Steve Perry

All new InDesign CC preview

Posted on June 16, 2013
Take a look at the all new InDesign CC. I’m now sure about the native QR Code generator but I’m linking the new dark UI.

Terry White, Adobe worldwide evangelist, shows you the exciting new features in InDesign CC, including the new dark UI, an improved New Document dialog box, and font menu enhancements that make searching for fonts easier than ever and let you see live font previews in your layout. Learn how to make QR codes directly in InDesign, and see how new features make it easier to produce high-quality EPUB files, with greater control over the table of contents and CSS export.

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iphone

Responsive isn’t just about size

Posted on June 11, 2013

After watching Apple’s keynote last night, like many I found myself on their Mac Pro page on my mobile – an iPhone 4S on a (very slow) WiFi connection. At first I thought that it looked quite nice but as I began to scroll down the page I was treated to a sludgy mess of downward scrolling clunk.

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shell-logos

Building a brand takes time

Posted on May 30, 2013
Businesses are cutting costs during the current climate by reducing outsourced expenses such as brand design / management, marketing colateral design and website design / development. More and more I’m seeing large businesses starting to look more amateurish through having created their own marketing materials.

I run a business myself and I’m fortunate enough to have the skills to look after my own brand and website, etc. I do, however, outsource other areas of business such as accounting and banking. I wouldn’t do these things myself because I know that to be totally on the ball with all aspects of saving money through well kept accounts is a full time job. So I trust DEH to do it for me, and they do a great job.

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Business owners, what common issues do you face?

Posted on May 24, 2013
I write quite a few articles which are mainly aimed at designers and developers, trying to give advice to what I believe to be common issues which we come across in our professional lives. I’m going to start writing for business owners, too.
  • What common problems do you face, as a business owner, when you are trying to get your name out there to win new customers?
  • When you are hiring a designer to help build your brand, communications materials or website, what are the common issues that you come across and what are your concerns?

I’d love to hear your thoughts and if I can, I’ll try to respond with some useful articles which may help iron them out. Get in touch via the secure contact form or simply pop a comment below.

What you think you are paying for when hiring a designer:

  • Knocking something up in Photoshop

What you are really paying for:

  • Research into your competitors and advise where applicable
  • The writing of a creative brief outlining the scope of the project, your business problem and how it will be solved
  • Project management throughout the process and any technical support along the way
  • Years of professional experience in colour theory, emotional connection, typography and layout techniques
  • Professional page layout using the correct software (not Photoshop!)
  • Access to image libraries and other creative resources such as type libraries and photographers with the correct usage license agreements (not stolen via Google Images)
  • The skill and talent to design a layout which communicates your intended message, with correct hierarchy, to the right target audience, in the right tone-of-voice
  • Professional print- or web-ready files which comply to industry quality standards that ensure no extra production costs are experienced due to incorrect file creation
  • Your business problem being solved in a professional manner which, in the end, creates more revenue for your business than what it cost to hire me in the first place
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