resources for designers

Adobe Creative Cloud Will Change How Projects Get Done

Creative professionals are expected to have a mix of skills—including photography, graphic design, video production, and web publishing. And, they need to be able to work wherever inspiration strikes. That’s why Adobe’s new Creative Cloud™ subscription offering makes sense.

As a Creative Cloud member (subscriber), you will be able to download and install all of the 14 new Adobe Creative Suite 6 applications, including Adobe Photoshop® CS6, Adobe InDesign® CS6, Adobe Illustrator® CS6, Adobe Dreamweaver® CS6, Adobe Premiere® Pro CS6, Adobe After Effects® CS6, and Adobe Flash® Professional CS6. You will also have access to two new HTML5 products: Adobe Muse™ and Adobe Edge preview.

Adobe Creative Cloud membership is $49.99 USD per month with an annual contract. (A special introductory offer of $29.99 per month is available for individual users of CS3, CS4, CS5 and CS5.5.) Creative Cloud is currently available for pre-order. It is expected to be available within 30 days.

Continuing Access to Upgrades

Creative Cloud members will have the tools they need to publish apps, magazines, and catalogs to  iPad, iPhone, and Android devices, and to publish, manage and host websites. For example, members will have immediate access to Adobe Typekit, the Web-based font library that pioneered the use of real fonts on websites, delivering more than 700 typefaces from leading foundries.

Adobe Creative Cloud members will also have access to application upgrades, as well as inventive new products and services as they emerge. Coming in the future to Adobe Creative Cloud are: Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 4; the first complete release of the Adobe Edge HTML5 development tool; and Digital Publishing Suite Single Edition, the technology behind the delivery of digital magazines on iPad.

Integration with Tablet Apps

Creative Cloud is expected to change the way photographers, designers, and illustrators create, share, and deliver projects.  Because Creative Cloud integrates Adobe’s tablet applications (such as Photoshop Touch) with the desktop software, you will be able to synchronize and store files in the cloud for sharing and access on any device.

Adobe Touch Apps will address multiple phases of the creative process: image editing, ideation, sketching, mood board creation, website and mobile app prototyping, and the presentation of finished work.

Photoshop Touch and Adobe Ideas are already hits on the iPad and Android tablets. Three additional tools (Adobe Collage, Adobe Debut, and Adobe Proto) are available on Android devices and will be coming to the iPad soon.

Creative Cloud membership includes up to 20GB of cloud storage, with additional storage purchase options coming soon. Creative Cloud will also include training, support and community features that drive connections between creatives worldwide.

“The urge to be creative is universal, and harnessing the creative spark – in everyone from schoolchildren to creative pros – has never been more important,” said Shantanu Narayen, president and chief executive officer, Adobe. “Wherever and whenever inspiration strikes, Adobe will be there to help capture, refine and publish your ideas.”

LINKS

Adobe Creative Cloud

Adobe CreativeSuite 6

Video: Launch Event for Creative Cloud and CS6

Adobe Touch Apps

 

Competition Site Helps Employers Find Talented Creatives

DESIGNERS. Pxldust.com is a digital design and photography competition site that was formed to help give creative businesses easy access to talent that has been “battle tested” through public and peer evaluation.

Veteran Los Angeles Graphic Designer/Art Director Matt Ansoorian established pxldust.com as a community for illustrators, graphic designers, and photographers with marketable skills to showcase their work.

The work posted on the competition site is not only voted upon by a general audience of site visitors, but also by other photographers, designers, and illustrations.

At the end of the each quarter, pixldust.com announces the top vote-getters in the three categories (photography, graphic design, and illustration). The top 12 winning entries receive cash and other prizes. For example, the three first-place winners of the current contest will each receive a Wacom Intuous 5 tablet (medium size) valued at $349.

“We believe the voting reveals popularity and salability of individual pieces of art.  Non-members, primarily retail businesses, can see what art can and will sell and how that art translates into a larger market,” Ansoorian said. According to Ansoorian, some artists represented on pxldust.com have been commissioned to work on high-profile projects.

As a creative, you can develop connections with other creative pros while making your work visible to business people visiting the site in search of talent.

You can set up a personal profile page with bio, portfolio, and linkable URL address. In the site’s “Crit Room,” you can post work that is still in progress, and request constructive feedback and problem-solving advice from your peers.

LINKS

pixldust.com

 

Meet Other Solopreneurs at 2012 Creative Freelancer Conference

The Creative Freelancer Conference is a business-focused event for solopreneurs in design, writing, photography, and illustration. In addition to face-to-face networking with creative pros from complementary disciplines, you can learn some fresh approaches to marketing, client relations, productivity, and money management.

The 2012 Creative Freelancer Conference takes place Thursday, June 21 and Friday, June 22 as part of the HOW Design Live Conference June 21 to June 25 in Boston.  The Creative Freelancer Conference is held in partnership with the Marketing Mentor creative-business consulting firm.

Here are some sessions being planned:

Planning for Your First Year of Freelancing
Shane Pearlman will recommend ways to avoid common rookie mistakes and be more successful during your first year on your own. Among other things, he will explain the importance of creating contracts, getting deposits from clients, and tracking finances.

Options for Growth
Luke Mysse will discuss traditional and non-traditional ways to grow your business, and talk about how to decide which of three business models is right for you: solo, solo plus a virtual team, or full staff.

Why a Bigger Business Isn’t Always Better
For many owners of creative businesses, success is more about satisfaction than size. Adelaide Lancaster will present examples of many different ways entrepreneurs think about business growth. While gaining clarity on growth options, you will learn how to determine the right direction for your business and recognize your ability to create work based on your needs and goals.

Building Your Prospect List: Quality vs. Quantity
Success in any business start-up requires knowing how to identify your addressable market and build a marketing funnel to convert prospects into customers. Allen Murabayashi will offer practical advice on identifying your prospects, building a prospect list, and converting the prospects on your list into paying clients.

Skillful Communications with Clients
Understanding what your clients really want and giving it to them doesn’t mean you have to function simply as an order taker. Many clients expect you to take a leadership role and prove that your expertise can truly help their businesses. Marcia Hoeck explains how to start client relationships out right, by setting the tone for conversations and becoming a valued resource without being a doormat. Learn how to discuss tough issues like a pro, and put yourself in a position of strength.

Is Your Website Generating Business?
To ensure that your website is generating quality leads for your business, Mark O’Brien will take you through Newfangled’s 9-Step Website Planning Process. Learn how to use SEO to attract the right prospects, craft a content strategy that will convince prospects of your expertise, and generate quality leads through clear calls to action.

The Nuts and Bolts of Pricing and Negotiating
Creating a pricing structure for your business can be tricky. Do you base your pricing on the value of your services? Or is there another (better) metric? Sarah Durham will show you how her time-tracking structure works, and offer advice for implementing it. Learn how to realistically create estimates and methodically manage pricing to ensure you end up profitable. Get tips on talking money with potential clients and using figures from the past to inform future projects.

How to Create and Execute Your Marketing Plan
An inconsistent, haphazard approach to marketing can lock you into the dreaded feast-or-famine cycle of freelance work. And, it may force you to take on undesirable clients and projects and accept sub-par fees. Ed Gandia will share a practical framework for developing a marketing plan aligned with your goals and personality. Discover strategies that can help you enjoy the process of marketing your services.

Live Audit
Marketing Mentor founder Ilise Braun and David C. Baker will provide a rare behind-the-scenes look at a fellow creative freelancer’s business. They will examine in-depth the freelancer’s finances, day-to-day business practices, and work style. During the audit, Braun and Baker will identify the freelancer’s successes and mistakes and suggest the type of results they can attain and the opportunities they should seize.

LINKS

2012 Creative Freelancer Conference

HOW Design Live

Marketing Mentor

Preparing for Your Digital Afterlife

Are you prepared for your digital afterlife?

It’s a good question to ponder, particularly during these last two weeks of December as we sort through our 2011 files and look ahead to 2012. John Romano and Evan Carroll, who wrote the book “Your Digital Afterlife,” note that all of us will have some sort of “digital afterlife” whether we are prepared or not.  Ensuring that others can continue view our digital files after we die should matter to everyone. But it should be a particular concern for photographers, artists, writers, and other creative pros whose work might have more than sentimental value.

“The things we produce help us pay the bills, exercise our creativity, and leave an impact on our professions,” notes Carroll in an article on The Peachpit Press website entitled “Digital Estate Planning for Designers, Photographers, and Developers.” He says creative professionals have immense digital footprints because we tend to create, share, and collect far more data than the average person.

Yet a lot of the digital content we have created has been scattered over multiple digital devices, including work and personal computers, smartphones, backup drives, and online accounts such as Flickr. In some cases, our digital creations may reside on computers over which we don’t have direct control.

To save your heirs an immense amount of frustration, Carroll and Romano advise creating a digital estate plan. In addition to giving your family access to works that might be regarded as heirlooms, a digital estate plan can help ensure that the photographs, manuscripts, designs, and sketches you’ve created remain readable and available to those who want to view your work.  You can get started by taking an inventory of your digital assets, recording the appropriate access credentials, and documenting your wishes.

In an interview on the PeachPit Press website, Carroll and Romano said they wrote the book to help people understand the new digital lifestyle and how it affects their legacy: “We’ve heard countless stories where grieving families have lost access to precious content or they’ve found content that revealed embarrassing content that belonged to the deceased. Our book will help you avoid both of these scenarios.”

The first section of the book talks about the risks that digital legacies face and current advances to help avoid those risks. The second section walks you through a step-by-step process to help secure different types of digital assets.

“The biggest mistake you can make is to not take any action at all,” said Carroll and Romano. “You will have some form of digital afterlife whether you take action or not. By not taking action, you leave everything to chance.”

LINKS

Article: Digital Estate Planning for Designers, Photographers, and Developers by Evan Carroll

Article: Your Digital Afterlife: An Interview with John Romano and Evan Carroll

Book: Your Digital Afterlife: When Facebook, Flickr and Twitter Are Your Estate, What’s Your Legacy?

Website: The Digital Beyond

Order and Proof Customized Presentation Materials Online

DESIGNERS.  The next time a project requires customized three-ring binders, reinforced paper binders, CD or DVD sleeves, custom tabs, paperboard boxes or reinforced presentation folders, check ThePaperWorker.com.

The website is operated by The Colad Group, which has been designing and manufacturingcustom presentation materials and promotional packaging for more than 60 years.

From the website, you can download templates, insert your artwork, upload finished designs, and then inspect real-time 3D proofs before placing an order.

All products are Eco-Certified and can be ordered as needed, without restrictions for minimum quantities. Whether you order 1 copy or 1 million copies, no set-up fees are
required. The online ordering system lets you manage all of your transactions, including real-time pricing and proofing.

ThePaperWorker supports variable data so you can offer clients personalized custom products. The website also offers complete integration with one of the leading stock
photography sites, making millions of stock images available for purchase
within the system. Once purchased, the stock images can be saved to your
account for use on future runs.

ThePaperWorker is supported by live operators accessible via chat, email, and phone during normal business hours.

Colad President Todd Anson said PaperWorker.com was developed in response to graphic designers and ad agencies who asked for a self-service website that would make it easy to order custom products. He adds that “With 3D proofing, we’ve taken the uncertainty out of the process.”

LINKS

The PaperWorker.com

About Colad

Use Interactive iPad Book to Study History of Graphic Design

Cover of Megg's History of Graphic Design BookDESIGNERS. John Wiley & Sons has introduced the Fifth Edition of the best-selling textbook “Meggs’ History of Graphic Design” by Philip S. Meggs and Alston Purvis. The Fifth Edition not only contains new information on multimedia, interactive design, and private presses, but the book itself will be available in e-book formats for the Kindle, the Nook, and the iPad.

The interactive iPad edition from Inkling will bring the history of graphic design to life, with embedded video and audio and “guided tours” that let you learn the story behind each image. To tour an image, simply tap through sequential pop-tips to learn the details and info that make each image important. Interactive timelines include pop-tips with image samples. Other features will include slideshows of multiple images, flashcards, and quizzes that let you test your knowledge of the title of the work, the designer, and year of creation.

As with other e-books, you will be able to search the contents, highlight with ease, and save and share notes through social learning networks.

The first edition of “A History of Graphic Design” was published in 1983. It was heralded for it balanced insights and the thoroughness of its content. The book shows how graphic design has been a vital component of each culture and period in human history, with sections on topics such as the invention of writing and alphabets, the origins of printing and typography, and postmodern design.

The 624-page hardcover version lists for $85.00. The iPad version is expected to be released in January will sell for about 40% less.

Inkling is a San Francisco-based company that is seeking to redefine the textbook and the way people learn. The engineers and designers at Inkling work closely with content and education experts to take advantage of the fact that multi-touch devices such as the iPad allow publishers to move beyond the constraints of the printed book.

LINKS

About Inkling

About Inkling’s iPad version of Meggs’ History of Graphic Design

Meggs’ History of Graphic Design, Fifth Edition

 

 

Creative Group 2012 Salary Guide Shows Gains for Creatives

Professionals in creative fields can expect average starting salary gains of 3.5 percent in 2012, according to the recently released “The Creative Group 2012 Salary Guide.” The guide lists starting salary ranges for more than 100 positions in interactive, content-development and management, advertising and marketing, and public relations.

Professionals with interactive skills, such as user experience (UX) designers, are especially sought after as firms look to improve their web presence and transition many of their marketing programs online. Other in-demand creative professionals include online project managers, search-engine optimization (SEO)/search-engine marketing (SEM) specialists, video producers, web analytics specialists, and web designers/developers.

The figures in the guide are national averages for the U.S., but can be adjusted for more than 130 U.S. markets, using the local variance figures also included in the guide.

The Creative Group 2012 Salary Guide is one of five new Salary Guides released by Robert Half International. The Salary Guides include:

2012 Salary Guide from Robert Half for accounting and finance

Robert Half Technology 2012 Salary Guide

The Creative Group 2012 Salary Guide

Robert Half Legal 2012 Salary Guide

OfficeTeam 2012 Salary Guide 

Among the fields researched, technology positions are projected to see the largest gains in starting salaries, with an anticipated 4.5 percent increase in base compensation. Accounting and finance professionals can expect starting salaries to rise an average of 3.5 percent. Starting salaries for administrative professionals are expected to rise 3.4 percent, and starting salaries in the legal field are anticipated to rise 1.9 percent on average.

Salary calculators that can be used to determine average starting salaries in hundreds of local markets can be accessed via the links to the Salary Guides above.

Since 1950, Robert Half has produced Salary Guides to offer business owners and hiring managers information on prevailing starting salaries in their geographic areas and insight into employment trends. Information in the guides is based on the thousands of job searches, negotiations and placements managed each year by Robert Half’s staffing and recruiting managers, along with the company’s ongoing surveys of executives. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics has used the guides when preparing its comprehensive Occupational Outlook Handbook. The salary guides only report starting salaries, because continuing salaries are based on many other variables, such seniority, work ethic, job performance and training.

On the Robert Half International website, you can find a variety of reports and white papers, including “Business Etiquette: New Rules for the Digital Age.” The guide discusses etiquette related to Facebook, Twitter, instant messaging, and phone, video, and web conferencing.

LINKS

About Robert Half International

Salary Guides

The Creative Group 2012 Salary Guide

About The Creative Group

Business Etiquette: New Rules in a Digital Age