Alpine Meadows Ski Resort launched their blog today! Check it out at blog.skialpine.com You can also check them out at:

~rg

Today was my first day at Twelve Horses North America as a project manager. This is a bit of a change for me, much less hands on then I’m used to but that is where I have wanted to go for a while now. I’m very excited with this change and can’t wait to get past the learning stage and dive into the work. I will keep you posted on my new projects.

~rg

I don’t like to post family stuff on this blog (you can get all of that at blog.robandshayna.com.) However, as professionals we have to remember that without the support and love from our families we wouldn’t produce work that is truely great. They are the driving force of our happiness and if your not happy, it will show in your work. This shot is my infanite pool of smiles.

rg

A logo not only represents the company, it also represents all that it stands for. When a good graphic standard is established and followed the message and meaning is consistent across all levels of communication. This helps ensure that all branding efforts are remembered and tagged to your logo/brand mark.

This is the main principal behind having a consistent identity, and it can be found in many other aspects of marketing as well. In PR you have talking points, things that you say over and over as many times as you can to get your point across. In media buying you have frequency to touch the user with the same message as many times as possible. Even in SEO you try and get as much content relating to a similar topic so search engines see your site as better than the next.

This same core principal applies to your identity system. Think of what happens when presidents contradict themselves or when a company like Albertson’s runs an ad campaign that says you don’t need a membership card to get good prices and then you go into the store and they offer you a membership card. You loose all trust and you no longer know what they actually stand for.

This is no different than seeing a print ad with a logo set in a blue script font and then watching the same company’s TV spot with a purple logo set with a san-serif font. You send a mixed message and that is always bad.

With all that said, it is important to understand that not all companies need a 30 page graphic standards. A two pager with color / size / tag specs will suit most small companies just fine. This should be sent out when ever they have a logo request. Check out a few that I have had a major role in developing.

Saint Mary’s • Sierra Arts • (soon to come Reno-Tahoe International Airport)

For print, the shorter the line length the easier on the reader, however, longer it takes to read. So the longer the line length, the faster the read the faster the reader gets tired and stops reading. In terms of actual widths, many say 4″ wide is optimal or approximately seven words long. This seems to be based on lateral eye movement and the fact that the more your eye has to move the faster you get tired of reading.

For the web, the consensus seems to be almost the same except that read time is a bit more important. Readers want information faster and therefore a bit longer line lengths are preferred.

So when designing ask “do you want it read fast, or do you want it read all the way. Just a little info to help keep the world of design a bit more strategic and a little less by gut.

~rg

~rg

This shot of my son was taken into “preview” yes that is the very basic preview program free on any mac. Go into the retouch tools (all 5 of them) take the sepia slider about 1/3 of the way and save. Then take into photoshop, do some quick burned edges and bam… a 3 minute retouch that adds a ton.

here is the before shot

enjoy =)