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Showing posts with label #catalogs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label #catalogs. Show all posts

Tuesday, December 29, 2020

 

Photoshop vs Illustrator

Photoshop vs Illustrator

If you are just starting out as a designer, deciding between Photoshop vs Illustrator might not be an easy task.

So, we’ll lay out some facts for you to decide which one of these Adobe products is a better fit for you. 

Let’s start off with the basics.

Adobe Illustrator

Adobe Illustrator is a vector graphics editor and design software that is developed by, well, Adobe. The first version of Illustrator came to life in 1987. It has been regarded as the best vector graphics editing software by PC Magazine in 2018. 

Vectors are points that are used to create perfectly smooth lines. They are scalable images that no matter how large or small you make the size, they look the same when it comes to resolution and clarity. You can zoom up to 900%, and you’ll have sharp & clear designs. 

If you want to create a design from scratch, Adobe Illustrator is a great fit. It gives you the flexibility to create a design that you can also freehand to get the best results.

As above mentioned, if you are on a vector-based project such as logos, designs, or any other type of project, Adobe Illustrator is the way to go.

Adobe Photoshop

Adobe Photoshop is a raster graphics editor developed and published by Adobe, Inc in 1988. It’s been a standard in the digital art industry ever since. 

As the name itself suggests, if you are looking to work on images, whether it is editing or enhancing the image, Adobe Photoshop is the way to go. Photoshop is also great for raster-based art since the program itself is raster-based and uses pixels to create images.

Photoshop was originally developed for photographers, but over time it has grown to help all kinds of artists with their work. It is now widely used for interface designs, web pages, video graphics, banners, and the creating and editing of images.

Photoshop vs Illustrator

Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator are both great graphic design apps, but they have features that make them best for certain tasks and projects.

If you are looking to work with vectors, Adobe Illustrator is the way to go. If your work is pixel-based, you should go with Adobe Photoshop since it uses the pixel-based format to show images. 

Illustrator enables you to create precise, crisp, and editable vector graphics. As aforementioned, these graphics stay sharp in any size. You can use flexible shape and drawing tools to create great-looking logos, icons, other types of illustrations that’ll look good on a business card or a flyer.  

Illustrator works great for artwork that is going to be used in various mediums, and for various types of artworks such as typography, infographics, and one-page design.

However, If you are looking to create multi-page documents, using Illustrator is not a good idea. It doesn’t have the features that are used to set up master pages. 

Adobe Photoshop is great for working with pixel-based images that’ll be designed for print, web, and mobile applications. You can use Photoshop to create flyers that have heavy images, posters, web and app designing, videos, animations, and editing 3d images.

Both these programs have their strong points, and graphic designers usually use both. To have the best workflow, it’s always best to have all the options available in your arsenal.

That being said, if you have a tight budget and can afford to purchase just one, make sure to go with the one that fits your specific graphic design needs.

If that’s the case, there are many factors you should consider. You don’t need to limit yourself to these two apps, either. If you want to be able to design wherever you are with your iPad, Procreate is a great app. If you are not on iOS, there are Procreate android alternatives that you can try. Quite a few of them also work on PC, so you can create new cg artwork wherever you are!

If you were to choose only one of them, which would be your design software of choice? Let us know !

Visit Our Website at: www.printcafeli.com


Monday, February 4, 2019

The Ideal Length for Tweets, Facebook Posts, and More

              The Ideal Length for Tweets, Facebook Posts, and More
You’ve taken the time to collect your thoughts. You’ve carefully outlined your ideas, your theme, and the overall tone you’d like to communicate. Wouldn’t it be nice if people actually read it?

Better make it quick!

Generation Z, born after 1996, is already emerging from the shadow of millennials. Making up a quarter of the U.S. population, they will account for 40 percent of all consumers by 2020. Gen Z processes content faster than other generation, especially considering most can sort through piles of information using four screens simultaneously.

Although their options seem limitless, their time is finite. Gen Z consumers have an average browsing attention span of eight seconds (as compared to twelve seconds for millennials).

Make Every Word Count

As lead time decreases, efficiency must increase.

How do you evaluate the “right” speed for sharing? Research has answers! Here are some research-based guidelines on the ideal length for Tweets, Facebook and blog posts, headlines, and e-mails.

Twitter


Twitter allows a maximum of 280 characters, and your posts should resemble the same type of short and sweet chirp you might hear from a bird.

The essence of Twitter is its commitment to bite-sized, sharable comments. What is the ideal length of a tweet?

Research by Buddy Media shows 100 characters is the engagement sweet spot for a tweet. This analysis saw a spike in retweets among those between 71-100 characters (so-called “medium” length tweets). These posts have enough characters for the original poster to share something substantial and for a person sharing (or re-tweeting) to add commentary as well.

Facebook


Exactly what size is a 40-character post?

The sentence you just read had 41 characters. That’s pretty brief! Research by global marketing influencer Jeff Bullas found that posts with 40 characters received the 86 percent higher engagement (including comments, shares, and “like” rates from viewers) than other posts. Can’t limit yourself to such blunt communication? Posts with 80 characters or fewer received 66 percent higher engagement. Minimize length and you’ll maximize reach!

Blog Posts


Medium is a blog platform that taps the brains of the world’s most insightful writers, thinkers, and storytellers.

When measuring content that performed best on their site, Medium found that an ideal blog post is around 1,600 words, meaning the post will engage people for about seven minutes. A photo-heavy post is better suited to around 980 words, and any blog post longer than 300 words should be filled with subheads to create enhanced readability or “skim layers” for viewers.

Headlines

"Bold and Brief is Best!"

According to KISSmetrics headline experts, six words is the ideal length for headlines.

Usability research reveals people don’t only scan body copy, they also skim headlines. Consequently, they tend to absorb only the first three words and the last three words of each headline.

Don’t want them to miss your point? Then don’t use any words in between!

Six-word headlines can be challenging, so Kissmetrics suggests that rather than stressing about length, just make every word count. Especially the first three and the last three!

E-mail Subject Lines


Can you boost the open rate for your e-mails by manipulating the subject length? A study released by Mailer found a slight bump in opens and clicks at a certain range of characters:

·        4–15 characters: 15.2% open; 3.1% click

·        16–27 characters: 11.6% open; 3.8% click

·        28–39 characters: 12.2% open; 4% click

·        40–50 characters: 11.9% open; 2.8% click

·        51+ characters: 10.4% open; 1.8% click

Mid-range subjects brought the highest response. Also, research found higher open rates for e-mail subjects that convey timely information, imply benefit for quick action, and avoid exaggeration (such as capitalized letters or exclamation points).For more of our informative blogs go to: https://store.printcafeli.com/blog/Print_Cafe_Blog.html

Monday, January 14, 2019

4 Book Printing Tips to Save Time & Money

                         4 Book Printing Tips to Save Time & Money




The flow of information from customer to printer – and vice versa – is critical to all aspects of the book production cycle, from estimating and scheduling to packing and shipping. To be sure the finished product meets your expectations, everyone involved in its production must know all critical aspects before ink is laid on paper. Here are some tips to keep in mind when exchanging information about your book with your printer.

 1. Getting Back to Basics

It sounds simple, but start by communicating the basics of your book project: page count, quantity and final trim size. This information is needed to begin preparing an estimate.

This is a good time to ask for the printers ideas on how to save money with standard sizes, economical papers, how recycled paper may affect the price, etc. Your printer likely has helpful ideas based on their equipment and experience in printing. Use them as a project resource.

If your project is a rerun supply a sample of the original version during the estimating process. This allows your printer to create the most accurate estimate possible. During this stage, we may be able to suggest stock or slight format changes that can enhance the value of the book.

Good book planning begins with the delivery date. Once your printer knows the date by which you need your books, they can create a production schedule that meets your deadline. This includes blocking time on appropriate presses and other equipment, and checking availability of paper. Be sure to plan in shipping time to accommodate your delivery date too! Sometimes delivery can take up to a week depending on distance.


2. Building Your Book

Book pages are printed as signatures, or multiple pages laid out on a single sheet of paper. The number of pages that can fit on each side of a sheet is determined based on the final trim size of your books. Since common trim sizes are designed to fit 8, 12, 16, or 32 pages on each sheet, the page count of your book plays an important role in how much paper is used and how efficiently the book will be produced.

The format of your book should also be considered; oblong layouts can be less economical to produce, so be sure to let your printer know if your book will be bound in portrait or landscape format.

Page Counts vs. Sheet Counts

One important note: “Page counts” differ from “sheet counts”. In the printing world, page refers to one side of a sheet. Therefore, a book with 120 pages would require 60 sheets. This can cause confusion between designers and printers, so be sure that your book’s page count refers to the number of pages that will be printed, not the number of sheets.

Paper Stock

The cost of paper is often a large percentage of the total price of a book project. There are also hundreds of types of papers, and they vary based on weight, color, brightness, finish and a host of other factors. Therefore it is important that you consult your printer when selecting papers for both the text pages and cover of your book. Most printers maintain an inventory of “house stocks”, or commonly used paper selections that are bought in volume and therefore often can be offered at a discount.

Planning Tip

Paper availability fluctuates, so give your printer plenty of time to order the exact paper you require. If you choose to purchase your own paper, supply your printer with all of its specifications. This allows us to make appropriate recommendations for inks and coatings.

Sheetfed vs. Web Presses

Ink coverage, bleeds and areas of critical registration should be communicated to your printer. This information will often help your printer determine the best equipment on which to run your books, especially if your printer has a mix of sheetfed and web presses. For example, if your book requires critical registration on many pages, it may not be a good candidate to be run on a non-heatset web press.


3. Sending Files Correctly 

 
Once your book is designed, it’s time to send your files to your printer. One of the most critical aspects to timely print production is to send all necessary files to your printer completely and correctly. This includes all layout files, all screen and printer versions of fonts, and all image files. Most book printers have the latest versions of all layout software in both PC and Mac format, but a quick call can save some headaches.

Adobe PDF files are gaining in popularity because of their ability to embed all graphics and fonts, allowing you to create a single “print-ready” file that includes all the elements of your book. When submitting PDF files, however, your printer may request that you send native files as well. That allows your printer to make changes easily during the prepress stage, which can save time and money.

Proofing

There are a variety of proofs available from printers, including “hard” (physical printed proofs) and “soft” (digital files) proofs. Turnaround time, cost, and your comfort with a particular type of proof will help determine the appropriate proofing method. Clear and timely communication with your printer during proofing is essential to keeping your project on schedule.


4. Binding Your Book

 
Of course, no book product is complete until it is bound. A full-service book printer can provide several in-house binding services, and will help you choose the right binding method for your project. Your binding selection will trigger the need for ancillary services such as folding, gluing, drilling, laminating and shrink-wrapping.

Even packing and shipping details must be communicated prior to the start of production. Maximum carton weight, label information and other special instructions need to be funneled through the printer to maximize production efficiency end-to-end.


Better Planning Means Happier Customers

No book product becomes a work of art by itself. Many hands play pivotal roles in bringing your books to life. The printer, often at the center of the production activities, needs to be armed with as much information as possible to deliver the book as the you envisioned. By including all of this information early in the estimating and production planning processes, you can greatly impact production efficiency and take a giant leap forward in having a finished book you the meets your expectations.

For more of our informative blogs go to: https://store.printcafeli.com/blog/Print_Cafe_Blog.html  

Tuesday, December 4, 2018

Four Tips for Authentic Photography in Marketing

           Four Tips for Authentic Photography in Marketing

In a digitally saturated generation, today’s marketer’s need great stories and striking, memorable images.

Regardless of your business or your market niche, powerful visuals can make all the difference! Consider these statistics:


Articles with relevant images average 94 percent more views than text alone and a press release with photos increases online views by 15 percent.


Sixty percent of consumers who use online searches prefer to contact a business whose listing includes an image.


70 percent of e-commerce shoppers say the product image is very important for purchasing decisions.


Your viewers crave expressive images, so photography is crucial in marketing. Photography offers a slice of life view that communicates authenticity and value to your customers. How well do your images translate the nature of your business? Are you using drab photos or bland stock selections?


Three benchmarks to evaluate your images are:

Engagement and Emotional Response


What emotions do your photos evoke?

How does the atmosphere of the photo connect with your viewer’s passion or life experience? Does it compel viewers to lean in or linger?

Brand Story and Context


What is the bigger brand story you want to tell?

Excellent photography adds credibility to this message because visuals increase the detail you bring to your message. Do your images hammer home your story?

Momentum and Shareability


Photographs can send numbers skyrocketing because people love to share captivating images!

As you employ vibrant photos, you increase your chance of people passing along your name, chatting about your product, or returning for a purchase. How much momentum do your images create?

4 Tips From Photography DIY-ers
What if you want to use more realistic photos but can’t afford to hire a professional?

By pairing modern technology with a few photography guidelines, even an amateur shutterbug can make photos pop! Here are four tips from the pros to get you started:

Rule #1: Avoid Low-Resolution Shots from Your Phone


While a casual snapshot can work for social media, if you are planning to share photos regularly, invest in a DSLR (digital single-lens reflex) and check out an online tutorial. Even small investments will ensure the quality of your photos reflects the excellence of your business.

Rule #2: Use the Rule of Thirds

Most DSLR cameras can display their grid, which includes nine even squares. If your subject is directly in the center of the grid, the image will be more static because the eye is drawn to the image but has nowhere to travel from there. When your subject is positioned closer to the edges, the eye is forced to track toward it or be “drawn in” to the bigger message.

Rule #3: Think Slice of Life

What do you want to tell your clients about your business? Say it in photos! If social media or reality TV have taught us anything, it’s that people love following the ordinary activities of others. Casual photos of your team doing business are perfect for showing off your identity and featuring your unique competitive advantage.

Rule #4: Make Use of Natural Lighting

Ever think you’ve captured the perfect photo only to find the sun has wrecked it? On a sunny day, most photos will be compromised by shadows or overexposure. Overcast hues are better because the light is softer and more diffused. For best results, place your camera in a position where the light is coming from behind you and shining directly on your subject.

Marketing is all about communicating value to your clients. For more tips on putting photography to grow momentum and authenticity, give us a call!

For more of our informative blogs go to: https://store.printcafeli.com/blog/Print_Cafe_Blog.html