One killer tip for logo design...
plugz (1222 points) | Fri, 2007-07-13 19:06Always consider how what you're designing will look as white on black not just black on white, and how the colours can be used when reversed.
In Mac OS X you can invert your entire screen with a keyboard combination which I find incredibly useful when working on an identity for a client, especially when I have lots of documents open.
It helps give an idea of how things will look when they are reversed and gives you a new perspective on things.
Just hold down 'ctrl' + 'alt' + 'apple' and press '8' on the keyboard, repeat that combo to bring it back to normal.
It can also be useful I've found for giving your eyes a rest if you're working in a dark room to switch the colours and go back to the old days of white text on black screens. It can also be quite amusing to switch a colleagues desktop and leave him wondering what the hell is going on with his machine. ;o)
I also like creating a favicon for web of the icon and seeing if it translates well that small, then printing it out very large, as large as I can, and seeing if that works as well. The best logos usually work well and are recognizable at any size.
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Powerpoint is not a design application.
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The Salon Design Tech
Thanks for the short cut tip. I love that!!! How cool is that? Good thing I'm not dropping acid. LOL
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"The name's Bond, James Bond."
www.onegirlcreative.com
...with Pink Floyd playing, Syd Barrett era...
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Powerpoint is not a design application.
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The Salon Design Tech
suzanne maestri-walters :: graphic designer :: www.onegirlcreative.com
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"The name's Bond, James Bond."
www.onegirlcreative.com
ermm... yes, I will have to do this to some of my coworkers....
suzanne maestri-walters :: graphic designer :: www.onegirlcreative.com
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"The name's Bond, James Bond."
www.onegirlcreative.com
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Perfectly Lost Designs
Excellent tip.
i thought i was on a spaced out journey.
oh bugger.
... you need to have the "Reverse Black & White" option turned on in the Universal Access section of the Keyboard & Mouse System Preference.
Another cool shortcut is cmd-opt-= to zoom in on your pointer location (cmd-opt-- zooms out again).
hey on windows in ps you just need to press Strg + I, much easier than on Mac isn't it?
Michelle.
We're mostly Mac users here. =P
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"The name's Bond, James Bond."
www.onegirlcreative.com
Well actually it is 'creativebits' not 'macbits'. Creativity can and does happen on pcs as well (use them at work all day long with twin monitors, salivate!)
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Powerpoint is not a design application.
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The Salon Design Tech
suzanne maestri-walters :: graphic designer :: www.onegirlcreative.com
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"The name's Bond, James Bond."
www.onegirlcreative.com
;o)
Got something in yur throat? :)
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Powerpoint is not a design application.
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The Salon Design Tech
trigger finger..
I'm not talking about in any application, I'm talking about any part of the OS.
In PS in OS X, apple + I [or strg + I in your case] does the same thing.
This tip is applicable to anywhere and anytime in the operating system, not application dependant.
I can't understand this superficial talking about mac or windows ...
It's not the OS, it's your head and your imagination.
Why should one buy an overpriced product, when the same is possible with a cheaper product, that is more flexible?
I work faster and more efficiently on a Mac than I do on a PC.
I find that they're better designed both in hardware and software and suit me better.
It's all personal choice.
As for being overpriced, have you ever gone and specced up a PC system to match the specs of a Mac? Just because PCs cost less doesn't mean they're cheaper.
I agree completely, which is why I avoid Windows which generally gets in the way of my thinking and creative process.
See, here is one of those things that make the Mac shine. This keyboard combination works, as others mentioned, in EVERY app... even the web browser and email!
And assuming you're designing your logo in Illustrator (or any other vector-based app), this is WAAAAYYY easier than exporting your art to PS, then opening in PS (or even copy/paste or drag/drop to PS)!
If you're designing logos in PS, then you're already in for more trouble down the road... beyond having inappropriate logos on dark backgrounds...
..computer platform shouldn't matter. C'mon children.
Van
www.vanshea.com
I've had a job working on a PC. Trust me, it matters.
I always use the Mac when I can.
The only time I use the PC is when I need to access the company network over VPN, and that's not because I couldn't on my Mac, just that the IT security policy is retarded and won't let anyone install VPN software on their own machines no matter how techno-literate they are.
Not the stupid mac vs. pc argument again. :)
I use both extensively, and they each have their benefits and drawbacks. However, the new MacPros blur this line by allowing both systems to run at once. I'd buy one right now if I had the funds and run both ops systems!
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Powerpoint is not a design application.
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The Salon Design Tech
I have an XP partition with bootcamp and also Vista with parallels.
I use neither more than a few hours a month.
Good ideas usually start somewhere other than a computer.
Van
www.vanshea.com
it's not about getting ideas, it's about being able to work with and manipulate ideas.
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Perfectly Lost Designs