07 May 14:56

Infographics: Data meets Design

by Gian Bautista

Suzymarie.johnson
o, rly?

They say knowledge is power, but how do we make knowledge powerful?

Infographics, a technique we use to communicate information more quickly and clearly. It is where “data meets design” and both cooperates to convey a message through good visualization.

In this motion graphic by Column Five, they showed some of the visual techniques a designer could use to communicate ideas and information effectively to a specific audience.

How many sevens are there in this number set?

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This example shows how a simple change in color, size, orientation and flicker can make it easier for us to count the sevens.

Color

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The simple color change made it easier for us to see the sevens almost instantly. You could also tweak the size, orientation, and even make the element flicker to direct your audience’s eyes into it.

Size

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Orientation

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These changes we do are “visual clues” that an average human brain processes within two-hundred and fifty-two (250) milliseconds.

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In infographics, we use these elements to communicate messages such as: color for correlation; size for quantity; and orientation to show trends. The power of design in communicating information doesn’t stop there. It can also be used to visualize processes, hierarchy, anatomy, and chronology.

ALSO READ: Environmental Graphic Design: Architecture meets Graphics

Check out more Graphic Design tips from our articles section. Share your thoughts about this feature through the comments box below and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Tumblr, and Pinterest.

You! Be Informed! #0061 – Paypal’s New Brand and Identity

by Julya Buhain

Suzymarie.johnson
this is the best thing i have seen all year! can't explain why though...

Paypal is sporting a make-over. After 7 years of carrying the same logo, Paypal has unveiled a new logo and with it a new branding strategy. Paypal, the e-Commerce and online banking giant, has changed tactics and is endeavoring to create ‘a people powered economy’.

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The rebranding was done by FuseProject, a design and marketing strategy powerhouse based in both California and New York. The rebranding was headed by Yves Behar – founder and CEO of FuseProject.

For the logo they decided to go with a bolder wordmark, a stronger monogram and more vibrant colors to emphasize both trust and innovation. They kept the italicized text to symbolize how dynamic their brand is. They wanted to go with a new logo that better represented perceptions of youthfulness, trust, energy and innovation. The logo itself is crafted with a modified version of the Futura typeface with softer edges.

Here are some of there redesign progress snippets:

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David Marcus, the President of Paypal has a few words about this transition:

“Our new brand identity goes far beyond an updated logo, we have aligned this with our first global brand campaign. We’re setting a new expectation with our global consumers, developers and merchants: PayPal is redefining the future of money by putting people first. After all, money doesn’t make the world go round, people do.”

Here’s the full video of him discussing the marketing strategy:

Being the Go-To for digital payments, Paypal in it’s branding has to establish a level of friendliness with it’s consumers. Conversions matter, which is why its website has also been revamped. Sprouting a mobile first approach with easier forms and a gorgeous user experience.

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Here are some shots of the rebranding in actions:

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So, Creatives – what are your thoughts? Did paypal make or break it with this new resign? Could you have done something better? You can check out some of the other rebrandings we’ve covered like, Reebok and Visa. Let us know what you think in the comments below. You can also hit us up on our Facebook, Twitter and Google+ profiles. Lastly, our RSS Feeds is open for subscription, so that you can be informed!

Sources:

Infographic: The Working Dead

by Kerby Rosanes

Workplace zombies? Yes they exist and each of them are well covered in this awesome infographic by AtTask called “The Working Dead” that enumerates the eight types of workplace zombies devouring your productivity.

Inspired by the popular show “The Walking Dead“, the infographic categorizes the people that slows down the pace of your team as workplace zombies. Example’s include the “Crawler” who doesn’t keep up with the established process, the “Howler” who always complains and draws other people’s attention to their tasks, and the “Shifty” who switches tasks and priorities on a daily basis.

Check out the infographic below or head over to AtTask to view a bigger version. You might just identify someone you know under one of the following zombie classifications.

The Working Dead

Macaw: A Frontend Web Developers Dream

by Julya Buhain

Macaw is a new application that’s perfect for front end web developers. It churns out semantic, valid HTML with very easy customisable CSS. The designs are responsive and easy to work out when the code is exported. Easily, one of the best new additions to any designers tool kit. With the influx of design tools this day and age, the modern web designer has more options than the combination of Photoshop and Dreamweaver to get their code out there.

Whether you work with mock up first and then go straight to code, or if you start your work in Photoshop and code last. Macaw is interesting because you skip that step between the draft code and the final output. You visually lay out what you want to happen, and then just polish it further. It’s sort of where Sketch and Dreamweaver meet in between.

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The idea for Macaw sparked when Adam Christ and Tom Giannattasio noticed the bridge between designers and developers. They started a kickstarter, with a targeted goal of $75,000 to fund the software. On the first day, they had already surpassed the amount – showing the design community’s clear cut need for this tool. Initially launched for early backers in mid January, and with a stable release just coming out earlier this April. Macaw has been making waves all month as designers are enjoying the program.

FEATURES

Here are some of the features, I’ve been loving:

Responsive Code - Macaw is mobile first! It does everything from 100% width sections to fluid code.
Global Styles – You can apply designs/settings to more than one element, and it carries to everything with that style.
Typography - has excellent support for web fonts!
Interactive – You can also add scripts.

Not convinced? Check out this work flow.

Macaw Sneak Peek from Macaw on Vimeo.

Having had the weekend to play around with the trial itself, I’m really quite pleased with the potential of the program. I’ve recently made the shift from Mac to Windows, so I’ve been looking for an alternative to Coda. Most of what I’ve been hearing about Macaw has been really good so far, and I whole-heartedly agree.

If you want more of the latest Web Design tools, you can check out our list of 15 Web Apps for Web Designers. Have you used it yet? Or do you have any thoughts? Suggestions for alternatives? Let us know your thoughts by leaving a comment below. You can also hit us up on our Facebook, Twitter and Google+ profiles. Lastly, our RSS Feeds is open for subscription, so that you can stay creative.

In-Depth and Up Close Process Video of a Watch Being Made

by Bobby Solomon

NOMOS Glashütte

German based watchmakers NOMOS Glashütte are known for their high caliber of watchmaking and this video proves it. Aptly titled Look over the watchmakers’ shoulder we get an intimate look at the intricate process that goes into the making of a watch. It’s honestly mind-boggling to think of how confident these makers are at creating something with such small scale. I think it also clearly shows why these watches are so expensive: it takes a lot of work to make something so perfect.

esbensjensen likes this

07 May 14:28

Grey, Singapore: Multinational Typeface

by Garth

The team at Grey Advertising‘s Singapore office designed a fascinating modular Multinational Typeface, using colors and composition representative of the flags of all 106 countries in which the company does business.

I love the duality of feelings that this series evokes — while the diversity of color and variation in form celebrate each country’s individuality, the modular structure joins the letters together in one global, united system. Each character/country is unique, yet everything fits in place together.

Grey Singapore: Multinational Typeface / on Design Work Life

Much has been written and said about the needs of our global economy. In fact: heated debates have and are still taking place about the dichotomy of global vs. local.

Here’s our take on it all: when you set up a new hub to work with the rest of the world, it kind of makes sense to install a multinational team to do so. Not just a local setup running a global account, but a team that has got a clue about the world out there. We did just that. And we invented a design tool to brand this team, and to communicate our mindset and vision – the world’s first multinational typeface.

Grey Singapore: Multinational Typeface / on Design Work Life

Grey Singapore: Multinational Typeface

Grey Singapore: Multinational Typeface / on Design Work Life

Creative Credits
Designer/Typographer: Luis Fabra
Photography: Theia pixelworx

Suzymarie.johnson likes this

07 May 14:25