Hexagon Graphics are always seeking out new sources of inspiration for our design projects. We have gathered together 25 graphic design articles from design websites and blogs which have piqued our attention recently.
Graphic design is such a rich and diverse industry that we never cease to discover new inspiring articles from design experts and enthusiasts from throughout the world. We hope that you will enjoy mining through this collection of graphic design articles as much as we have enjoyed curating them.
L’Officiel Magazine Re brand
The Parisian based multidisciplinary team AT Ill-Studio offers a fresh look for fashion magazine L’Officiel. They began the re branding at issue 95 which accompanied a VNH Gallery exhibition.
Read the full article in itsnicethat.
The Creative Design Process
This article in DesignM.ag offers an insight into the design process. Misty Jhones describes a step by step process which includes:
- The Creative Brief
- Research as Groundwork
- Paperwork
- Design on Computer
- Presentation
- Feedback
- Delivering final files
This information can be used as a general guide to good practice when approaching a design project.
Read the full article in DesignM.ag.
4 Ways Graphic Design Affects Revenue
It is often difficult to convince a small business owner of the reasons why they should pay good money to a professional graphic designer. The small business owner is always sceptical about parting with their cash.
Kom Creative offer four reasons why good graphic design can make your small business a success. These four points are:
- 1. Graphic design directly motivates purchasing behaviour.
- 2. Professional design inspires trust in your customers.
- 3. Purposeful design gets people on your site, and keeps them there.
- 4. Individually tailored design converts.
Pointing your clients towards this article may help convince them that they do indeed need your design expertise to promote their business correctly.
Read the full article in komcreative.
The Graphic Design Work of Pablo Picasso
These examples of graphic design work by Spanish artist Pablo Picasso show that his talents were broad enough to span many media. His wit and freedom of expression are central to the charm of his typography and design layout. Alongside poster design for his own art exhibitions, Picasso also designed book covers, magazine covers and commercial commissions.
Read the full article in printmag.
Illustrations by Steven M. Johnson
In this article for Printmag, Steven Heller explores the fantastic illustrations of Steven M. Johnson. This collection of drawings created between 1984 and 2016 show how creative design can be. These inventions are mostly absurd but that does not prevent them from working as ingenious design ideas.
Read the full article in printmag.
Design Matters with Debbie Millman
In these podcasts from 2009 to today, Debbie Millman discusses a wide range of design issues with industry leaders. Her topics are diverse and range from designing for psychological health to talking about pop-up books.
Listen to the podcast in itunes.
Stack Magazines and the Joy of Independent Magazine Publishing
If you love magazines you will love Stack Magazines. Stack send its members a different independent magazine each month. Each magazine is the labour of love which will never be found in your local high street news agent. If you would like to support independent magazine publishing you should check out some of the titles available.
Find out more at Stack Magazines
Create your own Newspaper Run with Newspaper Club
Newspaper Club takes advantage of the times when the newspaper presses of the world are left unused. During this time, these presses can be hijacked by designers and enthusiasts to print a newspaper run of any size.
If you have an idea for a newspaper then you should definitely check out Newspaper Club.
A Designer’s Art : The Work of Paul Rand
Paul Rand remains one of the most influential figures in the graphic design world. In 1980 after 60 years in the design industry producing some of the most iconic work of the period, Rand began work on A Designer’s Art. This article by Steven Heller gives a brief insight into the background of the book.
Read the full article in designobserver.
The Temple of Silence: Forgotten Worlds of Herbert Crowley
This Kickstarter campaign was launched to save the lost works of surrealist illustrator Herbert Crowley. Working in the early 1910s, Crowley combined gothic art with surrealism to produce imaginative artworks.
Read the full article in bleedingcool.
75% of Your Files are Trash
’75% of your files are trash’ is a selection of logo designs which never got used. This article from the Speak Up archive describes the work by graphic designers which never gets seen by the public or by clients. These are the designs which never made it, the 75% of the work created by a graphic designer which gets trashed.
Read the full article in underconsideration.
Clever and Creative Shopping Bag Designs
If you are looking for inspirational ideas for bag designs, this article by Desket has collected 10 clever and creative shopping bag designs.
Read the full article in desket.
Creativity and Escaping from Technology
In this thoughtful article in It’s Nice That, Chris Lewis explores the art of switching off. In this world where we find it hard to escape from technology, creativity can sometimes become stifled. Lewis asks all designers and creative people to switch off every now and then to explore our subconscious.
Read the full article in itsnicethat.
Creative Review’s 20 Most Iconic Logos of All Time
This feature in Creative Review explores the story behind 20 of the most iconic logos of all time. From Michelin to Fed Ex, these logos have inspired generations of graphic designers.
Read the full article in creativereview.
A Freelance Designer’s Guide to Attracting Clients
This guide to attracting clients may help you get your small graphic design business started. If you are a freelance designer looking for local clients then Mark Des Cotes of Resourceful Designer suggests the following places to start:
- 1) Join A Chamber Of Commerce
- 2) Post A Free Online Classified Ad
- 3) Create a Business Card Folder
- 4) Befriend Your Local Print Shop
- 5) Join a Mastermind/Business Group
- 6) Advertise On a T-Shirt
- 7) Get To Know Other Designers In Your Area
- 8) Attend Trade Shows
- 9) Attend Marketing/Business Presentations
- 10) Visit Your Local Flee Market/Farmer’s Market
Read the full article in resourcefuldesigner.
Why You Should Avoid Cheap Design Tools for Infographic Marketing
Many online marketing strategies include infographic design as part of their customer outreach. However too many marketers and business owners are reducing the impact that their infographic campaign could have by using low cost or free graphic design tools.
As a graphic designer, you want to persuade potential clients that your skills and experience are worth paying for. This article in Info Graphic Design Team points out some of the pit falls that marketers can encounter when using free design tools.
Read the full article in infographicdesignteam.
Logo and Branding Articles from 2016
Fubiz have collected together some of their favourite logo and branding features from throughout 2016. Find out what brand would look like if they had been designed by famous artists or enjoy the honest logos series. One of our favourite features is the logos which have been effected by their own product.
Read the full article in fubiz.
DJ Stout’s Best Magazine Covers of 2016
Engaging cover art is essential for magazine design. Pentagram partner, DJ Stout, has selected his favourite magazine cover illustrations from 2016. The main theme of these magazine illustrations from 2016 is not surprisingly the Donald Trump election campaign.
Read the full article in moxiesozo.
Creative Typographic Illustrations
Korean born designer Ji Lee uses typographic artwork to illustrate the word that it represents. These simple graphic logos are a witty example of how typography can say more with visual clues.
Read the full article in fubiz.
True Print: The work of Swiss designer Dafi Kühne
‘True Print’ is a new book which collects the work of Swiss designer Dafi Kühne. Known for his typographic graphic design, this book shows the artist’s use of digital mixed with analogue design.
TRUE PRINT – Things I keep telling myself – Poster from Dafi Kühne on Vimeo.
Read the full article in itsnicethat.
10 Posters That Sum Up Designer Problems
As a talented graphic designer, there are many frustrations which we must overcome on a daily basis. From clients who offer their design advice to technology going wrong to meeting deadlines. This collection of poster designs reflect some of the problems which we must overcome during the graphic design process.
Read the full article in creativebloq.
Graphic Design Cheat Sheets to Make Life Easier
Whether you need to quickly find the layout dimensions for a facebook banner or a html reference then cheat sheets can be a designers friend. You can link to one of these 15 graphic design cheat sheets to take advantage.
Read the full article in creativemarket.
Inspirational Vintage Packaging Designs
Everybody seems to love vintage graphic design. Vintage packaging design offers nostalgia for people who remember it from their childhood. It also provides inspiration for designers who love using classic designs to market new products. Here is a collection of 40 classic packaging designs to inspire your work.
Read the full article in inspirationfeed.
Women Doing Amazing Things in Graphic Design
From established design superstar Paula Scher to new comer Jessica Walsh, this article has collected 33 of graphic designs most inspirational women. If you want to be inspired by graphic design with a feminine touch, check out this link.
Read the full article in designschool.
The Emotional Power of Colour
As graphic designers we use colour throughout our day. Colour is used to help consumers associate a product with a particular brand and to convey a desired mood. This article in thenextweb explores the ways in which our brains interpret colour and how we can use colour to our advantage when designing.
Read the full article in thenextweb.