Tag Archives: design

29 Things Designers Need to Know

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Make your mark.
 

Many of the questions and concerns young designers share today are the same we had as graduating students looking to make our mark in the professional world, with only a résumé and portfolio of student projects to get our collective feet in the door. There’s nothing different in the design industry today that makes getting—and nailing—that initial interview or client pitch any easier.

Throughout the years, I’ve collected these questions and have tried answering many of them as an ongoing personal project. Here are 29 of my thoughts on how to approach and interact with our culture as a young designer, in no particular order.

29_tips_Poster

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Ultimate Guide To Business Cards

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what-does-your-card-say-about-you
 

Looking to glam up your current business cards or creating your first custom business cards?

Take a look at this neat infographic – it's a great guide for designing or redesigning your own cards. With advice on choosing the right font, shape, getting the right colours and choosing the perfect materials, this guide will definitely come in handy for you.

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What Your Brand Colours Say About Your Business

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CT-BLOG-HEADER
 

The most prominent brands in the world are defined by their colours. Think of McDonald’s golden arches, the name Jet Blue, and UPS’ slogan, “What can Brown do for you?” These companies, and many others, strategically use colours in their logo, website, and product to appeal to customers. It’s important to think about how you utilize colours and what the colours you choose say about your business.

Research has found that different colours provoke very different reactions in people. Integrating your brand colours in your logo, landing pages, product, and more will help you achieve the highest impact. We put the rainbow under a microscope to find out how each colour can help you connect with your consumers. Check out the infographic below!

 

True Colours

 

View the original article here.

 

Colour Palettes To Inspire You

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mix-match-enjoy
 

The colour palette is an incredibly important aspect of any design – it has the power to shape the entire personality of whatever it is you’re creating. For a graphic designer, finding the right colour palette is as important as good code is to a web developer. Some people just “have it in them”, while some can find it rather challenging. With an overwhelming number of choices available, it can be very difficult to decide on a colour scheme.

So if you don’t know where to begin or are simply looking for some inspiration – here’s a little “picker upper” we’ve put together to help you get started. :)

Colour-Palettes

To download a free PDF version of the palettes featured above, click here – Colour Palettes by Colour Time

 

20 Letterhead Designs You’ll Love

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letterhead
 

A letterhead is one of the most important printing collaterals in any business. More than just a means of correspondence, it is also a physical representation of your company. It can say a great deal about your brand image and is an essential part of any organization's sales and marketing communications strategy. In addition, a well-designed letterhead lends to credibility and is a great means of displaying professionalism.

Having been in the printing industry for the last 35 years, we at Colour Time are definitely no strangers to letterheads. We've printed and designed everything from the simplest, one-colour designs on lightweight paper to CMYK with embossing, foiling, die cutting and beyond.  So today, we've put together a collection of eye-catching letterhead designs that will get you thinking about how you can design your letterhead to show your creativity and communicate your brand effectively.

Enjoy! :)

Disclaimer: The images on this page are not owned by Colour Time and are used solely as design examples. Please click on the images to see their original sources.

retroflostationary

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30 Creative Packaging Designs

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packaging-title
 

Monday is here and we've decided to send a little inspiration your way to help jumpstart your week! :)

At Colour Time, when it comes to printing and packaging, we'll spoil you for choice with more than 2,500 substrates to choose from. We can print in short runs on heavy weight stock, die cut and even add personalization to each package. Short run packaging is perfect for special events, VIP gifts, promotional items, specialty food products and much more!  

Here we've compiled 30 examples of attractive and communicative packaging which you could use for any of your upcoming projects. Remember, great packaging designs have the ability to not only attract and inform, but also provoke feelings and communicate emotions to the consumer. First impressions are critical and the design on your product is what will make it stand out from the rest and influence the buyer's decision.

Disclaimer: The images on this page are not owned by Colour Time and are used solely as design examples. Please click on the images to see their original sources.

1. Nike Stadium Shoe Box

Creative-Packaging-Box

Advertising Agency: Publicis, Singapore

2. Tea Hangers

Creative-Packaging-Hanger-1

Creative-Packaging-Hanger-2

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10 Helpful Green Printing Tips

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Go Green
 

At Colour Time, we are environmentally-conscious about everything we do. Being situated in a city as beautiful as Vancouver, it is imperative for us to respect nature and preserve our natural surroundings.

Green Printing Vancouver

As an FSC-Certified printer, we fully encourage eco-friendly print services and we are committed to environmentally-sustainable practices with the highest quality.

Here are 10 helpful tips on how you can go green with printing:

1. Use non-toxic inks

  • Print with vegetable-based and soy-based inks – they carry the lowest volative organic compounds (VOCs) of any ink in the industry and are biodegradable.

2. Opt for non-toxic coating

  • Apply water-based or non-toxic aqueous coating – this will still allow you to have a full gloss finish without worrying about potentially-toxic chemicals.

3. Proof your work

  • Proof often and reduce waste. Good proofing is one of the best printing tips we can give you. Less printing mistakes means less printing waste.

4. Choose a printer with a green policy

  • At Colour Time, our Green Policy drives everything we do.

5. Combine mailing and printing

  • Do it all under one roof! Instead of printing your direct mail products and shipping them to a mailing house  – have your printing and mailing done under one roof at Colour Time.  Save fuel and transportation costs!
  • In addition, you can use our integrated marketing services, and we'll combine the usual advertising platforms of print (direct mail, ads, coupons) with the interactive capabilities of web, mobile and social networks.  All this allows for cost-effective runs and personalization of your marketing materials which will give you the greatest impact.

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You like it RAISED? So do we!

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Leave a lasting impression
 

Much more than just a regular "calling card", a business card is a downright necessity. If you have ever found yourself in a situation where you have completely run out of cards for a substantial period of time, you'll learn to appreciate just how valuable they really are!

It is no new fact that the business card is the socially-accepted way of introducing one's self politely to a new or prospective client. It is an expression of you and your company, and plays a significant role long after you have met the person. It is the first impression that leaves a lasting impression. Business cards are the type of print collaterals that may be TINY, BUT MIGHTY!

And while getting them well-designed is one thing, getting them well-printed is another. At Colour Time, we can accomplish both. :)

The ideas for business card finishing are endless. However, budgets are not. :) All you have to do is tell us what you want and what budget range you have. Our experienced consultants can give you special and innovative ideas on die cutting, foil stamping, embossing and other post-press services. We have a great portfolio we'd love to share with you.

Today we feature a simple yet striking business card. Take a look! :)

The Coffee Shop Business Card by Colour Time

Dimensions: 3.5" x 2"
Paper Type: UltraWhite Mohawk Superfine Cover in 100lb, double-thick
Print Process: Offset printing, colour embossing, lamination
Design Colour/s: Full colour – CMYK

In a world that is saturated with business cards, having a card with unique attributes will definitely give you the upper hand. Remember: Your business card is your best lead retention tool. You will be handing it out every single day. Don't skimp on quality – let us help you! :)

For more information, read our sections on Offset Printing, Digital Printing, Bindery & Finishing.