every time. ant, Francis Be
M25 M20 had a somew rnardone
hat misspent
don’t limit yourself. Y25 Y50 during a year youth, but
as a prisoner
K0 K0 Francis had a of war
Here are three simple conversion ex
After formally perience.
palettes for skin color, and inheritanc
renouncing his
wealth
plus one very extreme e, St. Francis sp
rest of his life ent the
ministering to
skin color. working with the poor,
C20 C40 his hands, and
harmony with living in
M50 M30 animals.
Y80 Y0
K0 K0

AUG/SEPT 2005 31
CO LO R O N C A L L
Trouble-Free Palettes

Hip-hop: urban, culture, style,

rap music, inner city, youth

You’ve got to break out of the mold Inner city culture

to attract a hip-hop crowd. Think free- Fresh, mixed media
styling, using colors and imagery found gets noticed. The
on the street and in the city, getting out 2005 Hip-Hop Theater
Festival poster com-
of that corporate rut, and incorporating a
bines gritty photog-
more individualized theme. For this hip-hop color
raphy with intense,
palette, we focused on a poster composited by artist music-inspired illustra-
D. Kiku Yamaguchi of the Hip-Hop Theater Festival, tion. www.hiphop
where it’s all about the music. theaterfest.org
The purpose of the festival, founded in 1999,
is to invigorate hip-hop and theater by nurturing Urban youth
creative work in the field. It presents art relevant to a Imagery of youthful
young, urban generation, and serves these communi- style, music, and city
ties by celebrating their language and culture. The scenery brace a hip-
organization fills a definite need for inner-city youth. hop theme. Image
22381776, Stockbyte,
Kiku has been working with the Hip-Hop
www.creatas.com
Theater Festival since its inception, and she and
executive director Clyde Valentin wanted the poster
campaign to highlight local artists. “It’s keeping in
theme with the flavor of what the festival is all about,
combining an array of art mediums—dance, theater,
spoken word,” Kiku says.
The poster at top right was created for this year’s
festival by mixing Kiku’s photography of the city
with artist Chris Mendoza’s urban-style illustrations,
all in Photoshop layers. A notable feature in much
of Kiku’s work, the poster’s colors reflect city life—
evening-sky blue, rust, textures from the street, along
with the stark contrast of black and white.
Kiku combined a silhouette of a featured art-
ist and his equipment with images of the city, while
Mendoza integrated turntables, microphones, and
subway cars into his illustrations to round out the
mixed-media piece. “It’s a mix of street elements with
a stage setting,” Kiku explains. g

PANTONE PANTONE PANTONE PANTONE PANTONE

4625 1375 283 1805 425
C0 C0 C35 C0 C0
M60 M40 M9 M91 M0
Y100 Y90 Y0 Y100 Y0
K79 K0 K0 K23 K77

32 DynamicGraphics
 Fonts/Slang
Try these great
slants on typogra-
phy to contribute to
your overall hip-hop
effect, yo. Get them
at www.fontface.com:
Comicate (wack); R62 G39 B7 R187 G206 B235
Jive (chill); Judas HEX 3E2707 HEX BBCEEB
(street); Xtrusion
(bling); XBand Rough
(city); and Coker
One (culture). We
found the dope
urban terminology at
www.rapdict.org.

Images R21 G23 B27 R158 G43 B30

Your best bets on
HEX 15171B HEX 9E2B1E
search terms for hip-
hop imagery: DJ,
turntables, records,
graffiti, brick walls,
big and flashy gold
jewelry (aka bling),
streetwear, city sky-
lines, city streets,
skateboarding, and
R80 G80 B80 R208 G117 B39
torn edges. Think atti-
tude, city, youth, style, HEX 505050 HEX D07527
music, and rap lyrics—
anything real or tough
to get your mes-
sage across. Image
22420502, Thinkstock,
www.creatas.com

Musical influence
Get the low-down R157 G85 B65 R225 G174 B58
on hip-hop’s history HEX 9D5541 HEX E1AE3A
and its musical influ-
ence. There’s a lot
of info available at
www.headbob.com/
hiphop/hiphop
history.shtml. Image
22377946, Stockbyte,
www.creatas.com
R63 G140 B156 R50 G42 B116
HEX 3F8C9C HEX 322A74

PANTONE PANTONE PANTONE PANTONE PANTONE

2748 492 7547 1665 7474
C100 C0 C35 C0 C90
M88 M70 M4 M68 M0
Y0 Y66 Y0 Y100 Y28
K14 K30 K94 K0 K22

AUG/SEPT 2005 33
 Seeing
I to i
Effective intranet design involves more than an in-house
by Paul Chin

version of an external website.

Would you ever consider going to a formal event in

your workout clothes? Whether this hypothetical
faux pas is triggered by indifference to your sur-
roundings or an experiment in stretching the fabric
of social etiquette, there would be no mistaking the
fact that you’d look completely out of place. And to
drive the point home, you’d be met by the whispers
of bewildered onlookers as you part the mass of
black ties and evening gowns in your sprayed-on
Spandex. There’s a lesson to be learned here: You
need the right look for the right occasion.

For CPP, the publisher uted new logos, a new

of the Myers-Briggs collateral system, and
personality assess- an updated company
ment and other tools catalog. The intranet
for development, guide aided the pro-
Mortensen Design cess of implementing
(www.mortensen the comprehensive
Paul Chin ([email protected]) is an IT design.com) devel- overhaul by providing
consultant and freelance writer. A professional oped an intranet iden- those with password-
in the IT field since 1994, he previously worked tity guide. The guide controlled right of
in the aerospace and competitive intelligence was one component entry one-click access
industries. Paul currently writes on a wide range in a major overhaul to logos, graphics, and
of topics including intranet development and of the client’s corpo- type in formats devel-
content management. He is a regular contribu- rate identity, to which oped for print, web,
tor to IntranetJournal.com. Mortensen contrib- and presentations.

34 DynamicGraphics
Big “I” versus little “i”
The differences between Internet and intranet
design aren’t quite as obvious as wearing sweats to
the Oscars. In fact, you might not be able to tell CORPORATE COLOR
one from the other just by looking at them. But for
all their similarities, they have some very subtle, yet PMS 583
fundamental idiosyncrasies that don’t translate well CORPORATE LOGO C
M
027
010
from one to the other. CORPORATE COLOR
Y
K
100
015

Unfortunately, many web designers—most of TYPOGRAPHY

R 158
G 190
B 028
PMS 308

whom started their careers building Internet sites— WEB 99CC00

C
M
100
005
DO’S & DON’TS Y 005
have a tendency to apply Internet design principles to K 051
R 024
building intranet sites. These designers need to adjust STATIONERY
G 079
B 097

their mindset and design approach when they apply TRADEMARK WEB 006666

their expertise to an organization’s internal website. DOWNLOAD

We want our corporate colors to be color formulas are specified for printing.
Why? Because intranets serve a much different pur- PRINT consistent and true. Please use these Web color equivalents and RGB colors are
guidelines to ensure that CPP’s colors provided for Web and electronic work.
pose than their external counterparts. CONTACT US match—all the time, every time. Pantone Refer to the color chart above to specify
Matching System (PMS) inks and process the correct color for your work.
A firm distinction must be made between com-
mercial Internet sites and content-laden intranet
sites. Otherwise the resulting intranet will seem over-
dressed for the productivity-oriented environment
around it.
Commercial Internet sites are used as vehicles
STATIONERY
to market, promote, and sell a product or service.
They need to be dressed up with high entertain-
ENVELOPE BACK NEXT

ment value—rich, high-resolution graphics; Flash or CPP, Inc. 3803 East Bayshore Road, Palo Alto, CA 94303
BUSINESS CARD

Shockwave animations; and watercooler content—to

ENVELOPE
keep users interested and maximize public exposure. CORPORATE LOGO

An intranet isn’t used to market or sell a prod- CORPORATE COLOR LETTERHEAD

uct—it is the product. Intranet sites aren’t based TYPOGRAPHY

so much on entertainment value, but rather on a DO’S & DON’TS

SAMPLE LETTER

utilitarian need to manage and publish large volumes

STATIONERY
of content to an organization’s user community. If
Internet design is formal wear for a high-class func- TRADEMARK
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE GRIDS & MEASUREMENTS.

tion, then intranet design is the aerodynamic skinsuit DOWNLOAD

A number of envelope formats are available. note envelopes, 9 x 12 envelopes, and

worn by cycling time trialists—built for no-nonsense PRINT This example shows a #10 envelope and
recommendations for address placement.
10 x 12 envelopes. Each office (Palo Alto,
Minnesota, and Washington, DC) has
speed and efficiency. CONTACT US Other envelopes include #10 window, #10, 9 x 12, and 10 x 13 envelopes.

This doesn’t mean intranets have to be devoid

of pizzazz—you still want users to have an enjoyable
experience—but it’s important that design be used to
complement a site’s content, not overshadow it. The use of Flash in it’s difficult to cre-
intranets is a con- ate an online identity
Anatomy of intranet design troversial topic that manual that’s both
Intranets are used primarily as content management Gordon Mortensen, graphically appealing
systems. They store and disseminate everything principal of the firm and useful. If an HTML-
from human resources information to engineering that created CPP’s based identity guide is
schematics to large graphic libraries. Yet just as for site, has strong feel- graphically consistent
the Internet, designers—though not primary con- ings about. While with the richness of
tent providers—play a vital role in the presentation Flash inhibits updating your identity, the files
sites where content are generally too large
of content.
management is widely and take too long to
Contrary to what some of the more process-
distributed across an download.” Yet an
minded intranet managers may think, design isn’t organization, there are HTML-based intranet
a frivolous cosmetic tool used to dress up content. instances like this one guide that’s quick to
In addition to contributing to overall user satisfac- when it’s essential, he download can’t accu-
tion, proper intranet design accomplishes three very says. “Because of the rately reflect the cor-
important things: restrictions of HTML, porate identity.

AUG/SEPT 2005 35
1. Design creates a recognizable brand. The guide Mortensen • Sequential—Sibling, or peer-to-peer, structure cre-
An easily recognizable system brand can be used by Design created for ates a sequential ordering of pages. Sequential navi-
intranet owners for internal marketing. It can be the CPP makes life easier gation is often used for presentations or instructions
basis for the creation of promotional material such for users within the where page order is important.
as posters and banners, mouse pads, brochures, and client company as
well as key suppliers
letterheads. This increases system visibility and will • Site maps—Site maps provide users with a bird’s-
who have access. Roll-
help promote usage. eye view of the entire site without having to manu-
over and pull-down
An effective brand also helps to distinguish the menus take both Mac ally navigate the structure.
officially sanctioned intranet from other unofficial and Windows users
subsites that may be floating around the company. directly to informa- • Query-based—Some intranets have no fi xed
Because of the ease with which websites can be built, tion on how to handle menus and are built entirely around a database.
it’s possible for an organization’s network to become the company logos, Rather than using a series of static HTML pages,
flooded with less-than-serious, non-work-related sub- type, and more. content is built dynamically by scripts based on user
sites. An intranet brand helps maintain the credibility “For instance,” says input instead of navigating a menu.
of the official system. Mortensen, “some-
body needs a logo for
3. Design establishes standards for presentation
the web. Click on the
2. Design creates navigational structure and and layout.
menu, and immedi-
user interface. ately the most desir-
Intranet designers must know their audience,
Navigational structure and user interface are per- able version comes up keeping in mind two key groups: those using the
haps the most crucial aspects of intranet design. along with a menu of intranet, and those managing it.
They not only provide an effective means to get acceptable options. The visual style of an intranet should depend,
from point A to point B, they also create a logical You just click the ver- at least in part, on the organization’s culture. A more
relationship among the contents stored within an sion you want to auto- conservative environment accustomed to dealing
intranet (as opposed to the physical relationship of matically download it. with paper-based documents will probably prefer
files and folders within a web or application server). Or let’s say you need simpler, cleaner, no-frills content presentation. End-
Intranet sites are goal-oriented: Users mostly the two-color logo for users in a relaxed and creative environment will be
the web, and you want
want to quickly find what they’re looking for and more receptive to elaborate presentation—but again,
the embossed version.
leave. Navigation must cater to this need. The type it must never overshadow the content.
This way, you never
of navigation and interface you choose will depend get the wrong logo. Design choices, however, play a major role in
largely on the purpose of the intranet and its content You don’t have to the lives of content providers who will be handling
categories. Most intranets have a combination of worry about users get- the content on a daily basis. Intranets must be man-
standard website navigation and interface types: ting a JPEG file when ageable by nontechnical content providers, so don’t
they need a TIFF or allow your design to become an impediment to
• Hierarchical—Traditional parent-child structure EPS.” PDF versions of them. If they have to jump through hoops simply to
classifies content categories by top- and sublevels, the guide are also pro- add a menu item, they’re likely to either make mis-
resembling a family tree. vided for portability. takes or ignore the rules … or both.

36 DynamicGraphics
A comprehensive Static vs.
stationery system is a Dynamic Menus
key component in any STATIONERY
identity system. These BUSINESS CARD NEXT The issue of whether
pages illustrate why to use static or dy-
VIEW BACK SIDE BUSINESS CARD

Flash programming namic menus boils

contributed so much CORPORATE LOGO
Steven D. Smith
ENVELOPE
down to the complex-
to usability of the CPP CORPORATE COLOR
Regional Account Consultant
LETTERHEAD
ity and volume of the
guide. On this page, TYPOGRAPHY
Tel: 650.555.1234 content that is to be
Fax: 650.555.1235

users click to view an DO’S & DON’TS

E-mail: [email protected]
SAMPLE LETTER
stored in an intranet.
CPP, Inc., 3803 East Bayshore Road, Palo Alto, CA 94303
extra-large version STATIONERY
www.cpp.com

of the business card, Simpler intranets

TRADEMARK
complete with call-out CLICK HERE TO SEE THE GRIDS & MEASUREMENTS. with only a few top-
DOWNLOAD
letters for production A comprehensive stationery system is a Business card formats are based on office level categories and
PRINT key component of the CPP identity system. location. Standard information includes

details. To see the People often see our stationery and business name, title, telephone, fax, and e-mail. a handful of sublevels
CONTACT US cards before they see us. That’s why it’s You may also include a cell number or an

details, simply mouse important for our stationery to present the 800 number. All business card backs carry can get away with
same identity associated with every other the tagline. Order business cards from the

over the letter and aspect of our visual communications. Inventory Print Department. using static, perma-
specifications appear nently visible menus.
in the box below the This yields a quick
card. Data for logos, overview of content
colors, and other ele- sublevels without re-
ments is provided in quiring interaction
a similar manner. For with the user.
example, to deter-
mine how much space Complex, high-volume
to provide around a sites with numerous
logo, roll over it and successive sublevels
minimum space allow- should use dynamic
ances are shown. drop-down or pop-up
menus to avoid clutter.
This enables users to
jump from top to sub-
levels without needing
to traverse the entire
tree structure.

Site Design Approaches

Internet intranet

• Curiosity oriented • Goal oriented

• Used to market and sell a product • Used to manage and publish high
or service volumes of structured content

• Requires a high “wow factor” to • Usability and clarity are preferred

capture attention over flashiness

• Designed to maximize users’ • Designed to allow quick retrieval

contact with site of content

• Must be conducive to casual surfing • Always available for reference: “Find it

and exploration and forget it”

AUG/SEPT 2005 37
 Time To Go X? HTML
and XHTML
DO’S & DON’TS
Many tags in the
HTML 4.01 speci-
DO’S NEXT

fication are being DO’S

phased out in favor

of the newer, cleaner, CORPORATE LOGO
DO DON’TS

and stricter XHTML

CORPORATE COLOR SINGLE-COLOR LOGO >
(eXtensible HTML)
TYPOGRAPHY
BLACK LOGO + COLOR BACKGROUND >
1.0 specification.
WHITE LOGO + COLOR BACKGROUND >
DO’S & DON’TS
MINIMUM SIZE >
XHTML, an official STATIONERY ICONS AS A PATTERN >
W3C recommendation
TRADEMARK
as of Jan. 26, 2000,
takes a giant leap in DOWNLOAD
The corporate logo is our visual brand. The logo works best in the three-color
separating structure PRINT Whether it appears on a product or e- form. Black is the preferred one-color
mail, T-shirt or legal prospectus, make option. The logo can also be reversed out
from presentation— CONTACT US sure it is used correctly. (appear in all white) on a wide variety of
Our logos are trademarked. All logos colors. The key is to make sure there is
something that HTML have a TM symbol and should be adequate contrast between the logo and

doesn’t do a very accompanied by a trademark legend. the background.

good job of. Structure

refers to the pieces of
an author’s document
(headings, bulleted or
numbered lists, and DO’S & DON’TS
paragraphs) while pre-
sentation refers to the
DON’TS BACK

manner in which these DO’S

parts are displayed

(size and typeface of CORPORATE LOGO
DON’T DON’TS

headings, style of bul- CORPORATE COLOR ADD OR SUBTRACT ICONS >

lets in lists, paragraph ROTATE THE ICON >
TYPOGRAPHY
indentation). This sep- STRETCH OR SKEW THE ICON >
aration allows authors DO’S & DON’TS
SEPARATE HEAD FROM BODY >
to focus on writing STATIONERY ALTER THE CORPORATE COLOR >
their documents and
TRADEMARK
designers to focus on
DOWNLOAD
presenting them. The incorrect examples illustrate some Never alter or reproportion the logo
PRINT common errors. Misuse undermines our by stretching or condensing any part of it,
effort to present a strong and unified changing the figures, angling the logo, or
It’s a good idea to CONTACT US image and could jeopardize our logo’s altering the color. Avoid using the logo on
status as part of a registered identity. a busy background or in a phrase. The
plan for the future by logotype should not be moved or changed.

using either XHTML

1.0 Strict or XHTML
1.0 Transitional, along
with CSS, rather than A “do’s and don’ts”
HTML 4.01. section not only makes
DO’S & DON’TS
a useful contribution
HTML, XHTML, DON’TS BACK
to an identity guide,
and CSS can DO’S it’s also interesting
be validated at:
www.w3schools.com/ CORPORATE LOGO
DON’T DON’TS
to users. This section
shows how far one
site/site_validate.asp CORPORATE COLOR ADD OR SUBTRACT ICONS > can go without break-
ROTATE THE ICON >
TYPOGRAPHY ing the rules. Like all
STRETCH OR SKEW THE ICON >
DO’S & DON’TS elements in the site,
SEPARATE HEAD FROM BODY >
STATIONERY ALTER THE CORPORATE COLOR > it’s updatable without
TRADEMARK
requiring reproduction
DOWNLOAD
and redistribution of
PRINT
The incorrect examples illustrate some
common errors. Misuse undermines our
Never alter or reproportion the logo
by stretching or condensing any part of it,
physical manuals—a
CONTACT US
effort to present a strong and unified
image and could jeopardize our logo’s
changing the figures, angling the logo, or
altering the color. Avoid using the logo on
key advantage of put-
status as part of a registered identity. a busy background or in a phrase. The
logotype should not be moved or changed.
ting reference materi-
als on your intranet.

38 DynamicGraphics
Maintaining design standards Recommended Intranet presentation and
Unlike many other IT implementations, intranets resources: online layout tips:
require the participation of large multidisciplinary Digital Web Magazine—
groups of content managers, all of whom are respon- www.digital-web.com 1 Keep it clean. The design
sible for their own little corner of the intranet. With Created by a network of must be simple and intuitive,
volunteers. Intended for focusing on usability rather
so many people involved, you risk losing system
professional web design- than glitz.
cohesion—especially as time goes by. There are two ers, web developers, and
essential ways to maintain design consistency: information architects. 2 Intranets don’t need splash
screens. The only time splash
1. Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) CSS Zen Garden— screens are acceptable in
CSS remains the quickest and simplest way to sepa- www.csszengarden.com intranets is for user login or
rate content structure from content presentation. Collaborative effort of in multilingual companies for
CSS allows intranet designers to define the look of designers who contrib- language selection.
various document components—typeface, head- ute original site designs
ings, font sizes—independent of content provided using only CSS and 3 Avoid designing purely
images, while the HTML, Flash-based sites; they’re not
by authors.
restricted from modifica- right for most intranet appli-
CSS can be used to apply site-wide styles that
tion, remains identical. cations. In order for them to
put few demands on content providers. And future work, all content providers
changes in layout or presentation will require only IBM Ease of Use— would have to be familiar with,
modification to the style sheets rather than having www-3.ibm.com/ibm/ and have the tools for, Flash
to manually change every page. This is essential for easy/eou_ext.nsf/ development—highly unlikely.
high-volume intranets. publish/572 Some intranets, however, can
Guide for web interfaces. benefit from sections with
2. “Black box” content input applications Flash content—where Flash
A black box application—aptly named because Intranet Journal—www. contributes to usability.
those using it don’t need to know its inner work- intranetjournal.com
ings—allows content providers to input content into
Resources from experts 4 Avoid the use of “floating”
in intranet design, devel- page designs. The empty bor-
an intranet by way of an online, web-based form. opment, and content ders surrounding them will eat
Once the content is submitted, a black box management. up valuable screen real estate.
application processes the input and applies all style
and layout rules. The entire process is shielded from Intranet Roadmap—www. 5 Minimize the use of anima-
content providers, allowing them to concentrate on intranetroadmap.com tion. Moving objects on the
their content rather than presentation. Guide, portal, and tuto- screen have a tendency to
Black box applications—usually built in-house rial source for creating or draw users’ attention away
by web programmers—can become quite complex improving an intranet. from what they’re reading.
depending on what you need them to do. They can
take the place of, or be used in conjunction with, Step Two Designs— 6 For the sake of users who
www.steptwo.com.au/ do lengthy intranet research,
commercially available web authoring software like
papers/index.php steer clear of opposing high-
Macromedia Dreamweaver or Microsoft FrontPage. Free intranet and content contrast colors—white text on
management papers and a black background or yellow
Purpose-driven design case studies. text on blue background—that
Intranet design is more than mere eye candy. It’s cause edge shimmering and
a way to communicate information—and do it in Usability and Web color aftereffect.
style. Content and design are not mutually exclusive Design—www.useit.com
intranet elements; you don’t need to forgo one for Website of usability 7 Always offer clean, print-
the sake of the other. expert Jakob Nielson. able versions of intranet
While driven by content, intranets can employ content for portability (when
W3 Schools— users work from home or are
design to create interesting and positive user experi-
www.w3schools.com traveling, in meetings, etc.).
ences. Remember: It’s important for an intranet’s Free do-it-yourself web
design to reflect the qualities of its content. You building tutorials.
should never allow good content to be polluted by
poor design. When you’re on the podium at that (For books on intranet
all-star gala giving the speech of your life, you don’t design, see page 78.)
want the only comment from the audience to be, “Is
she wearing sweat pants?” g

AUG/SEPT 2005 39
 Type
Rules for
Web While some print purists still think web typography is an
by Allan Haley

oxymoron, you can create effective graphic communication by

following a few simple rules.
The first and most important rule of good web typo- Recommended from the communication process. And, unless fancy
graphy is to plan for change. Michael McPherson, resources typefaces are used very large, the fancy bits are lost
principal of Boston-based branding and design firm Web Site Graphics: because of the low resolution of computer monitors.
Corey McPherson Nash (www.cmndesign.com), has Typography, by Jeff There are, however, typefaces that have been
Carlson et al, $20,
clear ideas about web design. When asked what are specifically designed to perform well in a resolution-
Rockport Publishers,
the most important typographic aspects to consider, www.rockpub.com
challenged environment. These are straightforward
his first answer is, “Realize that your type can—and designs that were drawn to take the best advantage of
will—be resized, cut, and generally mutilated by Great Web limited pixels. McPherson has his favorites: “The best
browsers, poor monitors, and search engines. Half of Typography, by typefaces are styles that were developed with low-
the visitors to your site will read and navigate using Wendy Peck, $34.99, resolution output in mind. We like Verdana, Georgia,
search engines that completely strip your design and John Wiley & Sons, Arial, DIN, Base, and Matrix.” Of those favorites,
layout from the content. Plan for it.” www.wiley.com Verdana and Georgia were expressly designed for
How do you plan for catastrophic typographic on-screen viewing. Other designs to consider would
Type in Use: Effective
changes? By following the other golden rule of web be Trebuchet, Lucida, or ITC Charter. All have great
Typography for
typography: Keep things simple. Electronic Publishing,
track records online.
by Alex White, Scripts generally do not translate well to web
1. Avoid fancy type. $26.95, W.W. Norton, pages. If you really want to use a script, choose one
Fancy typefaces are generally not at home on the www.wwnorton.com that is bold and not too fancy. Try a face like Brophy
web. This is because decorative typefaces can detract Script or Nadianne.

40 DynamicGraphics
 While bold designs are usually the best for head-
lines and subheads, a typeface that is too bold—or
that has very narrow counters—can be difficult to
read on the web. If you’re not sure which weight of
the font to use, choose the lighter one.

2. Don’t use too many fonts.

Limit web pages to one or two typefaces. It’s all
right to use one or two variations (like bold or italic)
from each family, but three or more different type-
1
faces do nothing but clutter the page and confuse
the message. Web pages are not the place to show
off the size and diversity of your type library.

3. Set type big.

Setting type big also makes it easer for visitors to
read the content. The simple fact is, with modest
screen resolutions, the bigger the type, the more
pixels you have to define the letters … and the bet-
ter your electronic pages will look. Text type as big
as 16 point won’t look ungainly and will be signifi-
cantly easier to read than the smaller stuff.

4. Lose the decoration.

A reader should never have to plow through a forest
of buttons and fancy graphics to get simple informa-
tion. If it doesn’t aid in the communication process,
remove it.

5. Use HTML copy.

Another McPherson guideline is to set most of
the copy in HTML using a basic “system font” Harvard Business
like Verdana. “In most cases designers should use School’s MBA site
HTML type rather than graphic type for the non- (www.hbs.edu/mba)
branded parts of the page,” says McPherson. “Type was redesigned by 2
converted to an image is not searchable, requires Corey McPherson
longer download time, and is more difficult to Nash (CMN) with
change or maintain.” Setting the type in a system Helvetica and Arial
selected as HTML
font will also go a long way in ensuring that your
typefaces for “clarity,
copy will look the way you intend. McPherson also
legibility, and author-
advises, “When using HTML copy, Cascading Style ity,” according to
Sheets are valuable tools for controlling the appear- CMN principal Michael
ance of the pages on a range of browsers.” McPherson. He adds,
For those places where text is preserved as an “Typographically, the
image, try adding a little “plus-tracking.” This can challenge was having
help to keep letters from blending together—fonts so much navigation
straight from the box almost always space too tight on the page,” citing
for web graphics. as an example the
Admissions info block
(upper right), pres- 1. “We wanted to 2. Another reason
6. Don’t rely too much on color.
ent on every page use Helvetica in an for choosing Arial for
Color is not as strong a tool on the web as it is in due to its importance expressive way, like text was that virtu-
print. “One of the most common mistakes is relying to visitors. “So we in the reverses,” says ally every browser
on color to achieve legibility,” warns McPherson. used color in the type McPherson. “It was will display it. “You
“Web designers—and clients—must remember to help distinguish part of our effort to can lose control with
that a website can appear very different on different between navigation inject more emotion HTML type” other-
monitors and browsers. The robust structure of the options,” he notes. into the redesign.” wise, he says.

AUG/SEPT 2005 41
 The 9 Rules of
Web Typography
Remember: When it
comes to choosing type
for web applications,
keeping things simple is
half the battle. Use this
checklist as a reminder.

■ Choose simple fonts.

Decorative typefaces can
get lost online.

■ Don’t use a lot of

fonts.
Typographic clutter will
impede communication. 1

■ Set type big.

With bigger type, you
have more pixels.

■ Minimize decorative
elements.
If it doesn’t aid communi-
cation, lose it.

■ Use HTML copy.

Type converted to an
image has drawbacks.

For the relief organi-

■ Don’t depend on zation Oxfam America
color. (www.oxfamamerica.
Monitor variations mean org), Ryan Evans,
you can’t predict how Sarah Smith Lukachko,
colors will look. and Paddy McCobb
of CMN created a site
2
that features straight-
■ Design for scanning. ahead typography
Long copy blocks aren’t (Helvetica) and navi-
right for the web. gation. “We had to
keep in mind that the
site appeals to two
■ Make text bite-size. different audiences:
Break up web text for financial supporters
easier reading. and potential volun-
teers,” says Michael
McPherson. This
■ Keep line lengths explains the promi-
short. nence of news about
Narrow columns aid the development issues
reading process online. (1) and numerous
options for “What You
Can Do” to help (2).

42 DynamicGraphics
typographic layout is far more important than subtle
nuances of color.” Type Picks: 14 fonts selected by
7. Design for scanning (online readers Allan Haley for online legibility
don’t read).
The only person that will read every word of
what you’ve written is your mother. Everybody
else is too busy. Readers skim, peruse, scan, and
generally bounce around. This is true for the
world of print—and doubly so for the web. Large
blocks of copy also tend to be somewhat daunt-
Belizio Bureau Grotesque
ing. Unless they are devoted fans of McSweeney’s
(www.mcsweeneys.net), most online readers will not
take the plunge into a large vat of text, especially at
the top levels of a site.

8. Make text bite-size.

McPherson recommends “breaking the text into
smaller chunks and providing informative sub- Century Old Style ITC Charter

heads to help readers skim for information. Jump

links for long columns are helpful, and sometimes
it is advisable to divide the copy and place it on
separate pages with links.” Other sage advice from
McPherson: “Web page visitors tend to be more
tolerant of larger amounts of text at deeper levels
within the site. They have self-selected at the upper ITC Franklin Gothic Frutiger

levels and are looking for more content as they travel

more deeply.”

9. Keep line lengths short.

Keeping line lengths short is also a smart idea. A
good rule of thumb is to keep column width to a
maximum of 12 words. Narrow columns aid the Georgia Giza
reading process—especially in web pages. They
allow the eye to quickly scan a line and drop down
to the next. If very long lines are used, the reader
may have to scroll horizontally to read the text.
When this happens, you can count on about one
line being read. g
Lucida ITC Offi cina Sans
Allan Haley (allan.haley@monotypeimaging.
com) is director of Words & Letters at Mono-
type Imaging, Inc. He is chairperson of AIGA
Typography and a past president of the New
York Type Directors Club.

ITC Offi cina Serif Rockwell

Trebuchet Verdana

AUG/SEPT 2005 43
Fresh
Design
Forget quickly dated
by Michelle Taute

sites. Here’s how to

increase shelf life online.
The web is a little bit like the dairy section at the
grocery store—you want to reach into the back of
the cooler for the site design with the best expiration
date. While many clients request websites built for
longevity, it can be tough to capture a timeless qual-
ity in such an ever-changing medium. Tough, but
not impossible. It takes commitment and creativity,
but you can create an online presence that will look
and feel fresh for years to come.
Austin Bale
Advance planning Created by design stu- Using Macromedia
The first step is to plan for the site’s evolution from dio Also, www.anabel Contribute, Bale can
the get-go. A completely Flash site, for example, central.com is the update it as he incor-
online home of musi- porates new music.
might be difficult to freshen up, but a Flash banner
cian Austin Bale. He adds a piece of
or homepage movie on a largely HTML site would
He uses the site to a building for each
be fairly easy to switch out. Another good tactic, distribute his music song, essentially cre-
says Todd Edmonds, creative director at Iron Design for free, and the site ating a city of his own
(www.irondesign.com), is building in rotating imag- stays fresh because music. Bale describes
ery. A header with a photo that changes daily gives it was designed to it as a “destination
the illusion of newness to site visitors. evolve and change. that comes to you.”

44 DynamicGraphics
 It’s also important to think about how the cli- Modular design
ent can maintain the site. “Look for a way you can Also created a library
help encourage constant updating,” says Wil Arndt, a of building parts
principal at Mod7 (www.mod7.com). For the digital- for Bale to choose
festival site www.vidfest.com, the firm created a blog from. He can mix and
match the images to
that makes it easy to add informal news and notes.
configure structures
Edmonds also takes a long-term view by encouraging that are as tall or as
clients to budget for yearly site maintenance. “Once short as he wants.
they have the budgets, updates become something for “Everything is modu-
them to participate in and think about,” he says. lar,” says designer
Jenny Volvovski. “He
Bucking the trends can place anything
When certain design elements or fonts make a anywhere, but he
trendy splash, they can become inextricably linked can’t build buildings
with the time period when they were popular. Arndt on trees.”
recommends that creatives arm themselves with a
good understanding of design history and note the
rise and fall of trends. “If you can identify persis-
tent trends, resist the urge to build them into your
design,” he says. Instead, study projects from the
past 10 to 20 years for timeless design elements.
Jenny Volvovski, a designer for Also (www.also-
online.com), thinks the easiest way to create a
long-living design is by limiting your choices. She
recommends a simple typeface paired with one or
two colors and a simple layout. “Use a structure
that has worked before and repeat it in a different
context,” she says. Edmonds seconds the call for
simplicity and thinks it’s good to avoid navigation in
unusual places. Most users look for navigation ele-
ments along the top or left side of a site.

Tech savvy
Ultimately, content is still king, and regular updates
go a long way toward making a site feel fresh. Mod7
creates content management systems (CMS) that
Bale’s blog
make it easy for clients to swap out information—
Under “Words,” users
and even photos—on their own. While not every can access Bale’s
designer has the programming chops to create a blog, a spot where he
CMS, it’s still a good tool to keep in mind. Consider regularly posts news
partnering with a company that can build these sys- and musical com-
tems for you, or get your feet wet with open-source mentaries. The green
CMS from such sites as www.opensourcecms.com. accent color and
Thomas Romer, a senior designer at The super-minimal design
Chopping Block (www.choppingblock.com), recom- echo the black-and-
mends that every designer bone up on program- white, urban land-
scape of the main site.
ming—whether it’s familiarizing yourself with basic
Acknowledging the
HTML or getting to know ActionScript. “Even if
site’s resemblance
you don’t end up doing it, it will affect your con- to his home city of
cepts,” he says. “You’ll come up with solutions you Chicago, Bale says
didn’t know were possible.” It will also improve that “Anabelcentral
your ability to communicate with programmers and will never be a fin-
increase your value as a designer. ished work.”

AUG/SEPT 2005 45
 Updatable spaces
Iron Design created
this site, www.ithaca-
apartments.com, to
showcase a prop-
erty management
company’s residential
offerings. A Flash
presentation on the Testimonials
home page makes a Animated testimoni-
splash, but since the als in the upper-right
site is largely HTML, corner can easily be
key elements are easy changed out with new
to update without dis- quotes to freshen up
rupting the rest. the site.

Type
Iron Design selected a
classic web typeface, B8D2C8 66A7BE D6BE46
Verdana, for body
text and the lesser-
known Plastizid for Plastizid
headlines and display Colors
applications. Because The site’s web-safe
of their dissimilarity, colors are warm and D78C55 A46C42
the two sans serifs inviting, as might
work well together. be found in interior
Plastizid is available at design. They reflect
www.t26.com. the concept of spa-
Verdana cious living.
D75B5A 7172BC

46 DynamicGraphics
 One wayfinding
Within the site are
seven subsites, each
for a different apart-
ment location. Color
shifts in the left-hand
navigation bar signal
that the visitor has
entered a subsite for
a new location. But
consistent navigation
on every page makes
the various locations
easy to explore. “Our
primary goal is simple,
clean functionality,”
says Iron Design’s
creative director
Todd Edmonds.

Photo galleries
A photo gallery for the photos opens a
each apartment loca- pop-up window with
tion gives potential a slide show function.
residents a virtual Photo size formats
tour of the property. vary, making the gal-
Clicking on any of leries easier to update.

AUG/SEPT 2005 47
 Invest to update
Designers at Mod7
spent much of the
budget for the Baptist
Union Development
Foundation’s site,
www.budf.ca, on a
content management
system. The system People building
allows the client to Visuals on the site are
refresh site content driven by a simple
without external concept: people build-
assistance. (The cli- ing a foundation for
ent does a significant the future. “It’s always
content update about tempting to want
once a quarter.) Most to try out the latest
of the site’s pages are trend,” says Mod7’s
built on a single tem- Wil Arndt. “Our phi-
plate, which helped losophy is that if it
keep costs low and works for the client
enabled a unified look. and the audience, it’s
To avoid creating a a success.”
site that would look
dated quickly, Mod7
kept design elements
fairly simple and
conservative. Trendy
typefaces, for exam-
ple, were avoided.

Managing content
Mod7 finds creative and web updates at
ways to encourage the same time,” says
clients to regularly principal Wil Arndt.
update web con- “The more structure
tent. “If they have a built into the updating
print newsletter, they process, the more it’s
could do newsletter likely to happen.”

48 DynamicGraphics
 CosmoGirl
The Chopping Block
designed the skins for
the CosmoGirl website
(www.cosmogirl.com).
A content manage-
ment system was
already in place,
as well as a wire
frame with slots for
all the content. The
Chopping Block’s job
was to create a look
and feel that connects
with the magazine’s
youthful audience. Fun
touches—like content
slots that look like
post-it notes—keep
things interesting.

Freshening up
Site colors change
each month to match
the color scheme on
the current cover of
the magazine. This
creates a strong
branding tie and pro-
vides the site with a
mini-makeover.

Concept-free
Depth and breadth of Thomas Romer of The
content, along with Chopping Block. “We
frequent updates, could take the layout
keep the site interest- and functionality and
ing. “There’s no over- re-skin it with differ-
arching concept here,” ent shapes, changing
says senior designer a few graphics.”

Michelle Taute (michelle@michelle

taute.com) is a freelance writer and
editor in Cincinnati who specializes
in design topics.

AUG/SEPT 2005 49
Building
Traffic by Sheree Clark

It’s not a party until the guests arrive: These strategies will drive
visitors to your website and keep them coming back for more.

You’ve heard the age-old riddle: “If a tree falls in the

woods and no one is around to hear it, does it make
a sound?” A variation of the same question might
be “If you have the best website in the world and no
one ever visits it …?” You get the point.
Websites are essential to business vitality in
today’s marketplace. And the most successful busi-
nesses are the ones who really know how to leverage
internet marketing strategies. Savvy web marketers
know that a good website can give a company—even
a start-up—almost instant credibility.
Of course the web allows 24-hour access and
potential sales in a territory that has no geographic
boundaries. But it also has one disadvantage that
conventional marketing tools do not: It requires
active participation by the person being marketed
Jason McArtor
to. Unlike print, direct mail, television, radio, and
Graphic Authority, a (www.mcartordesign.
outdoor advertising—which allow the recipient to be
distributor of design com) allow the com-
training software, pany to use the print- a passive observer—the web demands that the visitor
gives away “freebie” able surface of the be committed enough to locate a site and then navi-
samples of tutorials in CDs to drive recipients gate around it. The upside is that the opportunity
CD format. Graphics to their website for then exists to convey an unlimited amount of infor-
by Jason McArtor more information. mation … for as long as the visitor’s attention holds.

50 DynamicGraphics
 SAV V Y W E B M A R K E T E R S K N OW TH AT A

G O O D W E B S I T E C A N G I V E A CO M PA N Y— E V E N A S TA R T- U P —

A L M O S T I N S TA N T CR E D I B I LIT Y.

There are two distinct phases of internet mar- Swap links. Exchange links with other companies.
keting: first, creating awareness and then, keeping the A link from another site can be effective because it
dialogue going. has the implied credibility that comes from being
“endorsed” by that site.
Creating awareness
Making people aware of a site’s existence is a critical Ask them to come. Send e-mail invitations to visit a
step. Because of the changing dynamic of the world- new or updated site. Craft your invitation to sound
wide marketplace, it’s not something that can be Todd Edmonds/
compelling, or give a reason to visit such as a freebie
done once and then abandoned in order to move to Iron Design or a chance to win something.
phase two. Some ideas to create awareness include: To announce a new
site, Iron Design took Get on the list. Get listed in the major search
It’s all in the name. Come up with a great URL, the matchbook con- engines. Periodically check to ensure your URL
perhaps one that is humorous or so descriptive of cept to new lengths— comes up when key words are used. Also, register
the business that it is hard to forget. Although short a six-panel foldout in topic-specific industry directories.
names are usually preferable, a long name—if it is opens to reveal a
catchy—can also be an asset. mini-portfolio of the Grow your list. Create a referral program, where a
firm’s work. Text on
guest to a website receives something in return for
the reverse reveals
Mix media. Support or drive traffic with traditional a limited-time offer:
putting a colleague on an e-mail list.
marketing vehicles. Direct mail can be particularly a free T-shirt in ex-
effective, as well as advertising on specialty items, change for a visit to Don’t crash. Make sure your web-hosting company
since these things tend to be saved by the consumer www.irondesign.com. is reliable. A nonfunctioning website is like that tree
for future reference. in the woods.

AUG/SEPT 2005 51
 Robin Tooms/Savage
Design Group
To increase traffic to
FEBRUARY 2005 its website, Imperial
Happy Valentine’s Day and President’s Day! Sugar launched a
Hopefully everyone has recovered from the
craziness of the holidays monthly e-newsletter,
In this month’s edition of Sweetalk, I am starting a new trivia
contest. The answers to each trivia question can be found
Sweetalk, which aims
on Imperial Sugar’s website. To play, email me at
[email protected]. All answers must be received to build a more direct
by the last day of that month to be eligible. All correct
answers will be put in a drawing for the monthly prize, which relationship with con-
will consist of a sugar package, including our new Cinnamon
Sugar and Powdered Sugar Shakers, Brown Sugar Cups
and a bag of sugar.
sumers and reinforce
Besides it being Valentine’s Day, it is also a time to
the company’s brand
celebrate all the men who have served as president of the
United States. In 1968, legislation was enacted that affected Special on-package offer image. Created by
several federal holidays. One of these was Washington’s Make a purchase of Imperial Sugar 4#
Birthday (it became a national holiday in early 19th century), Granulated Sugar or Dixie Crystals 5# Savage Design Group
the observance of which was shifted to the third Monday in Granulated Sugar and receive a
February each year. While Lincoln’s Birthday did not become
a federal holiday like George Washington’s, it did become a
coupon for $.20 off the new Powdered (www.savagedesign.
Sugar Shakers, Cinnamon Sugar
legal holiday in several states. While the holiday in February
is still officially known as Washington’s Birthday, it has
Shakers or the Brown Sugar Cups. com), the newslet-
become popularly known as President’s Day. Trivia Question
How many brand names does Imperial ter is designed to be
In this month’s newsletter, you will find a great recipe to
Sugar Company have?
make that special someone on Valentine’s Day, as well as a
great beverage that is good on these long cold days of
inviting, fun to read,
Here’s a hint, answer can be found on
winter. There is also a special Valentine’s arts and crafts
project and at long last, information on Family Bake Night.
the Investor Relations section of the
website.
and easy to update.
Talk to you next month! For Trivia contest rules, click here. Each issue features a
trivia contest, recipes,
Angela Hatfield, Imperial Sugar Company
a family project idea,
Valentine’s Day is for celebrating love. Although no one is quite sure how and content related to
Valentine’s Day and its traditions started, most of us enjoying sharing cards,
sweets, hugs and kisses with those they love. the season.

OCTOBER 2004

Happy Halloween!
Welcome to the first edition of Imperial Sugar's on-line
newsletter. Imperial Sugar is the proud maker of Imperial
Sugar and Dixie Crystals Sugar. Our goal is to bring you an
informative monthly newsletter that contains recipes, ideas
for family fun, product highlights, as well as other fun and
entertaining information.

Our first newsletter is themed for Halloween. We've included

two great recipes for the family, as well as an arts and crafts
activity that involves the entire family.

I selected Halloween because it is the start of the holiday

season. Halloween - the eve of All Saints' Day, celebrated
especially by children. That's Webster's definition of
Halloween, but we all know that Halloween is about Special on-package promotion
costumes, trick-or-treating and candy! Of course, sugar and Beginning in October, when you make
candy go hand-n-hand, so it was a perfect way to launch two purchases of a 4 pound, 5 pound,
Sweetalk. 10 pound or carton of Imperial
Sugar/Dixie Crystals, you can send in
In the last few months, we have been working very hard to your proof of purchases, along with
make our website as user-friendly as possible. We have two dollars and receive a free Imperial
added some new features that we feel will give you added Sugar “My First Cookbook”. This
benefits to using our site. Try a recipe you really like? Share cookbook was first published in 1959
your find with the world with our new recipe-rating feature. It and was updated and revised in 1963,
is very easy to use, just click on the recipe you want to rate 1967, 1991 and the newest edition in
and pick how many stars you would give the recipe - 1 being early 2004.
low and 5 being high.
This cookbook is a great way to
Now it is just one click to email a recipe to a friend. This introduce kids to cooking. The recipes
feature will enable you to share all the great recipes found selected for the cookbook are easy
on imperialsugar.com with your friends. Try the new recipe classics that have been updated with
section now convenience in mind.

We look forward to your comments and suggestions on our

first newsletter, as well as items you would like to see in
future correspondence.
Recipients are encour- Web reporting tools
Enjoy and happy baking! A Special Thanks
Thanks for signing up for the aged to send material have confirmed that
first edition of Sweetalk! As a
bonus, please click here to for publication—an the links and recipes
Angela Hatfield, Imperial Sugar Company receive a Handy Kitchen effective tool for featured in the news-
Measurement Magnet
engaging the audi- letters experience
ence and encouraging heavy viewing, indi-
website visits, says cating that subscrib-
Robin Tooms, design ers are entering the
director and principal website directly from
at Savage Design. the newsletter.

52 DynamicGraphics
John Sayles/Sayles
Graphic Design
Demonstrating that
simple solutions can
be effective, Sayles
Graphic Design peri-
odically sends a basic
5 1/2 x 7 1/2 -inch post-
card to prospective
clients and friends.
Brief but direct text
on the card explains
that the firm “could
send you a brochure
… a video portfolio of
our work … or set up
a meeting. But one

thing’s for sure: If you

want to see Sayles
Graphic Design’s hot-
test, newest, freshest
work—you’ve got to
check the web.” The
graphics are consis-
tent with the firm’s
identity and reflect
the look visitors find
at the site. The URL is
displayed prominently
on both sides of the
card, ensuring a clear
call to action.

AUG/SEPT 2005 53
Keeping the relationship going Gardner Design/
Once visitors come to your website, what is the LogoLounge
1
motivation for them to return? With thousands of 1. At www.logolounge.
new sites being added every day, it is important to com, members post
keep reselling the value of yours. logos daily, with the
latest submissions
shown atop the home
Keep it simple. Don’t cause viewers to be over- page. Clicking on one
whelmed. The “basics” like ease of navigation, (or, for that matter,
complementary graphics, and easy-to-understand any of the thousands
buttons are important to keep visitors on the page of logos categorized
and at your site. in the site) launches a
pop-up window with
Identify yourself. Consider placing a logo on all an expanded view of
pages, as well as including a way to return to the the logo, information
home page. (Some search engines send users to a about its source, and
keywords under which
subsidiary page, and they may have no idea where
it’s listed in the index.
they are or how to get to the home page.)
2. Clicking on the
Make a splash. Use the home page to capture the design firm brings
surfer’s attention and to spotlight major portions of up a contact sheet
the site. Keep structure simple and straightforward. (below, at right).

Something for nothing. A site freebie can be effec-

tive, especially if it changes often. A free tip, a spe-
cial deal—anything to make them come back again.

Collect names. Allow visitors to sign up for a news-

letter, e-zine, or notification of special offers. Ask for
a mailing address as well as e-mail information to
allow you flexibility in future communication.

Start a dialogue. Create a section within your site

for feedback that allows guests to contact you with
questions, concerns, suggestions, etc. Then be sure 2
to respond quickly.

Put it out there. Take advantage of the freedom the

web offers for you to become a publisher. Publish
material—whether images, audio, or text—that
your visitors will find useful, and that positions you
and your business as an industry expert.

Take a poll. Conduct an online survey and offer to

send the results to anyone who participates. Or ask
people to submit ideas or input on a particular topic.
People like to be heard.

One of the easiest ways to establish and maintain

an effective website is to be aware of what works for
others. Pay attention to ads or mailings that draw
you in to new sites and take note of features you like
or dislike. Think ahead about how you will drive
people to your site and what interactive elements
you will use to make them return. And be sure to
build periodic website updates, promotions, mail-
ings, and offers into your marketing plan. g

54 DynamicGraphics
Few websites work RECOMMENDED
harder than the RESOURCES:
widely acclaimed
LogoLounge to ensure Designing Web
there’s always some- Usability: The Practice
thing new for visitors of Simplicity, by Jakob
to see. That’s partly Nielsen, $45, New
due to the nature of Riders Publishing,
the site, an always- www.newriders.com
evolving showcase
for the latest in logo Designing Web
work. Yet the site’s Sites That Sell, by
freshness is also a Shayne Bowman
result of strategic and Chris Willis,
decisions that yield $40, Peachpit Press,
fresh content by www.peachpit.com
design. LogoLounge
was created in 2001 101 Ways to Promote
by Bill Gardner, princi- Your Web Site: Filled
pal of Gardner Design with Proven Internet
(www.gardnerdesign. Marketing Tips,
com), as a way of Tools, Techniques,
keeping up with the and Resources to
fast pace of change Increase Your Web
in the logo landscape. Site Traffic, by Susan
For an annual fee of Sweeney, $29.95,
$100, members can Maximum Press,
browse the site at will www.maxpress.com
to keep up with the
work of their peers. Max Hits: Building
Perhaps an even more and Promoting
valuable benefit is Successful Websites,
that members are by Mike Slocombe,
also able to upload $30, RotoVision,
as much of their logo www.rotovision.com
work as they’re will-
ing to share with the
design community.
The enormous volume
of logo work available
onsite is managed via
an SQL Server data-
base, the search func-
tion is written in ASP,
and visitors see it all in
HTML. Inputting edi-
torial content (guest
editorial, featured
designer, news, etc.) is
eased with a content
management system.
Coming soon to the
site: forums where
members can share
logo lore.

AUG/SEPT 2005 55
 Yes, an online portfolio is

www. all about you, but it’s really

about what you can offer
clients and employers.

MeMeMe
.com
Whether you’re into interactive action or stick Recommended
by Alissa Walker

portfolio development. “Busy hiring managers,

strictly to print, promoting your services online is an resources: books recruiters, or design directors just want to know if
absolute must for designers. More than just a virtual Designing Websites you’re the answer to their problems. This means
portfolio, a website creates instant credibility and for Every Audience, they want to easily get to your site and quickly see
additional marketing opportunities. Recent gradu- by Ilise Benun, $27.99, what you can do for them.”
North Light Books,
ates, freelancers, and design studios large and small A few layout guidelines will help visitors stay
www.howdesign.com
have all found great success—and new work—using focused. Keep the navigation bar present and in the
the web to sell themselves. Self Promotion same location on every page, ideally in the upper
But even more important than presenting fabu- Online, by Ilise left-hand corner. Leave lots of white space. Don’t
lous visuals on your site is understanding how to Benun, $10, North be afraid to use color, but make sure to give it pur-
communicate with those using it, says Ilise Benun, Light Books, contact pose—for example, highlighting the icons that are
author of the book Self Promotion Online. “Self pro- ilise@marketing- clickable. And don’t get clever with excessive graphics
motion is not about you,” says Benun. “It’s about mentor.com or animation. It may turn people off.
what clients need to see in your work. You have
to help them understand how you can solve their (For online resources, Speak up
see page 63.)
problems.” Keeping your site simple, personal, and Don’t be afraid of words. “A lot of designers don’t
useful to those visiting it will help potential clients or use enough text,” says Benun. “It would be fine if
Alissa Walker
employers keep you in mind. (alissamarie@mac.
they were marketing to a strictly visually oriented
com) comes up with market of other artists, but many of their prospects
Easy does it story ideas while are literally oriented marketing people.” For this
Although it may be difficult for designers to hold wandering the hills reason, it’s a good idea to hire a copywriter to get an
back, an online portfolio is not the place for visual near her Hollywood outsider’s perspective on what to say about what you
gymnastics. “You have to always be thinking and home. She writes have to offer.
asking, ‘What would be easier?’” says Benun. about design and cul- Additional design, marketing, or programming
“‘Don’t make me think’ is the key to anything ture and is a regular input will also help you clarify your message. Either
online.” Also consider the mindset of visitors, says contributor to our sis- enlist another professional to assist or show a rough
ter publication, STEP
Louise Fletcher, president and co-founder of Blue design around to see how your site is perceived. The
inside design.
Sky Resumes, a company specializing in online overall look should reflect your style, but when it

56 DynamicGraphics
Lia Mariscal of
Mariscal Design (www.
mariscaldesign.com)
says the ongoing busi-
ness at her firm has
kept her from creating
a full site. This single-
page site provides
contact and company
information. “It’s a
virtual business card,”
she says. The online
presence has created
interest from potential
clients nonetheless.

For recent grad while minimizing

Manaf Al-Naqeeb, the amount of static
creating a website information that has
(www.coregraphix. to load between
com) for his new com- screens—the empha-
pany was the key to sis stays on his work
credibility. “It helps samples. Al-Naqeeb
me present myself has received feedback
more as a profes- from clients and pro-
sional than just as a spective employers
student,” he says. “It praising the simple
makes the client feel navigation at his
like I’m a company site. “People feel like
or corporation rather they can find what
than just a fresh they want easily and
graduate.” Within the quickly,” he says. Yet
site, navigation and the site also features
main page elements sophisticated portfolio
never move, allowing content like the 3D
users to flip through visualization technique
examples of his work at the screen below.

AUG/SEPT 2005 57
 The website of comes to the content, it’s important to be objective,
Bronson Ma Creative says Fletcher. “You have to step outside yourself and
(www.bronsonma. view your portfolio as an advertisement for a prod-
com) combines white uct,” she says. “Then make the product desirable and
space with smart use easy to buy.”
of accent colors. Vivid
green leads the eye
Make it scream “you”
to the most important
feature on each page. A website sells your unique approach for solving
On the home page, a client’s problem. So include a mission statement
the newsletter button explaining exactly what you do. This can be up to
(GO!) beckons at the two paragraphs that Benun describes as “What you
right of the screen. do, what you specialize in, what are the challenges,
and what are the solutions that you offer your cli-
ents.” This will help visitors realize immediately if
you’re right for them.
Although Ma cate-
gorizes his work by
Brag about your clients. A lot of people will
project type, he offers want to see a complete list to understand where they
a visual sampling of would fit in. If your clients can be categorized into
a little of everything several industries, divide them that way. You can use
with an introduction the same approach for your work samples, dividing
that employs a lively them by industry, client, or project type. If a certain
Flash technique (Flash project needs an explanation, include your strategy or
is among the services brief along with your work. This is a great option for
he offers clients). more complex projects.

Be selective
Choosing samples of your work is probably the most
difficult decision for designers due to the usual over-
whelming urge to show everything. Resist it, says
“I think since we are in Benun, who suggests displaying a few images for a
the business of visual
few clients, which, by clicking on a piece, will show
communication, the
additional work for that specific client. “Each level
work really needs to
stand out,” Ma says. should show a little more,” says Benun. “Don’t give
“By putting the work them too many options. This should be just a taste
in categories, the user of your work.”
can quickly identify The purpose of an online portfolio is to
where it is. And the stimulate conversations that can be continued in
interactivity makes it person, agrees Peleg Top of Top Design in L.A.
interesting to browse.” (www.topdesign.com), who looks at designers’
websites first to decide if he’ll bring a freelancer in
for an interview. “Its main purpose is to help get you
in the door for a face-to-face meeting where you can
show original printed pieces,” he says.
Ma carefully manages
accent colors within Go ahead: Have fun
his portfolio pages Don’t forget to have a little fun with your presenta-
and employs white tion. There should be no doubt about the personal-
space with artistry so
ity (or personalities) behind the site. Add whimsical
the colors stand out
to maximum effect
touches if they fit your perspective. Use images of
throughout the site. your staff or work environment. Choose language
and a visual tone that’s appropriate for the projects
or job you want to find. Finally, be memorable.
Anything you can do to make your work stand
out from the other websites a potential client or
employer sees in a day gives you tremendous equity.

58 DynamicGraphics
At www.nitabcreative. Up and Running?
com, Renita Breiten- Ask yourself these five
bucher created a slide key usability questions
show for each project from Ilise Benun:
category. The slide
shows feature each 1 Is it intuitive?
piece one at a time. • Does your site take
“I’m most proud of the advantage of visitors’
portfolio section, as mental models?
I think this is a great • Does it behave consis-
way to show the depth tently throughout?
and breadth of our • How easy is it to use
work without it look- with only partial knowl-
ing tired or becoming edge of how it works?
too clichéd,” she says. • Is it easy to learn?

2 Is it consistent?
• Does it follow conven-
Within each project
tions that your users
category’s slide show,
are familiar with?
subtle wipes separate
• Is it obvious from one
individual project
page to another that
pieces, maintaining a
you’re on the same site?
placid pace and sig-
• How quickly can novice
naling “This is a taste
users perform real-
of what we do. To
world tasks on the site?
learn more about our
work, contact us.”
3 Is it efficient?
• Does it download fast
enough for your users?
• Does it take three clicks
or less for users to find
the content they’re
looking for?
• Does the site reflect a
clear understanding of
how visitors will use it?
• Can tasks be performed
with keyboard strokes?
• How easy is it for users
to perform more com-
plex tasks?
• Can common tasks be
completed quickly and
accurately?

4 Is it both supportable
and supportive?
• Does it allow mistakes
to be easily undone?
• Does it provide guid-
ance? Advice? Tools?
Reference materials?
Access to live help?

5 Is it engaging?
• Do users feel in control?
• Will users enjoy their
experience?

AUG/SEPT 2005 59
 By clicking on a set Draw a crowd
of arrows, visitors to For a larger company, it might be most beneficial
Panarama Design’s to list your site with a search engine or on a design
website (www.pana directory to drive traffic to your site. Top notes that
ramadesign.com) can
getting listed turned his firm’s site into its most
choose to view work
important business development tool. “Our URL is
arranged alphabeti-
cally by client, project
everywhere,” says Top. “It’s listed on many search
type, or industry. An engines as well as in a few specialized industry
alternate entry point directories so we get ‘random’ viewers who often
to the portfolio is turn into clients.”
provided at the arrow If you’re a smaller company and just want to be
titled “You’ll Love the listed in a Google search, make sure to design with
View.” The compre- that in mind. “Most or all of the Flash sites are not
hensive selection of going to be picked up by the search engines,” cau-
work samples and a tions Benun. “Create a site that’s HTML and has
links page has made
Flash elements or create a Flash site that’s a mirror of
the site a high-traffic
destination, according
one that has all the codes.”
to Panarama principal
Lauri Baram. “Our Love the blog
site is linked to seven Another way to make your site more visible is to
other sites,” she says. make it a resource. Louise Fletcher recommends
increasing traffic and credibility by starting a blog.
“Search engines love blogs and people will find
your site that way—plus you can link to other blogs
and get traffic coming to you,” she says. However,
Fletcher notes that designers must stay focused
on business issues. Another option is a links page
that includes organizations, vendors, interests, and
Long Island-based inspirations. If your links page provides this service,
design studio MSLK other designers and sites will link to you.
focuses on show- Even more effective is creating an e-mail news-
ing detailed work letter you can send to a list of contacts and potential
from a variety of
clients. This is a designer’s chance to shine. Content
clients and provides
clearly written briefs
for these e-mails can run the gamut, from business
behind the work tips garnered from years of experience, to new work
at www.mslk.com. you want to show off, to industry topics that merit
“When clients look at discussion. Whatever you choose to do, it should
our site they should provide useful information to your mailing list and
see work for compa- make you look authoritative.
nies just like them—
from corporate to Extend yourself
silly,” says co-founder A well-conceived and well-received website serves as
and principal Sheri L.
an extension of yourself. When potential clients call,
Koetting. “We don’t
you can direct them to the site for visuals to accom-
impose a singular
style on our clients—
pany your conversation. In an interview, leave your
we help them achieve URL for additional examples you might not carry
their individual goals.” in your portfolio. By performing the all-important
marketing tasks, a website becomes a designer’s most
valuable tool—leaving you plenty of time to work
on projects from your slew of new clients. g

60 DynamicGraphics
Top Design’s site
(www.topdesign.com)
opens with a brief
Flash introduction
explaining the firm’s
philosophy. Personal
touches like quotes
and detailed bios
with photos of the
staff contribute to the
site’s compassionate
and humane tone, an
appropriate voice for
a firm with an exten-
sive nonprofit and pro
bono portfolio.

Top Design’s eTopic

e-newsletter (above)
highlights industry
trends, but principal
Peleg Top also uses
the forum to discuss
projects and issues
important to him,
resulting in intimate
and compelling con-
tent. “We work with a
writer, and every issue
we send out gets an
amazing response,”
Top says. The newslet-
ters generate referrals
and new business.

AUG/SEPT 2005 61
For bicoastal firm
Siegel & Gale, using
photos of firm mem-
bers on the website
(www.siegelgale.com)
creates a personal
element as well as a
competitive advan-
tage, says senior vice
president of busi-
ness development
Michellene DeBonis.
“The fact that Alan
Siegel is an active part
of our company as the
founder and original
visionary is important.
We wanted to lever-
age that,” she says.

How do you show user comes away

work done for dozens with a snapshot of
of big-name clients what we’re about,”
without overwhelm- says DeBonis. Instead
ing the user? Siegel of briefs, the copy
& Gale created an accompanying each
animated panel of portfolio piece
logos to make brows- explains how Siegel
ing brands easy, and & Gale accomplished
a pull-down menu remarkable results for
further categorizes the client. For a com-
the work. “The scroll- pany with 35 years of
ing idea was a way to experience working
try to demonstrate with thousands of
sheer breadth, but brands, it’s the perfect
it allows someone way to position them-
to click in and get selves as experts in
greater details. The their field.

62 DynamicGraphics
Recommended
resources: online
What not to include in your site: 14 things that
• www.marketing-
mentor.com really annoy Blue Sky Resumes’ Louise Fletcher.
• www.artofself
promotion.com/
links.html
Check out these sites
by Ilise Benun for 1 Unidentified icons 8 Trying to include everything
more tips on market- (Also known as “mystery meat”) “I want “Be very selective and show only the
ing yourself. to shake designers sometimes. Why is it best of the best. Choose only the work of
a good idea to create navigation buttons which you’re most proud.”
www.bluesky that no one can understand?”
resumes.com 9 Including unrelated stuff
Louise Fletcher’s site
has a blog discussing
2 Music “If you’re a short-story writer or photog-
“I’m listening to iTunes and I don’t appre- rapher, your design portfolio is not the
employment issues
ciate your clashing with my music.” place to showcase your work—unless
for creatives.
you’re somehow marketing your writ-
www.webpages 3 Flash intros ing or photography skills as part of the
thatsuck.com “Use Flash if it helps sell your work—if, for design package.”
A hilarious but true example, you’re a web designer and you
critique of the mis- want to show that you can use Flash. But 10 Bad structure
takes web designers don’t use it just because it seems like a “Lay out the portfolio in a way that makes
often make. cool thing to do. I’m busy and I want to sense to your visitors, not you. How will
get to the portfolio—a Flash intro only your target customer or employer navi-
www.register.com slows me down.” gate your site? What will they be looking
Search for and reg-
for? If you don’t know, find out before
ister a new domain
name here.
4 Entry pages you lay out the site.”
“Why would I come to your site if I don’t
www.gag.org want to enter?” 11 Can’t download resumé or bio
Members can list “Do you exist only in cyberspace?”
themselves for free 5 Too complicated
on this directory. “Clean, simple designs are the best. Make 12 No personality
it easy for me.” “You must use your portfolio to commu-
www.linkpopularity nicate what makes you special—not just
check.com
Find out if your site is
6 No contact information to showcase disparate pieces of work.
“Make sure your name and profession Decide on your marketing message and
linked to others.
are on every page. Wherever I am in the then design a site that works with that.”
site I should know who you are, what you
www.edezines.com
Find a web designer, do, and how to get in touch with you.” 13 Getting lost
get web design help, Include a mailing address in contact info. “The navigation bar must be visible at all
or list your web design times and you must be able to find your
services. 7 Bad copy way back from wherever you are.”
“I recently saw two examples of this
www.davepappas.
com/links
from 3D artists. One said, ‘Don’t mind 14 Monster files
the typos—I’m fixing them when I move “I won’t wait for three minutes for that
Freelance designer my site to a new server.’ The other said, great animation to load onto my machine!
Dave Pappas has
‘Welcome to my site. I threw it up one day And what’s more, I’ll leave because I get
spent years collecting
when I was bored, so don’t expect too irritated easily.”
over a hundred design
resources to include much, but you’ll find some examples of
on this links page. my work here.’”

AUG/SEPT 2005 63
 Brave New
Brand
World
Aiwaworld, an innovative online brand experience for a major
electronics manufacturer, features its own audiovisual language.
by Terry Lee Stone

When Aiwa became a subsidiary of Sony Experience Aiwaworld Hello Design. The three latter design firms took on
Corporation, the consumer electronics brand for yourself at: the project with a creative brief that requested they
repositioned itself to create stylish and innovative • www.hellodesign. build a unique online environment that offers a “new
audiovisual products specifically targeted to youth com/aiwa, or topsy-turvy experience.”
consumer markets. To express that vision, a web- • http://dev.amauta
tech.com/aiwa_4_24
site was created as an online channel filled with Creating the unexpected
/flash.html (select
content based on the theme of “hybrid music.” It “play in aiwaworld”)
As a result of this effective collaboration, several cre-
was designed to be a portal for a highly exploratory ative teams were successful in creating a wacky ani-
interactive experience to draw in young visitors and A truly interna- mated world as visually rich as it is surprising. Jose
allow them to absorb—and, in a sense, create for tional collaboration, Caballer, creative director of The_Groop, proclaims
themselves—the Aiwa brand personality. Aiwaworld is a micro- that Aiwaworld is “a place where rules don’t apply,
Aiwa, and its advertising agency site, a self-contained from gravity on.” Hello Design’s creative director
Weiden+Kennedy (www.wk.com), decided that an entertainment experi- David Lai adds, “We focused on creating the unex-
effective way to market the repositioned company ence created for the pected. There are a lot of hidden elements waiting
was to create a buzz by developing Aiwaworld global youth market. to be discovered.”
Like an ad campaign,
and later, Aiwa TV. Under the creative direction Because Aiwa is a global company making prod-
Aiwaworld existed as
of Eric Cruz, both London and Tokyo offices of ucts that cross cultures, the site needed to do so as
a brand promotion for
Weiden+Kennedy worked together on the proj- a short usage dura-
well. Very little text is used. Instead, colorful graphics
ect, collaborating first with the design collective tion. Aiwaworld now of sky, trees, houses, people, and creatures—inspired
The_Groop (www.thegroop.net) and animation survives only at its by Japanese pop culture—are coupled with sound
studio Ocean Monsters (www.oceanmonsters.com) creators’ websites. snippets from a variety of musical genres. Sounds and
for Phase 1: Aiwaworld. Then, for Phase 2: Aiwa sights can be mixed and morphed in an interactive
TV, they collaborated with the interactive agency world that demonstrates the idea of creating hybrids.

64 DynamicGraphics
The site’s main page hybrid music. Flashing
(above) sets the around the swim-
stage for a topsy- ming blue hippo in
turvy experience. All the screen above are
art elements float by bubbles containing
continuously, allow- “Aiwamals.” These
ing visitors to click creatures can help
on various graphics guide visitors or are
to launch adventures. simply there to play
Rolling over an ele- with. Each Aiwamal
ment brings it for- has its own unique
ward, and selecting sound bite. A winged
it often leads to an globe leads to Aiwa
entirely different part corporate websites
of the site, as is seen worldwide. While the
in the two screens at Aiwa logo always
right. Inside the fly- appears in the lower
ing anteater (lower left of each screen,
screen) is a Jimi Hula it doesn’t scream
animation in which “Logo!”, illustrating
a giant wave and a the concept of “fun
skateboarder col- branding”—the logo is
lide, producing music present, and although
that’s both House and it’s not prominent, it
Hawaiian, demonstrat- remains an integral
ing the site’s theme of part of the experience.

AUG/SEPT 2005 65
 Color on the web: It’s an
interesting art form ... but
an inexact science.

An appealing aspect of Aiwaworld is the color-

ful nature of the graphics. The bright palettes
were carefully selected by the creative team.
As with all websites, understanding how graph-
ics live in the colorspace of the internet is key.

Computer monitors produce a mix of red,

green, and blue light (RGB) that simulates
colors in the visible spectrum. RGB colors are
referred to as additive color primaries, match-
ing the human eye’s color receptors. This
allows colors on the web to be experienced in
a wider range than can be reproduced in print-
ing. In the latter case, the subtractive color pri-
maries—cyan, magenta, and yellow (plus K or
black, giving us the CMYK of four-color lithog-
raphy) are transparent, reflective inks on paper.

On the web, designers can’t be sure colors they

specify will actually be experienced by users.
The calibration (or lack thereof) of every com-
puter monitor can’t be controlled. Also, viewing
websites on different computer platforms, such
as Macintosh or PC, can result in color varia-
tion. This means that managing color on the
web can be tricky. Here are some tips:

Choose colors for impact

Extreme colors can be trouble. White can
cause vibration, while subtle patterns of darker
hues tend to lose contrast and appear as solid
colors. PCs tend to display colors darker and
more saturated than Macs do. It’s especially
important to select any HTML typography col-
ors so they don’t get lost.

Print versus screen

Some projects live in both print and screen
form, so it’s important to test color choices
in both media. Build files so adjustments can These screens show oddly. Floating by is
be made for each type of application. Also, the transitions from the eyeball figure, cre-
don’t show clients color printouts of websites; parts of Aiwaworld ated by Tokyoplastic
instead, view them on a computer screen for to Aiwa TV using a (www.tokyoplastic.
color accuracy. depth engine created com); this graphic can
in Flash. Mousing over be activated to feature
Platform shifts the blue figure in the operatic music. “Our
There are often shifts in color due to the bubble created by brief was to soften the
computer platform on which a job is viewed. Mumbleboy brings it action within the met-
Designers may want to view their Photoshop forward. Clicking on aphor of the world,
files in both Mac and PC gamma using the pre- it brings the user to a and avoid an overtly
sets in the View Menus to check this issue. strange house where techy feel,” says The_
things behave rather Groop’s Jose Caballer.

66 DynamicGraphics
 The_Groop and animators Ocean Monsters The “tree” contains
(led by creative director Jack Peng) created Aiwa- a variety of “Sonics,”
world’s look and feel. Ocean Monsters developed icons that represent
the “Aiwamals” and “Sonics”—the unique creatures different types of
that populate the world. Hello Design then worked music. Selecting a
face opens it and
to seamlessly flow the content from Aiwaworld into
brings it forward, acti-
the second phase, Aiwa TV, a world within a world vating the music—as
developed to create a space for additional content. seen in the pink bub-
Weiden+Kennedy commissioned two illustrators, ble below, where the
Mumbleboy and Tokyoplastic, to create the work girls sing Aiwa with
that exists in Aiwa TV. little logo mouths.

Pushing Flash technology

There is complex technology and programming
behind this enchanting world. The site is all Flash
based, and contains an e-mail application and paral-
lax engine, both designed by Hello Design specifi-
cally for Aiwa. The parallax or depth engine allows
for 3D animation on more than one level. It lets
users roll over an item that then zooms forward.
Objects like floating bubbles seem to come from
nowhere in the horizon-less space, drawing users
into the online world to play. This unique interface
is also nonhierarchical, so users themselves choose
what to explore by simply clicking around until
some adventure takes hold of their imagination.

Blurring boundaries
Aiwaworld and Aiwa TV provide immersive interac-
tive experiences that are different each time a user Mumbleboy’s ver-
visits. David Lai says that for a “living system” such sion of Aiwa TV lets
as Aiwaworld to be created, a client must be a “risk users explore House
taker who embraces the nontraditional and unex- music with a main
pected.” He continues, “Good design is a given these navigation page that
days. What really works in communicating a unique is literally a house
brand voice is extra thinking, blurring boundaries, (right). Selecting a
room—the bathroom,
and creating experiences uniquely appropriate to
for example—and
each audience.”
randomly clicking on
Caballer echoes Lai’s focus on user experience. objects starts kooky
“I’ve been a designer in the interactive space for some animations and an
time, and the promise of what was possible in the electronic musical
early ’90s is now coming true, “ he says. “There is beat box. There’s even
less restriction. The results speak for themselves.” g a little figure that
dances upside-down
Terry Lee Stone ([email protected]) is on the rim of the toi-
a design management consultant and writer/ let seat. Visitors can
educator in Los Angeles. She is co-author of compose and then
Logo Design Workbook with Sean Adams and save their musical cre-
Noreen Morioka. The second AdamsMorioka ations using the pink
book in this Rockport Publishers series, Color control bar seen in the
Workbook, will be published in fall 2005. bottom center of the
bathroom screen.

AUG/SEPT 2005 67
H OW ’ D T H E Y D O T H AT ?
Get Results Like the Pros

Tips From Current and Past Issues

How to create a PDF slide show with Acrobat, plus nifty
blurs, borders, TV-like effects, and image alterations.
PDF slide show
Part 1: Create a PDF
1
with multiple pages.
If you already have
a multiple-page PDF
document, then you
can skip to Part 2
(opposite page).
1. Choose the docu-
ments you want to
“Tech Matters: Prepping display, and convert
Images for On-screen
Viewing,” V10N4 them to PDFs or
(page 22) other file formats
Acrobat can import
(BMP, GIF, JPEG, PCX,
PICT, PNG, and TIFF).
Open the first PDF
file in Acrobat. Select
Insert Pages from the
Document menu. 2
2. In the resulting
Select File to Insert
dialog box, choose
the next graphic file,
and click Select. In the
resulting Insert Pages
dialog box, choose the
location of the new
page to be inserted,
and click OK.
3. Repeat the above
steps until all the
pages are in one
3
document. Choose
File > Save As, and
enter a name for
the gallery file in the
resulting dialog box.
Click Save.

68 DynamicGraphics
PDF slide show 2. Choose File >
Part 2: Present the
1 Document Properties
portfolio with style. > Open Options.
1. Open the multiple- Under Window
page PDF document Options in the result-
you want to display in ing dialog box, check
the slide show. Choose Open in Full Screen
Edit > Preferences > Mode, and click OK.
General. In the result- Save and close the
ing Preferences dialog document. The next
box, check Advance time you open the file,
every x seconds it will automatically go
under Full Screen to full-screen slide-
Navigation, and type show mode. Show off
in a value. You can your portfolio with
also select how to this well thought-out
advance the slides and plan—you will look
what happens when 2 polished, professional,
the presentation ends. and tech-savvy.
Under Full Screen
Appearance, choose
a transition style from
the Default transition
menu. Specify how
you want the mouse
cursor to appear from
that menu. Select a
Background color and
click OK.

Motion blur
Original
1. Open file in Photo- 1
shop. Drag the back-
ground layer to the
Create New Layer icon
to duplicate the layer.
2. Choose Filter >
Blur > Motion Blur.
Select the options
shown, and click OK.
N.J. Casino Control 3. Click the Add
Commission brochure
Layer Mask icon in
makeover, V10N3
(page 44) the Layers palette. 2 3
Select the Brush tool,
choosing a large, soft
brush (65 px is good).
4. Select black as
your Foreground
color. Paint over the
parts you don’t want
blurred (like the Final
boy’s face and his 4
shirt), keeping the
edges fuzzy to frame
them within the blur.
Image 22133069,
Creatas, www.
creatas.com (free at
www.dynamicgraphics.
com/downloads)

AUG/SEPT 2005 69
 Circular border
Original
1. Launch Photoshop 3
and open your image
file. Select the Lasso
tool. On the Lasso
options bar set to
Feather at 20 px. Draw
a free-form shape
around the girl similar
to the one shown here.
“Art of the Makeover,” 2. Press q to enter
Amcom identity system
redesign, V10N3 Quick Mask mode.
(page 69) Choose Filter > Sketch
> Halftone Pattern.
Use the options shown
and click OK; then
press q to exit Quick
Mask mode.
3. Next, choose
Select > Inverse.
1
4. In the Layers pal-
ette, click the Create
New Layer icon.
Press d to set Default 4
colors, then press
Command+Delete to
fill the section with
white. Choose Select
> Deselect. Set the
opacity to 75%,
and your snazzy,
circular border is
complete. Image
22860045, Comstock,
www.creatas.com

2
Final

70 DynamicGraphics
 TV static lines Original
1. Launch Photoshop, 6
choose File > New,
and in the resulting
New dialog box, enter
the options shown.
2. Choose View > Fit
on Screen. Using the
Rectangular Marquee
tool, draw a box on
“5 Rules of Type for the top half of the
Branding,” Jerde shape as shown and
redesign by Elixir,
V9N1 (pages 38–39) fill it with black. 1
3. Choose Select All,
then Edit > Define
Pattern. In the result-
ing dialog box, rename
the pattern “Line
Screen” and click OK. Final
Choose File > Close.
Don’t save.
4. Return to your file.
In the Layers palette, 2
click the Create New
Layer icon.
5. Choose Edit > Fill.
Use the options shown
and click the Custom
Pattern button. In the
Pattern picker, select Extra tip:
the Line Screen pat- 3
tern you just created.
Click the Custom
Pattern button again
to close the picker. 4
Click OK to exit the Fill
dialog box.
6. Set the Layer mode
to Overlay and the
Opacity to 50%.
Extra tip:
Take it a step further
by adding vertical
lines. Follow the same
steps as above, but
when you create a 5
new pattern use the
options shown in the
dialog box. Everything
else stays the same.
Image 22178642,
Brand X Pictures,
www.creatas.com

continued on page 74

AUG/SEPT 2005 71
CLASSIFIEDS
Sourcing Solutions

Dynamic Graphics Classifieds is a forum for

innovative desktop products and services.
Ads include reader service numbers for
fast, easy response.

Ad format
Large ad: 2¼ x 4¾-inch.
Small ad: 2¼ x 1¼-inch.
Specifications for electronic file types,
fonts, and correct media are available on
request. Publisher reserves the right to edit
supplied ads to meet section specifications.

Deadlines
Dynamic Graphics magazine is published
six times a year. DG Classifieds closing
is four weeks prior to issue date. For rates
Call 1-800-8010-JAM
and other information, please call Birte
Pampel at 212.389.2016, ext. 28, or e-mail
[email protected]. Circle 18 on Connections card.

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72 DynamicGraphics
CO N N E C TI O N S
Reference and Interaction

1. For inspiration, access this FREE information

Advertiser Page No.

48hourprint.com 13 8
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Comstock Images 29 17
Creatas Images 15, 72 9
Dynamic Graphics magazine 72 22
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Printing for Less 27 15
Print Runner Inside front cover, 1 1
Smart Papers 8A&B 5
STEP Design 100 Call for Entries 17 10 Look for this “free”
Stock Layouts 25 14
icon within the

2. Complimentary samples
pages of the
Circle the number on the attached card to receive complimentary samples
or information on the products you’d like to know more about.
magazine. Then
3. Drop it in the mail visit www.dynamic
Detach the postage paid card and drop it in the mail.
graphics.com/
4. Need it fast?
Fax the attached card to 239.213.2199 or go to www.dgm-connections.com, downloads for
your instant web connection to the samples and information available for the
products and services offered in this issue of Dynamic Graphics. instructions on
how to download
your free images!

JUNE/JULY 2005 73
continued from page 71
Rewording signage
1. Open the image 1
in Photoshop. Make
a copy of the back-
ground layer, and
name it Layer 1.
Rename the original
background layer
Layer 0.
2. On Layer 1, make a
Front cover image
Aug/Sept 2005, V10N4
selection of the yellow
inside the sign’s black
border and outside of
the shadow coming
from the arm, using
the Polygon Lasso
tool. Choose Select > 2
Save Selection, and
name the new alpha
channel “Sign Mask.”
With the selection still
active, choose Layer
> Add Layer Mask >
Reveal Selection.
3. Select Layer 0, and
in the Channels pal-
ette, Command-click
the Sign Mask chan-
nel. Choose Select >
Modify > Contract and
change the Contract
By amount field to
1 pixel. Select Layer 3
> Add Layer Mask >
Hide Selection.
4. On Layer 1, use
the Eyedropper tool
to select the yellow
from the sign’s top
and bottom as the
foreground and back-
ground colors. Using
the Gradient tool,
drag from the top of
the sign to the bot-
tom. Select the yellow
from both sides (out-
side the black border) 4
and paint with a 300-
pixel Airbrush at 5%
Opacity so the yellow
inside and outside the Start here
border matches. Using
the Clone Stamp tool,
retouch the two areas
where the @ sign
runs into the shadow.
Apply a 1% Noise Fil-
ter so the grain of the
sign matches the rest End here
of the photo.

74 DynamicGraphics
5. To make type per-
spective guides, click 5
on the Create a new Start here
layer icon, and rename
the new layer “Type
Guides.” Using the
Line tool, click-drag
from the very top
point of the sign to
the bottom. Repeat
this step from the left
Start here
corner of the sign to
the right corner to End here
make a horizontal line.
In the Layers palette,
drop the Opacity of
the Type Guides layer
to 20%.

End here

6. Create a new
type layer and type 6
the words HEAVY
TRAFFIC, set in 48
point Futura Bold.
With the HEAVY
TRAFFIC layer
selected, choose
Edit > Transform >
Rotate to align the
type with the hori-
zontal guide. Select
Layer > Rasterize >
Type. Choose Edit >
Transform > Distort to
align the type to the
vertical guide.

7. Finally, apply a
10% Noise Filter to 7
the HEAVY TRAFFIC
layer, and delete the
Type Guides layer.

AUG/SEPT 2005 75
WO R K S PAC E SAV V Y
Tech Tools and Texts

Toolworthy
Travelin’ light
You get a “two-fer” with the new Tube Flashlight
Clock from the Museum of Modern Art collection.
As the name implies, this handy tool packs two
items in one: an alarm clock with LCD display and Dumb dares
a flashlight rolled into one sleek, easily transport- Come on, admit it—you’ve had a day or two of
able tube. Makes a great gift for practical pals. $28, complete office boredom. Instead of zinging rub-
MoMA Design Store, www.momastore.org ber bands at your coworkers’ heads, why not try
coaxing your colleagues to play Dumb Dares for
the Workplace? Even if it might end you up in the
doghouse, it’s a hilarious way to ignore that clock
Homeland security ticking. But use caution—UncommonGoods ever-
Here’s a guardian for so-politically states that it’s “not recommended
your garden that you for career advancement.” $15, UncommonGoods,
won’t have to feed www.uncommongoods.com
or water. Place this
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“Hail to the Chief,” Made out of recycled bags from everyday com-
and watch the neigh-
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iRAC attack mentally friendly, their 100-percent cotton lining
your political alle-
Keep your cool with the new iRac support system. giance—his crossed
makes them durable, sturdy, and practical. These
This practical device props your computer up, fingers in the back one-of-a-kind, useful messenger bags are hand-
allowing cooling fans to run less and prolonging the can be interpreted as dyed and handcrafted by Cambodian women, who
overall life of your machine. Soft rubber feet save on a sign of good luck or included lots of pockets so you can carry books,
surface wear, too. Designed for G4 iMac desktops insincerity. The choice a change of clothes, extra diapers, you name it.
and all laptops. $9.95, www.theiRac.com is yours … or your Choose from light green or light blue, with indig-
neighbors’. $29.95, enous designs and language. $45, UncommonGoods,
www.bushgnome.com www.uncommongoods.com

76 DynamicGraphics
Sleep on it Boastworthy bottles
Need a place for unexpected or impromptu guests to If you’ve searched the world over for a top-quality
crash? Design Within Reach has the perfect small- water bottle that never needs replaced, only to find
space solution for you: the Bingo Pouf with Tray those boring camping-gear-looking doohickeys,
Table. When it’s closed, it functions as a cozy stool don’t despair. The new Swiss Sigg Water Bottles
or sturdy side table (with the bent maple tray). Open from Flax will last you a lifetime, even if you’re not
it up to reveal a full-length sleep surface that’s soft, an adventurous, outdoorsy type. Available in six
firm, and durable. The high-density foam keeps fresh designs (Pattern, Logic, Harmonie, Take Part,
it from collapsing, and the upholstery is a comfy Bubbles, and Summertime), the Sigg bottles come
weave of wool and synthetic fibers. Red pouf/natural Measuring up
in lightweight, seamless aluminum and are manu-
tray; charcoal pouf/wenge tray. Made in Denmark. In yet another non- factured with an FDA-approved, noncorroding
$348, Design Within Reach, www.dwr.com traditional take on lining that’s resistant to acidic and isotonic drinks,
clock-watching and and they won’t flake even if you dent the metal.
calculation, the Tape And if you think that sounds tough, Sigg bottles are
Timer from Chia’sso also guaranteed never to leak, even if under pres-
tracks both time and sure (carbonation, that is); the screw tops come with
space with a tape dirt-proof cap so you won’t get a muddy mouthful.
measurer. Pull the ring Selected patterns (all are solvent-free) available in
up to your desired
either 1 liter or .6 liter sizes. $22.95–$24.95, Flax
time limit, and the
Art & Design, www.flaxart.com
tape retracts as the
seconds tick along. A
loud ring notifies you
when time’s up. Made
of aluminum and plas-
tic; no batteries nec-
essary. $18, Chia’sso,
Waste not www.chiasso.com
Think trash with a trace of irony: This wastebasket
is made entirely of discarded wrappers from candy
bars and chip bags. Give a shout-out to environ-
mental awareness by displaying this colorful basket
at home or in the office, and perpetuate the recy-
cling by filling it with your own (dry) refuse. $52,
Uncommon Goods, www.uncommongoods.com

Durable decor
Cork isn’t just for preserving wine—it’s also ideal for
fashionable furniture. Trendy tables and savvy stools
feature earth tones and look great in modern home
or office settings. This renewable resource is envi-
ronmentally friendly, too. $298 each, Design Within
Reach, www.dwr.com

AUG/SEPT 2005 77
Textworthy
Step and repeat
Create patterns for
any purpose with The
Complete Pattern
Library book/CD
combo. Choose from
100 adaptable pat-
terns or design your
own. The opportuni-
ties are endless—
design and print your
own stationery, gift
wrap, quilt patterns,
and more. Great for
Design Basics: Layout
on-the-job designs or
personal use. $19.95,
Lucrative layouts
Harry N. Abrams, www.
Web help here Key areas of design are revisited in this second
abramsbooks.com
Build a powerful, easily updated site fast with Molly book in the Design Basics series, Layout. Review
Holzschlag’s Spring Into HTML & CSS. Whether Smart art real-world projects and peruse practical solutions
you’re looking to brush up on HTML or hone your Get your art on with for creating innovative publications. Zero in on
skills with cascading style sheets, this volume is for tips from Digital time-tested and contemporary layout consider-
you. Discover how to build compatible pages for any Photo Art by Theresa ations, including grids, alignment, page settings,
browser, add images and media files, create forms, Airey. This book cov- hierarchy, and more. This book is a great primer
control margins and borders, manage and master ers how to combine for students—or anyone wanting to focus on
CSS techniques, and much more. $29.99, Addison- technology with art basic principles of design. $24.95, AVA Publishing,
in the digital realm.
Wesley, www.awprofessional.com www.avabooks.ch
In addition to an
introduction to the
tools and techniques
traditional artists use, Twice as global
you’ll learn to hand- It appears readers couldn’t
color photos and add get enough of David E.
amazing effects with Carter’s Global Corporate
Color Efex Pro! and Identity, so a follow-up book
Photoshop. Before was a no-brainer. Enter
and after images are Global Corporate Identity 2,
guaranteed to get which showcases the best
you excited about the
designs in corporate logos
digital enhancement
and letterheads, brochures
process. $29.95,
Lark Books, www. and business cards, packag-
larkbooks.com ing, signs, and more. Study over 300 pages of inter-
national corporate identities to glean ideas for future
Standard choice designs (or find out how to submit your own work
Learn to write standards-compliant code with Web for consideration for the next volume). $45, Harper
Standards Design Guide by your side. You’ll gain an Collins, www.harpercollins.com
understanding of XML, CSS, xForms, and xLink.
Prepare for the future by learning more about where
the web is headed. Screen shots and step-by-step
instructions help break up text, and a CD-ROM
with tutorial files is included to get you started.
$41.95, Charles River Media, www.charlesriver.com

78 DynamicGraphics
 American art
Lee Greenwood
isn’t the only one
who’s proud to be
an American. Take
a look at 35 of the
most influential
graphic design-
ers and firms in the
U.S. today in Jenny
Sullivan’s Graphic
Design America and
see how each has
contributed to every
aspect of business,
education, entertain-
ment, and packaging
Blog away imaginable. Meet the
Blogs are rapidly becoming a preferred means of designers and get a
communicating with friends, family, and business glimpse of their cre-
associates. Publishing a Weblog With Blogger, a new ative processes as you
Visual QuickProject guide from Peachpit, shows you view striking, colorful
how to create your own online journal in no time. visuals paired with
descriptions about
Add content, pictures, and links as you learn to use
how each project
Blogger—a popular blogging tool that works with was developed. $50,
any browser—to create a site for personal or profes- Rockport Publishers,
sional use. $12.99, Peachpit Press, www.peachpit.com www.rockpub.com
Above spreads from Branding: From Brief to Finished Solution
Card shark
Brand your business
with that small but Brand X
effective billboard: What’s in an identity? The
the business card. answer is revealed as innova-
David E. Carter’s The
tive designers from around
Little Book of Business
the world share behind-the-
Cards: Successful
Designs and How to
scenes solutions to selected
Create Them offers projects. Branding: From Brief
design tips for cards to Finished Solution reviews
of all types. View the design process—from
examples with and initial sketches and research notes to completed
without logos, designs work—of an assortment of major branding proj-
that push the bound- ects. Introductory essays for each project describe
aries of type and color client goals and designer challenges, and descrip-
usage, and more. Let tive captions explain ideas behind each step. This
your identity linger
Got graphics? is a great resource for anyone looking for tips on
long after you’ve met
By the time you finish How to Wow: Photoshop a prospective client—
how to develop an effective identity. $40, Rockport
for the Web you’ll be primed to design online. Try or even a potential Publishers, www.rockpub.com
your hand at a number of projects using the finer date—with a card
points of Photoshop and ImageReady, and learn that’s certain to leave
to create cool page layouts, functional navigation a lasting impression.
systems, clever animations, and more. A compan- $24.95, Harper Collins,
ion CD-ROM contains files to work the projects, www.harpercollins.com
plus Photoshop presets. $39.99, Peachpit Press,
www.peachpit.com

AUG/SEPT 2005 79
COV E R TO COV E R
Up Front, Start to Finish

Check out our NEW WEBSITE, dynamicgraphics.com, debuting Aug. 1!

Design ideas for the real world

DRIVE BUSINESS
TO YOUR WEBSITE
• Get your portfolio on track
• Master the 9 online type rules
• Freshen up your content

Clockwise from upper left: Brand X Pictures 22160413, Brand X

INTRANET Pictures 22649137, Comstock Images 22861951, Photodisc

vs. INTERNET 22348001; all from www.creatas.com

DESIGN FOR THE DIFFERENCE

Cover options
As this was our first obvious and awfully
issue focusing on the empty ... on the other
internet, we were in hand, who’d want
new territory when to see a web full of
it came to selecting yucky bugs?), and an
a cover image. The onrushing throng (too
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2005
$7.95 US $8.40 CAN metaphors we pur- crowded for readable
0 4>
sued, though, were coverlines). The judi-
familiar: driving traffic cious application of
dynamicgraphics.com 0 74470 90182 2
to your site (the top Photoshop made our
two), webs (awfully first choice the best.

The concept of traffic is one that’s undergone an effortless

trip from road signage to the web. But this issue’s cover Coming Up
took a few detours before arriving at its destination in your
In any medium, type is an essential cata-
hands. We liked the photo’s impact in its original state, but
lyst in the process of communication. Our
the @ symbol that was originally front and center on the sign next issue explores typography in sub-
(shown above, at right) seemed anomalous—it called up associations stance, style, and process:
with e-mail, not the internet, the core subject of this issue. DG creative • How to spec, size, and manipulate type
director Michael Ulrich performed some Photoshop engineering to in large formats for dramatic results
reroute the text to a more suitable message; his process is explained in • Tips for managing your type library for
“How’d They Do That?” on page 74. g maximum availability and efficiency
• Type crimes and misdemeanors and how
Cover photo from Creatas, www.creatas.com: Brand X Pictures 22160413 to avoid them
• Why hand-lettering can still be your
best choice and when to use it
And you’ll find plenty of insights from the
experts, along with software tips to keep
your type shining.

80 DynamicGraphics
Nobody
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PANTONE® and other Pantone, Inc. trademarks are the property of Pantone, Inc. ColorVision® and other ColorVision Inc. trademarks are the property of ColorVision Inc. © Pantone, Inc., 2004.
All rights reserved.

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