GetDegrees » Graphic Design Schools http://www.getdegrees.com/articles Your College Adviser Mon, 14 Sep 2009 23:16:19 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 en hourly 1 Free Vector Graphics for Design Majors http://www.getdegrees.com/articles/p/graphic-design-schools/free-vector-graphics-for-design-majors/ http://www.getdegrees.com/articles/p/graphic-design-schools/free-vector-graphics-for-design-majors/#comments Wed, 24 Sep 2008 18:05:27 +0000 Carie Bishop http://www.getdegrees.com/articles/p/graphic-design-schools/free-vector-graphics-for-design-majors/ Today’s professional graphic designers rely upon vector graphics to build the corporate logos that create successful brands. In your college courses, you’ll no doubt be exposed to software that can import and manipulate vector graphics. Unlike raster images created by dots, vector graphics use mathematical formulas to store shapes and lines, allowing the designer to resize images for practically every use–banners, illustrations, web comps, or logos.

It might surprise you to learn that working artists often…

]]> Today’s professional graphic designers rely upon vector graphics to build the corporate logos that create successful brands. In your college courses, you’ll no doubt be exposed to software that can import and manipulate vector graphics. Unlike raster images created by dots, vector graphics use mathematical formulas to store shapes and lines, allowing the designer to resize images for practically every use–banners, illustrations, web comps, or logos.

It might surprise you to learn that working artists often borrow non-royalty templates to create fresh designs. You don’t have to start from scratch that way, and can employ vector graphics in building you own projects. If you’re just starting out, why not take advantage of the number of websites that provide vector logos that you can use to create a stunning portfolio? The files are in eps, .ai, .svg and .wmf formats which are most commonly used in editors. Here are some sites to consider:

Lalogotheque. This French website offers more than 12,000 logos in vector formats, free for the taking. There’s a forum, too.

Vector Portal. Download and use any number of the free shapes and icons, so long as you give credit to the website.

Image Corporate. Creating a mock-up of an existing popular brand for use as a portfolio item or art school project? Find a vector graphic for your use here.

La Logoteca. How’s your Español? At this Spanish-language site you’ll discover more than 5,000 vector logos for your use, free of charge.

Vector Logos. Thousands of free trademarks, logos, and corporate designs. Search tools and upload capacity.

Vector Logo Net. Huge selection, broad categories, blogs, and archives. Major brands.

Logotypes.ru More than 5,000 vector logos on stock at this Russian site, free to download in zip files.

]]> http://www.getdegrees.com/articles/p/graphic-design-schools/free-vector-graphics-for-design-majors/feed/ 0 Vector Graphics Software for Designers http://www.getdegrees.com/articles/p/graphic-design-schools/vector-graphics-software-for-designers/ http://www.getdegrees.com/articles/p/graphic-design-schools/vector-graphics-software-for-designers/#comments Tue, 09 Sep 2008 18:49:48 +0000 Carie Bishop http://www.getdegrees.com/articles/p/graphic-design-schools/vector-graphics-software-for-designers/ Whether you’re a designer, graphics artist, animator, multi-media web creator, or visual arts student, you’ll find it to your advantage to make good friends with vector graphics software. Your professors and instructors should introduce you to vector concepts and the computer programs that bring them to life.

There are two major graphics display formats used in the industries: vector and raster. Raster objects are created in pixels, the tiny dots that assemble the image. The disadvantage…

]]> Whether you’re a designer, graphics artist, animator, multi-media web creator, or visual arts student, you’ll find it to your advantage to make good friends with vector graphics software. Your professors and instructors should introduce you to vector concepts and the computer programs that bring them to life.

There are two major graphics display formats used in the industries: vector and raster. Raster objects are created in pixels, the tiny dots that assemble the image. The disadvantage in raster images is that they lose clarity and take up too much disc space when enlarged. Vector objects, on the other hand, are created of geometrical shapes and lines that are “scalable” — easy to manipulate to any size without compromising quality.

Vector graphics software typically displays in an interface that allows you to create and manipulate shapes using proprietary mathematical formulas. The programs vary greatly by price, by the number and complexity of tools, and by the speed of operation.

Here are several popular vector graphics programs to consider, without endorsement:

Adobe Illustrator. Comes with pre-set templates and palates. Integrates with other software to create digital, print, and multimedia graphics.

AutoCAD. Employs dynamic blocks to create 2D and 3D images and illustrations for commercial use as well as for manufacturing and architectural projects.

CorelDraw & CorelTrace. Illustration software that is flexible enough for business or personal use.

Inkscape (Formerly Sodipodi). Freeware illustration software that creates, manipulates, and styles objects.

Macromedia Flash. Animation software for motion graphics, Web, and multimedia presentations.

Macromedia Freehand. Design tool for multiple image, multi-page projects and storyboards.

Serif DrawPlus. Fully featured program with easy-to-use effects for graphics and illustrations.

Xara X. Well regarded and considered as a fast and flexible illustration and drawing software for the Web, print, and animation.

]]> http://www.getdegrees.com/articles/p/graphic-design-schools/vector-graphics-software-for-designers/feed/ 0 Four Common Blogging Blunders http://www.getdegrees.com/articles/p/graphic-design-schools/four-common-blogging-blunders/ http://www.getdegrees.com/articles/p/graphic-design-schools/four-common-blogging-blunders/#comments Sat, 02 Aug 2008 14:46:34 +0000 Carie Bishop http://www.getdegrees.com/articles/p/graphic-design-schools/four-common-blogging-blunders/ If you’re into new media as a writer, graphic artist, or developer, Web 2.0 will course through your veins. You’ll probably want your own blog or, perhaps, will be called upon to design or moderate one for someone else. There are plenty of stand-alone platforms in the blogosphere, but it’s humans that populate them. Usability guru Jakob Nielsen has his own rant about design and operational mistakes common to the blog space.

Blogs should be considered…

]]> If you’re into new media as a writer, graphic artist, or developer, Web 2.0 will course through your veins. You’ll probably want your own blog or, perhaps, will be called upon to design or moderate one for someone else. There are plenty of stand-alone platforms in the blogosphere, but it’s humans that populate them. Usability guru Jakob Nielsen has his own rant about design and operational mistakes common to the blog space.

Blogs should be considered independent websites, with well-considered posts to help the user with navigation while lending visual appeal and strong subject matter. Funny, many don’t turn out that way.

From Nielsen, here are four key blunders in blogging:

Vague Posting Titles
Your headlines should not only be appealing, they should spell out the gist of your content in a few direct words. Blog readers, like all Web aficionados, are skimmers. Get to the point immediately. Moreover, headlines are served up in RSS feeds. You want readers? Put a hook in their eye.

Mishmash Topics
Your readership will visit on a regular basis to receive a known quantity. That means you need to be consistent. Think of a food franchise with a devoted clientele. People order the same thing every time. Visit a hamburger joint in Tokyo and you’ll get the double patties in a familiar wrapper that you find in Cleveland.

Irregular Publishing
Miss a few days and you’re toast. Think old media. If you opened the front door in the morning and the newspaper wasn’t there, wouldn’t you grumble?

Links to Nowhere
Simply adding a hypertext anchor to a string of words won’t help the user. Affix generous “mouse over” text so visitors can see where they’re going. Let them make an informed decision before linking off your site. Consider opening your links in a fresh window so your blog won’t disappear the moment users click them.

Source
Jakob Nielsen

]]> http://www.getdegrees.com/articles/p/graphic-design-schools/four-common-blogging-blunders/feed/ 0 Web Design Studies That Further Your Career http://www.getdegrees.com/articles/p/graphic-design-schools/web-design-studies-that-further-your-career/ http://www.getdegrees.com/articles/p/graphic-design-schools/web-design-studies-that-further-your-career/#comments Wed, 28 May 2008 16:10:06 +0000 Carie Bishop http://www.getdegrees.com/articles/p/graphic-design-schools/web-design-studies-that-further-your-career/ Pursuing an undergraduate degree in web design? Now that the Internet has embraced social networking, blogs, and other Web 2.0 components, designers have to be nimble enough to adjust to the business requirements of their clients and employers.

Although the Web is a living, ever-changing entity, basic design principles will always apply in the workplace. If you’re enrolled or considering entry into a graphic design degree or web design degree program, you may want to select a range of online courses that provide training in the essential components of design.

Here are some essential elements to consider:

Look and Feel versus Operability
Your website should not only look great, it should function intuitively and efficiently. Look over the course list to balance your training in both graphics design as well as in search optimization (SEO – Hi Rand) skills sought by many employers. Be sure your courses cover graphics optimization, image maps, vector graphics, and typography.

Navigation and Usability
Web usability guru Jakob Nielsen says consistency is the key in usability. Whenever a site breaks users’ expectations, they’re frustrated, they click off, and go elsewhere. Take courses that show you how to create sites that flow easily and efficiently without sacrificing appearance.

Flash
Adobe Flash is the animation program of choice for many web designers. It allows you to embed fonts, stunning colors and images, and dynamic sound and video into your site design. But it also has plug-in requirements and has many restrictions in functionality over HTML. You’ll need to know why.

Static versus Dynamic
Static pages require updating by designers or content managers. Dynamic pages can be modified on by databases and scripting languages. Broaden your appeal to employers by taking courses in PHP, ASP, JavaScript, Perl, DHTML, Coldfusion, JSP, or Python.

Now, here’s the good news: The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that “graphic designers with website design and animation experience will especially be needed” through the upcoming decade. Get going! Search distance learning schools offering graphic & web design degrees.

Sources
Jakob Nielsen
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

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