I don’t often single out a specific project to highlight on the blog, but this one is special. First Baptist Church of Indianapolis reached out to me with an unusual request: they had an event where the congregation collectively drafted a poem, about diversity and inclusion within the church community. Could I illustrate the poem…
How to use the four principles of graphic design to create images that engage audiences and make your organization look good As a 20+-year professional veteran of the graphic design field – most often working with nonprofits – I believe an organization’s marketing materials need no, require good design. In my experience good graphic design has…
Can you answer ‘yes’ to any of the following problem statements about your logo? My logo has too many colors and it’s difficult to see or make it look good on different backgrounds My logo has a complicated colorful gradient which is too expensive to reproduce My logo looks blurry when I try to print…
If you dream of making your content more engaging so people actually read it, try adding some simple infographics. This engages the reader by making it easier for them to understand your point. It’s kind of like a visual pull-quote. Here’s five ideas – and lots of examples – of how you can use simple…
We know that branding is a great way to uncover and define an organization’s authentic self. But did you know that some of the most authentic stories may come from the past? A group that’s growing its brand reputation and perception should consider not only look into the future, but backwards, too – to identify and honor…
A Mood board is a tool that can be used during branding to help organizations get a sense of how their brand is evolving. Mood boards are a collage of: Colors Textures Patterns Images I’m a creative person and graphic designer. Even if I’m not working on a project that involves designing visual identity, I’ll start to…
Every image you share says something about your organization. Your images can be completely random, or they can serve a higher function—supporting your overall brand. Your marketing materials should have brand consistency, and so should your images! Whether they’re slathered across your social media outlets, on a website, in a blog, in your emails, brochures,…
Let’s say your nonprofit is going through a rebranding, and it’s time to review logo options from your designer or design firm. The ensuing discussion can easily become derailed and devolve into a subjective discussion of who likes blue and who hates orange. It’s important to move beyond personal judgements to ensure you end up…
The terms brand, identity, and logo can be can be difficult to distinguish. They mean different things, and I for one have been guilty of using them interchangeably. And if the brand strategist/designer is doing it, I know others may be muddled too. Let’s figure out the differences between these potentially confusing terms. 1. Logo…
