Colour - Glorious Colour! Colour can make or break the visual impact of your brand.

Do you like to create your own social media graphics but don’t know where to start? Do you have images and photos that you would like to choose your colours from but are unsure which colours to pick.

While doing this yourself can be cost effective, you can waste a lot of time if you do not know what you are doing. It can also result in graphics that look unprofessional. Graphic designers, like One Bite Design, have an expert eye for what looks good and understand how colours work alone and together. This is something that may not come naturally to everyone or maybe something that people haven’t been taught. Did you know that not all reds ‘go together’ - not all blues ‘are created equal’. Base colours are important.

So let’s look into some reasons and tips why selecting colours from your images / photos to use for your business is important.

3 Important Things To Note When Creating A Graphic 

1. Choose the right colours
   The first thing you want to consider is the target audience you are wanting to reach with the graphic? Are you a building company where it is predominantly male oriented. Are you marketing to mothers of young children? Your colour choices are likely to be quite different. Also have a think about how you want people to feel when they see your image. Do you want them to be excited and happy? Or perhaps you want them to feel calm and peaceful? You may want to convey solidarity and trust. Colours are capable of creating emotions. Have a look at this website to find some of the emotions related to different colours. 
   
   
2. Colours can create a strong unity within the graphic 
   Having all the colours you use tie in with the chosen image creates unity. The brain is then able to process what it sees easily making the impact of the graphic more beneficial. There isn’t a minimum of colours to select from an image but I advise having no more than 4 colours in the designed graphic. You can either use contrasting colours or you can chose colours that complement each other.  I have found this website helpful for looking at colour combinations.
   
   
3. Be sure to include your logo on your design
   Having your logo somewhere on your design is so important, it keeps your branding consistent and obvious for the world to see the business behind the graphic. The logo you use doesn’t always need to be a full colour / full text version. A watermark version of your logo works just as well. Having multiple versions of your logo is so beneficial when you are designing your own graphics. Check out one of my most popular blogs regarding logo design versions.

So… how do I select a colour from an image?
There are a few good websites that can do this for you but Image Color Picker comes highly recommended. You can upload your own image, use the online colour code from a website, or get the online colour code from a picture via the website link.  You use the online image colour picker to select a colour and get the online Colour Code of the selected pixel. You also get the multiple websafe colour information.

Which colours should I pick out?
Check out the 2 samples (below) of colours picked from the same image. Shout out to Nikki at AmbiDexi for letting me use her product and photo for this example. I am sure that from the first glance you can see which image is more appealing. The product used in this image is bright, fun, young and happy. In the first image that One Bite designed, the colours selected are vibrant and used from the girls tutus. The second image shows colours also picked from the same image but they are far less inviting. The colours in this graphic appear dull and dreary, they do not evoke a happy, exciting time for children. From this example you can clearly see which would be the right colours to use for this design. The distinctions are not always that clear and you may require some professional help. With each design you put out for your business make sure that you are designing it targeted at the right people. This does not only come down to the colours you use but also the image and even the relating text. 

​“Help!' I hear you say, 'I’m overwhelmed!'

Never fear! Help is at hand.  Helen, at One Bite Design, with 20 years experience, knows very well what colours work best to bring out of images. If you do not have either the time or desire to pick colours from your images for your design work, get in touch with One Bite Design today and I’ll apply my creative eye and understanding of how colours work to bring out the very best with your images, logo and over all branding.

Many businesses are using Canva to help them create graphics for their website and social media platforms. Some even use it as a way to create documents such as flyers or posters for printing. As a graphic designer, I’ve got many clients who use Canva to edit the text and images of the Facebook or Instagram templates I’ve designed for them. It’s a very powerful tool and one I think is well worth using.

​But it has its limitations.

Recently I had a client come to me about a graphic they’d created using Canva. They’d spent a considerable amount of time organising and placing the content and were happy with the finished product. That is, until they tried to print it off.

Canva is great in that you can use all of the available features, upload and use graphics, change colours, choose fonts and edit text. In fact, you can create pretty much what you want and envision, within Canva’s limits.

Problem is, Canva isn’t a graphic designer.
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When using Canva, my client created their ideal graphic for their business. But not being a graphic designer, they didn’t know about needing to check font sizes, printing margins, pixel sizes and good colour choices. Canva by nature being software and not a graphic designer, didn’t provide any guidance to help.

End result was a design file which looked good on the screen when viewed using Canva but was unsuitable for printing or uploading to the web.

Canva Can Compliment but Not Replace Graphic Designers
I like to think of Canva as a useful tool, a bit like a fork. It is suitable for using with small pieces, but with the big ones, you need a better tool.

As a graphic designer, I use my years of experience and knowledge to produce graphics my clients can use anywhere. I understand where text is best positioned on a page, which colours work well together and which types of graphic file formats you’ll need. The work I design for you is fit for purpose and best of all, you don’t need to lift a finger.
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To learn more about my graphic design services or to discuss a custom design you need help with, please get in touch. I look forward to hearing from you.

What is graphic design? Did you know that it is more than just creating logos? In fact, it is so much more than that. While logo creation is one of the services a graphic designer can offer you, it is really just the tip of the iceberg!

Graphic designers have a strong set of skills that can help you to grow your business. Yes, that’s right, grow your business. We create more than pretty images, we actually help you to communicate a message with your branding that engages and persuades people to use your business.
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Now you know what we can do here at One Bite Design, let’s look into the concept of graphic design in a bit more depth. 

What Is Graphic Design? 
Whether you need a logo, an image banner for your website, or an actual banner to hang at an event, you will need a graphic designer’s expertise. Without their eye for colour and design, you can cheapen your brand and confuse your clients.

These are just some of the things that a graphic designer (just like me) can help you with...
●  Logo Design
●  Branding Packages
●  Business Cards
●  Social Media Cover and Newsfeed Images
●  Flyers
●  Posters
●  With Compliments Slips
●  Marketing Material
●  Gift Vouchers
●  Website Banners
●  Vouchers
●  Advertising Images
●  Apparel Designs
And that’s not even a full list, that is just a taste of the things I could help you with in your business!

Why Is Graphic Design Essential In Your Business?
Validates You
Great branding makes your business look professional and gives you credibility. Not only that, but it also shows that you care about your offerings, that you believe in your products or services, and that  you are putting in an effort to impress your customers. This all demonstrates the value you can provide to your clients and that you are customer-focused.

Makes You Memorable
Being forgotten is the kiss of death for a small business. If no one remembers your brand, then they are not going to seek out your services. But you can make an impact with your imagery. If you have an iconic design for your business branding, then it will be hard for your customers to forget about you! Consistently using this branding in every visual and customer-facing aspect of your business will help you to become recognisable and memorable.

Makes You Stand Out
How do you make the decision between two products when they do the same thing and they are at the same price point? Often the choice will come down to which product looks better. If one has design that is tired and dated, and one has a fresh, eye catching look, then it is pretty safe to say which is going to be more popular. Good graphic design can help set you apart from your competition.

Tells A Story
Your imagery can tell the story of your business. It can convey what it is that you do, even if it is the first time someone has come across your brand. It can do more than simply look good, it can also entice people to your business and persuade them that you are the brand for them. Clever design can convince customers to buy your products off the shelf, to read more in a pamphlet, or to click the ‘buy’ button on a website. Professional graphic design has the potential to deliver real results for your business.

If you are umm-ing and ahhhh-ing about whether you should invest in graphic design, consider this. If you don’t go down the professional design route, sooner or later you will be paying for a brand overhaul. Quality design lasts the distance, amateur design does not. Engaging a professional graphic designer (like me) upfront, can save you a lot of time money and stress in the long run.
So if you want a professional and consistent look for your business, don’t hesitate to get in touch with me here at One Bite Graphic Design. 

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​Are you overwhelmed by the graphic design terms you see around? Trying to get a file ready for print but don’t know what is required? What is a ‘print safe zone’ or ‘bleed’? For this months One Bite Design blog I thought I would take the time to clarify a few commonly used graphic design terms and explain them for you. Buckle in… I hope you find this helpful!

​5 Commonly Used Graphic Design Terms Explained:

1. CMYK, RGB & Pantone Colours:
   CMYK: This stands for cyan, magenta, yellow, and key, or black. This colour type is traditionally and commonly used for print. Different percentages of the 4 colours are used they make up many colour variations and shades.
   RGB: This stands for red, green, and blue. This colour type offers a wider spectrum of colour and commonly allows brighter more vibrant colours in comparison to CMYK. The colours you view on your screen are in RGB so you must make sure you change your colours to CMYK and view them CMYK before you go to print as some colours do not convert well from RGB to CMYK
   Spot colour: Spot colours or Pantone colours are colours that are created with a specifically made ink. It allows for colours and vibrancy that may otherwise not be able to be made via CMYK. This includes but isn’t limited to metallic and fluorescent colours. 
2. File Formats: These are some of the common file formats used by Graphic Designers.
   EPS: ‘Encapsulated Postscript’. This is a vector file, its images can be easily resized which is great for printed designs.
   GIF: ‘Graphics Interchange Format’. This file type is commonly used for sending images online. They are compressed files and tend to be small in file size and quality. They can also be animated files used to form a short looping video. You may have seen my Facebook posts that say ‘use the GIF comment option’. They can be great fun!
   JPEG: ‘Joint Photographic Experts Group’. JPEGs do not allow transparent backgrounds like PNG’s do – explained in the next point. JPEGs cannot be animated like GIF’s. With JPEG files you can control the level of compression and it is a file format that is compatible with most applications. 
   
PNG: ‘Portable Network Graphics’. This is one of the most popular file types for the internet. The thing I like about PNG files is that they offer transparency, this is ideal for logos. 
   TIFF: ‘Tagged Image File Format’. This file format is great for storing photographs and other large images. It can compress the image while maintaining its quality. It is the perfect format for printing photos.


3. Crop Marks: These are small lines placed on the outer the edge of the finished graphic that show where to cut or trim the final graphic to the finished size. When the printed items are trimmed these lines do not appear on the finished item. 


4. Bleed: This is the term that is used for printing that goes beyond the edge of where the graphic will be trimmed. This gives the printer a small amount of space (between 1.5-5mm) to account for movement of the paper or card when stacked up to be trimmed. Any background colours or images that are being used on a printed document will need a bleed area. 
5. Print Safe Zone: This is an area inside the trim line that is used to help make sure that any movement when trimming doesn’t affect your graphic. Within this zone you should position all your information and images. Any content outside of this area is in risk of being cut off.
   
   

OK so that takes us to the end of 5 Graphic Design terms that you can now use with the confidence of knowing that both you and your graphic designer are speaking the same lingo. Like any technical field there are so many more terms out there that it really can feel like a new language. Happily it’s a language that I’ve spent 20 years learning to understand and working with clients to take their concepts, translate them into graphics and presenting them in a form that is pleasing to the client and technically perfect for the printer or programmer. Do you have a design challenge that I can help with? Drop me a note, I’d love to put my experience to work for you.

I bet, just like me, your Facebook feed is full of visual marketing designs which all look the same. The same font, colours, images and even words. It’s incredibly boring and off putting to look at the same graphic designs again and again. So rather than copying what has worked for others, it’s time to make people stop and notice your business through awesome visual marketing designs!

Using Unique Visual Marketing to Get Your Business Noticed
As a graphic designer, it makes sense that I notice the logos, colours, fonts and images owners use to brand their business. Of course, everyone else notices them too. But there is one big difference: I don’t copy them. I can understand why owners think, “Hey, I like this logo, this colour and these images. Come to think of it, I love the design they used too. I think I’ll use them for my business.” The problem is, if they are not 100% unique, your business ends up looking like someone else’s. That’s incredibly bad for your business branding. Not only do people confuse your business with another, they can also become bored with seeing the same thing. This leads to a quick scroll onto the next image and the next business!

The key to getting your business’ visual marketing noticed is to be 100% unique when it comes to design. This just isn’t possible when using in the box predesigned graphic design templates. You may have changed the colours, tweaked the font and used a different image, but if the design is the same, it’s an automatic fail in my book. I’m never going to remember it as being unique to your business and most probably see you as being a copycat.

Visual content is processed by our brains 60,000 times faster than words.
Having unique professionally designed visual content to market your business helps you:

• Get more engagement from those who matter, in some case 120% -180% more!
• Get more social sharing. People like creative and new ways of looking at something and are more likely to stop, read and share your content
• Be remembered. 65% of visual information is remembered, compared with 10% when hearing it
• Build trust. Trust is one of the most valuable assets a business can have. Strong, unique visual images help build trust with your followers, leading to more sales and more attention
  
  

Now is the time to organise your visual branding using professionally designed Social Media Templates. I can create for you 100% unique, attention grabbing and highly sharable templates for your business. Head over to book your spot now and start enjoying getting noticed by those who matter!

We’ve all been there. Found a beautiful image that inspires us, and with the internet it is even easier to find just the right image for our business…
 
But when is it okay to use such an image?
 
Sometimes it easy to tell as the owner clearly watermarks the image with a copyright warning or sets out clear conditions of use. However, even if there is no such warning, there may be a number of risks in using someone else’s image.
 
1.  Copyright
Copyright will automatically exist in any original artistic work. The word “original” means that the artistic work in question is the result of the person’s own independent labour, skill and judgement - any parts of the work that are copied from somewhere else will not be protected by copyright.  The term “artistic work” includes sketches, photographs and drawings. Although it is always wise for the owner of a copyright work to include a copyright warning (for example “© Rachel Triplow 2017”), copyright will exist even without such a warning. In light of the Berne Convention, the owner of copyright will have rights in most countries. For example, an Australian can claim rights under the New Zealand Copyright Act if their copyright work is infringed here.
 
It is also important to note that changing something by x% will not avoid copyright infringement - it’s not how much you change, it’s whether you have copied a substantial part of the core of someone else’s work. Size definitely doesn't matter with copyright.
 
2.  Trade Marks
Another possibility is that the owner of the image has trade mark rights.  Even if a work is not “original” and therefore is not protected by copyright, it may be possible for the owner to claim that the image has become distinctive of their goods or services, or that they simply have a trade mark registration. As with copyright, it is wise for the owner of a trade mark to include a warning (for example the ® symbol if the mark is registered and/or the ™ symbol which can be used at any time), but trade mark rights may exist even without such a warning.
 
Unlike copyright, trade mark rights are territorial and will depend on a trade mark registration in the relevant country and/or sufficient reputation that consumers would be confused if someone else started using the same or similar mark.
 
SO, WHAT DO YOU DO?
 
Check out the Creative Commons search engine at https://search.creativecommons.org/, which lists all the places where you can find images that are available to use commercially. Or if there is one image you really really want, approach the owner and ask for their consent before you start using it. 
 
Definitely do NOT go to your graphic designer and ask them to tweak someone else’s image for you, as this they could not would not should not do….

Written by Rachel Triplow  |  www.arcip.co.nz

Would you hire a chef to lay your carpet? How about a plumber to install your oven? No, of course you wouldn’t, you’d hire the right professional to do the job for you. When it comes to your businesses graphic design work, the best person is a professional graphic designer, like me. That means, forget doing it yourself!

Problems with DIY Graphic Design
I will say that sometimes (and only sometimes) when a business owner does some DIY graphic design, they create a graphic which looks fine. The clear majority though, create a design which not only looks unprofessional, but can quickly send their customers running in the other direction. Why? Because graphic design represents your business visually. It is often the first thing people see when visiting your website or picking up your flyer. If it looks bad or the same as what everyone else is using, your clients will automatically assume your business is just as bad as your design work and that you don’t take pride in advertising your business.

5 Reasons Why You Must Hire a Graphic Designer
I love my vacuum cleaner. Silly thing to say, but it picks up the dog hair from my puppy Max so well and leaves my floors dust and pet hair free. I tried using my kettle one time, but it just wasn’t the same …. Okay, so that’s not true, but it is kind of the same thinking people have when using online design software. They have a great idea, but can’t get it to work properly. Unsure about the right fonts, colours and styles to use, they end up with a mashed-up collection of bad graphics. Or they can see how to do it but the end result is something that a lot of other people are using for their design work, meaning people scroll past because they have ‘seen it’ before.

There are plenty of benefits to hiring a professional graphic designer. You not only get access to their design tools, but also to their experience, training, knowledge and understanding about creating graphics which give the right impression and are true to you and your business. Still need convincing? Here are five reasons why graphic designers do it better:

• Looks professional
• Conveys your message or/and brand accurately and consistently
• Saves you time and money
• Gains you customers
• Gets you noticed
  
  

A professional image always wins over a poorly created one. A professional graphic designer will nail that essential professional image for you. They will also ensure your brand is consistent, which is so important to building client loyalty. Graphic design represents your brand visually … many of the DIY designs that I see appear to be clearly that, DIY. Is this how you want your business portrayed? If people view an inconsistent brand and design layout then they will often infer the same about the business generally.

Being a business owner, things that take you away from your core business of selling your products or services, cost you both time and money. A graphic designer can create you a masterpiece in a fraction of the time, saving you a lot of cash and hassle. Finally, we know what looks great and what doesn’t. Our work gets you noticed and remembered by your target market and that is fabulous ongoing advertising.

If you’d like to know more about how I can help you with your graphic design needs, check out my portfolio. Or if you are ready to book your spot, send me a message today!  

Your logo is more than your business name. It’s your brand identity and without this, your business is likely to fall off your customer’s radar. A professionally designed logo gives your brand the credibility it needs to be successful. It’s a bit like a box of chocolates. All the pretty wrapped ones get picked first, with the dull and boring wrapped ones being left till last.  If your business doesn’t look good from the outside, no one is going to take the time to find out more about it.  If you haven’t already got a logo, check out my article Will Your Logo Help Your Business to Sink or Swim?

If you haven't got a logo professionally designed by a graphic designer, then read on to find out more about creating your brand identity.

What Makes a Great Visual Brand?
Your logo is an integral part of your brand. Everything revolves around it. The colours, images, shapes and content all work together to put an image in people’s mind about your business. Think of your brand as a person. Whatever you do shows people the type of person you are. Here are six ways you can make your visual brand rock:

1. Have a logo professionally designed
2. Stick with colours that are in your logo and colours that compliment your logo
3. Use consistent fonts
4. Use distinctive icons or pictures which set your business apart
5. Use a specific photographic style
6. Use your logo on everything
   
   

How Important is Your Logo Design to Your Visual Brand?
Your logo is the epicentre of your visual brand. All the decisions you make regarding the face of your business are made with your logo in mind. You need to have a graphic designer totally nail your logo for you to present an impressive visual brand. This means you need to consider:

• Minimalism – too much of a good thing is not a good idea. Keep your logo clean and clear of clutter for maximum impact.  After all, you don’t want someone to have to sit and stare at your logo to see what it is or what your business name is.
• Colours – the colours you choose will do more than just look pretty. Colours have meanings and instantly tell people about your company. For example, white and grey help to build trust, while yellow and orange are good at showing fun and energy.
• Multi-purpose – your logo is going to be used for many different things. It needs to be a design and style that can be used and altered slightly for different design and social media situations.
• Appropriateness – your business logo is your business face. It needs to be appropriate for the industry you are in, with carefully chosen symbols, fonts and colours which connect with your audience.

 
For example, I created a logo for Becky from Keen Kitchen in both a landscape and square version. This has given her the ability to use her logo in many different types of situations. As well as her logo design, I also created business cards, gift vouchers and A5 & A4 flyers for Keen Kitchen too. Becky has since had her logo put onto t-shirts and aprons for her and others to wear. 

“Helen from One Bite is an absolute dream to work with. She is friendly, fast & professional as well as being fantastic at her craft. Since starting my business just over a year ago I have used her for all design work starting with our logo. Since then she has done multiple flyers, business cards, gift vouchers and I will use her for all design work in the future. I will always, and have frequently, recommended her to friends and a lot of them have also gone to her and loved the end product she has delivered. It's almost unfathomable how fast she works. Nothing is too much trouble to tweak and she strives for perfection!” – Becky from Keen Kitchen
 
I’d love to work with you to help create an amazing visual brand for your business.
Contact me today and let’s get started! 

So you run your own business, you want all your clients, new and old, to instantly know what is yours out there in the market place…. but how do you transfer styles from your business to accentuate your brand presence? What you need is a Brand Style Guide. You may be wondering some ‘what’ and ‘why’s’ about Brand Style Guides, let me see if I can put your mind at ease by providing you with some information about it.
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1. What is a Brand Style Guide?
   www.executionists.com explains it really well “A brand style guide is the primary visual DNA of your company’s branding, though it can also reference grammar, tone, word usage and point of view. Essentially, it’s a document that describes, defines and presents examples of what your brand looks like in various visual media such as print, Internet and broadcast. To be effective it must clearly define the rules around your online presence in all channels such as websites, landing pages, mobile sites, online ads, blogs, social media channels and email communications (including email signatures!).”
   
   
2. How do you Create A Brand Style Guide?
   You  can begin to work on getting a name, logo, colours, fonts, copy and all the tangible items a brand needs to promote itself. These things will be seen by the world, so need to be perfect from the date of launch. It is well worth investing in some expertise to do this. Outsourcing your logo creation to a graphic designer ensures that the visual face you present to the world is professional, well thought out, unique and easily recognisable. Key to remember is that it is important to do what you know you can achieve great results with, as this is the best use of your time. Outsource those jobs which you know you have limited knowledge about and if one of those is your graphic design work, I’ll be happy to do it for you! You can learn more about how I can help create your brand at my website, One Bite Design. 
   
   
3. What are the benefits of a Brand Style Guide?
   When you engage the services of a virtual assistant, graphic designer, web designer, copywriter, coach/mentor or employ a new team member, being able to hand them a copy of your brand style guide will help them understand and represent your business effectively and efficiently. Your brand represents your business. It tells the world who you are, what you do and why you do it. Your brand is more than a marketing tool, it becomes an important part of people’s lives. Customers search for products or services labelled with your brand and pick your brand over others. Great brands remain focused on achieving their goals, with a clear focus on the ‘why’ they are doing something.  It is every business owner’s dream to create a brand that remains on the lips of the world. Yet so many owners struggle to look past a logo or the colour of our packaging. A great brand is more than a name.
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Check out this basic brand style guide for Cute Cuddles New Zealand

The Final Step in Creating Your Brand Style Guide
First up, do some research and find examples of brands you like. What does their styling tell you about their brand? What is it that you like about it? Next think about your brand. What colours and images does your brand suit? What do you want your brand to make your customer think about when they see it? Once you have answered these questions, the next step is to contact a professional graphic designer. They will take your information, ask a few questions of their own and begin the creative process!

​If you are looking for a branding solution, get in touch with Helen today!