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Ten Free Online Tools Every Designer Should Know
Features: Written by Pariah Burke on November 10, 2008
These free resources help you manage your business, store files, find stock images that aren't copyrighted, explore color, and more.
How to Follow Up with Potential Clients
Features: Written by Ilise Benun on July 16, 2008
What your prospects say, what you hear, and what they mean are often three very different things. Here's how to know what's really going on and when to follow up to clinch the deal.
HerGeekness Says: Convert a File, Any File
Features: Written by Anne-Marie "HerGeekness" Concepcion on July 9, 2008
When clients hand you files so ancient or obscure that they're unreadable, don't despair. Part 1 of my file conversion survival kit will have you repurposing those files lickety split -- without asking the client to lift a finger, and without forcing you to buy every application under the sun just to open the occasional weirdo document.
Why You Need a Different Kind of Scanner
Features: Written by David Blatner on July 2, 2008
No, not another scanner for artwork. An automatic document feeder can clean up your life -- or at least your office.
Learn Wedding Photography from the Pros
Features: Written by Chad Neuman on June 25, 2008
What gear do you need? What settings are best? What shots are must-takes? And how do you protect your media and your business? Three professional wedding photographers spill their secrets.
Translate Your Print-Based Design Skills to the Web
Features: Written by Wesley Grubbs on June 11, 2008
When you move from static design to Web design, it's like tennis players trying racquetball. The problem isn’t that they don’t know how to handle the racquet; it’s that they don’t know all the rules and techniques. Read this article and you'll come out swinging.
Design Successful Logos
Features: Written by Chad Neuman on June 9, 2008
Three logo designers discuss what goes into designing a logo, including typeface choices, inspiration, and overall branding messages.
Thinking Outside the List
Features: Written by Matthew Flaming on May 2, 2008
Want to think and communicate more clearly in a wide range of situations? Try mind-mapping.
The Tricky Side of Photo Model Releases
Features: Written by Dan Heller on April 21, 2008
You may think that model releases aren't necessary for photos used in editorial contexts, but the truth is actually much more complex. Read this in-depth exploration and you'll know exactly what to do to sell your shots without worries.
HerGeekness Says: Screen-Share with Your Clients
Features: Written by Anne-Marie "HerGeekness" Concepcion on March 2, 2008
Letting far-flung clients see your screen makes online proofing as good as in-person proofs and online collaboration a cinch. Recent technology improvements free you from worrying about routers, firewalls, computer platforms, or browser compatibility.
Scanning Around With Gene: Pay Up, or Else!
Features: Written by Gene Gable on February 20, 2008
The current economic slowdown has resulted in many people having to stall on paying some bills. Gene Gable takes a look at collection stickers from days gone by and wonders just what motivates someone to break down and actually mail that check.
What to Do When a Prospective Client Doesn't Respond to Your Proposal
Features: Written by Ilise Benun on February 18, 2008
Persistence is welcome -- a pest is not. Here’s how to stay on the right side of that line.
The Fine Art of Linking In
Features: Written by Dave Awl on January 18, 2008
When you know how to work it, LinkedIn can be a great resource for new assignments. Here are seven tips for getting the most out of it.
Control and Creativity: A Match Made in Heaven
Features: Written by Mark A. McGuinness on December 12, 2007
Organization, structure, and habit aren't threats to your artistic freedom. In fact, they're tools that help you carve out the time you need to let your creativity fly.
Organize Your Business with an Intranet
Features: Written by Kevin Arthur Ryan Thomas on November 30, 2007
Do you lose opportunities or duplicate the efforts of your coworkers because you don't have a central place to track activities or store contacts? How easily can you judge performance and perform costs analyses? An intranet may be the answer.
Cut through Advertising Clutter with Archetypes
Features: Written by Shaun Crowley on November 14, 2007
Advertising has changed a lot over the decades. What started as "Here's the product, now buy it!" ads in the 1950s have turned into "Here's a feeling, now feel it!" ads, in which products appear as personalities, metaphors, and emotions. Psychological theory can help you tap into archetypes that appeal to people at these deeper levels.
Desert Island Reading
Features: Written by Terri Stone on November 5, 2007
Last month, I received an email message from someone setting up a new graphic design department at a university.
Become a Brand Sponge
Features: Written by Kevin Arthur on October 22, 2007
What is the key to successful design -- design that doesn't just look good, but speaks for the brand itself? Three case studies from the interactive firm Firstborn hold the answer.
Online Marketing Tools for Creative Pros
Features: Written by Ilise Benun on October 5, 2007
Social networking, blogs, email campaigns, portfolio sites -- it's all so confusing. Which of the new options is right for your business?
The Art of Business: Logo Lessons
Features: Written by Eric J. Adams on October 1, 2007
What makes you stand out in a competition? Eric J. Adams reports from the other side of the designer-client divide.