Journal

Sometimes I’m surprised that some — and perhaps many — designers still don’t use font managers. For me, it has always been as essential a tool…»

In print production, a key paper parameter is its weight, measured in grams per square meter (gsm). It is always listed in manufacturer catalogs. However, many…»

I never create a new document in Illustrator from scratch. I use a template — a regular .ait file with preset settings. When saving, Illustrator asks…»

I made an Illustrator script that generates a calendar grid. I know there are many. But mine is the best. Styles are defined for all day…»

If a designer works beyond screens and layouts reach the physical world, it makes sense to buy the simplest, cheapest printer. Inkjet models are affordable. Any…»

Designers often forget the small version of a logo. It is fine if your mark is complex, detailed, long, or tall. What matters is thinking ahead…»

In the simplest form, chunking means breaking complex, long structures into simpler blocks. The closest example is a bank card number: 3456 6578 5220 4534. The…»

25 years ago I worked in a print shop, and every designer there used Macromedia FreeHand (later bought and buried by Adobe). At some point I…»

Too often, marketing is reduced to selling by any means. If you make candy and nobody buys it, the marketer is blamed — wrong positioning, wrong…»

Everyone needs to make something with their hands from time to time. Not with a mouse, not with a Wacom pen, not even with pencil on…»