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Using Canva
Using Canva is a great option for you if you need to create a graphic for your website or social media, or even a poster. Everything is simple to follow, and there are quite a few choices for typestyles and arrangements. You have access to tons of stock image to use in your design. Some…
Read MoreWhere to Find Inspiration
We’ve all been there; staring at a blank page or screen. The ticking of the clock counting down the minutes to the deadline; even if you can’t hear the tick-tock…you can feel the time passing. Must. Write. Blog. It all seemed so easy and even fun six or seven months ago, when you were planning…
Read MoreConnections Are Your Brand’s Best Friend
Last month we looked at WORD MAPPING and how it is an effective way to plan out your branding and design strategy. We talked about writing out words that had associations to each other and used ovals (or whatever shape) and lines to connect them. So let’s talk about those lines – those connections. To connect…
Read MoreWord Mapping
You know the saying, “A picture is worth a thousand words”? Well, what if that picture was of a thousand words? That is sort of the idea of wordmapping, also known as mind mapping. It’s when you write down a central idea or word, and then use bubbles (or whatever shape you like) to show…
Read MoreThink Like a Graphic Designer
I’ll tell you a secret; you, Mr or Ms business owner, entrepreneur or office manager-who-has-to-also-act-as-graphics-person-using-only-Microsoft-Publisher (Bless you), have what it takes to think like a graphic designer. I know, you are thinking, “But Monica, aren’t you afraid you will lose all your clients if you tell them this?” No, I am not worried about that.…
Read MoreCreativity is just a state of mind
People tell me all the time, “Oh, I am not at all creative” or “I don’t have a creative bone in my body.” Well, personally, I would not want any of my bones trying something new or different, so I am okay with non-creative bones. However, I beg to differ about the first statement because…
Read MoreDesign + Strategy = Structure – Part one
Well, I did it. I hit the PUBLISH button on MY Designs’ Build Your Custom Workshop. This is an idea that’s been floating around for the last couple of years, and I finally put it into action. Do you have an idea that just won’t go away? You know it’s good, or at least you’re pretty…
Read MorePriorities – Design Strategy
This year happens to mark my 30th year as a professional graphic designer. 30 years!!! Things have really changed in this industry, I can tell you that! What if I had not adjusted my course and adapted? I would not even be using a computer! I would be hand-lettering and using markers to color. And…
Read MoreMulti-Tasking at its finest
These days the vote is split on the value of multi-tasking…at least for people. But when it comes to design, it’s actually a very good thing if it’s done correctly. First let’s look at what multi-tasking design means, and to do that, let’s look at what it does not mean…and to do that, let’s talk…
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