Rounded corners #indd

https://steblina.notion.site/Rounded-corners-5f81d29820514e218aa92c0c14d52bf4?pvs=4

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KnowHowToDesign
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Strange, but many guys don't use the mask for raster images in Illustrator at all. For example, with its help, it's easy to recolor a black and white picture.

Take a colored shape the size of the raster image, make it a Make Mask in the Transparency palette. Click on the black square and paste the raster from the buffer. Don't forget to check the Invert mask box.

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KnowHowToDesign
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SVG logos library

https://svgl.app

——
KnowHowToDesign
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Selection by path #ai

In Illustrator, sometimes the text bounding box can be so large that when selecting other objects, it gets picked up even if the actual font isn't within the selection area. Or when small text is under large text, it becomes difficult to select the small text separately.

So, check the box for Type Object selection by Path Only, and text will be selected only by its baseline. You're welcome.

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KnowHowToDesign
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Shigeo Fukuda

One of my favorite Japanese designers. He is recognized for his Escher-like approach with optical illusions, executed in a minimalist and elegant style.

I adore the poster for the UCC coffee company exhibition, 1985.

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KnowHowToDesign
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A simple manipulation you're reacting to.

There's a simple and old way of manipulating—bringing in a comparison. When your opponent runs out of arguments from the discussed subject, they introduce examples from other areas. It's like driving a car, then immediately switching to a bicycle—do you feel the difference? Or, like playing the guitar, then being handed a harmonica.

A favorable comparison is like wine, it needs to mature. The opponent changes the subject in search of persuasiveness like a chess player makes a castle move.

It's not scary to use such a technique yourself, but it's important to watch out not to fall for it. Avoid logical corners.

Bloggers love to bring out a weak point of view, backing it up with non-substantive arguments and comparisons. It immediately reminds me of a line from a movie: "Tell me, little one, what do you want: to have your head chopped off, or go to the dacha?"

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KnowHowToDesign
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Art brush #ai

The drawback of the Illustrator’s brush is that the brush is applied to itself at intersections.

This can be fixed by cutting the segments of the brush where possible.

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KnowHowToDesign
https://www.youtube.com/@steblina
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Selection by path #ai

In Illustrator, sometimes the text bounding box is so large that when selecting other objects, it gets caught even if the font itself is not within the selection area. Or when small text is underneath large text, then it becomes difficult to select the small one separately.

In short, check the box for "Type Object selection by Path Only", and the text will be selected only by its baseline. You're welcome.

——
KnowHowToDesign
https://www.youtube.com/@steblina
https://linktr.ee/steblina

It's strange, but many guys don't use masks for raster images in Illustrator at all. For example, it's easy to recolor a black-and-white picture with it.

Take a colored shape the size of the raster image, make it a "Make Mask" in the Transparency palette. Click on the black square and paste the raster from the clipboard. Don't forget to check the "Invert mask" box.

——
KnowHowToDesign
https://www.youtube.com/@steblina
https://linktr.ee/steblina

Assigning Pantones automatically

If you have CMYK or RGB colors, Illustrator can approximate a Pantone color.

1. First, open the Pantone palette via "Load swatches."

2. Select the object with the original colors, go to "Recolor artwork."

3. Be sure to change "New swatch" to "Exact" mode.

4. To the right of the sliders, select the "Pantone Solid coated" palette. Done.

It's better to have a fan in hand, but it depends on each person.

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KnowHowToDesign
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​​About the subtle and shameful

(sensitive individuals, do not read, this is work related)

Simple things at first glance turn out to be not so simple. Take, for example, a press wall. From the client's point of view, it is enough to place a pattern of the logo and slogan, and the wall is ready.

From the designer's point of view, it is necessary to place it in such a scale, proportions, and proximity that when people and cameras appear in front of the press wall, no one covers part of the word «Cocktail» with themselves. At the same time, to check that no "horns" or other indecent things are formed at head level due to the logo. Everything must be checked from different angles and distances, otherwise the conference will be filled with memes.

For many years I have trained myself to see cocks, vaginas, buttocks, breasts, vulgar words; I learned not to forget to check the carrier in reality (doors, intersections, angle of view) so as not to end up searching by the tag "fail". You can send me any work for a test drive, and I will find a uterus, nipple, or whatever you have in it. Colleagues laugh, saying that I only see cocks and vaginas, but in my works not dedicated to cocks and vaginas, you will not see any cocks or vaginas.

The client does not know about such nuances, and should not. It's a shame that many designers also don't know.

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KnowHowToDesign
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Announcement of projects with client requests

At a certain point, I stopped worrying that my projects, which had client interventions, looked weak in my portfolio because I stopped producing weak work. I view any client interventions as design constraints and strive to do the best within those limitations.

If I fail to convince the client of a better execution, I'll try harder next time, and the project will just be a timestamp in my work history. I don't feel ashamed of past works, just as I don't feel ashamed of having worn diapers as an infant.

The secret is that clients usually don't delve into the meta-level. I don't care what their favorite color or geometric shapes are, but I make sure the main theme remains under my control.

— "Red? Sure, I've got plenty of it!"

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KnowHowToDesign
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Rush. Life story.

I was working on a project that involved both the original and translated text. The client was in a big hurry, so he decided not to wait for my translator's text and sent his own, insisting that it needed to be released urgently. As a result, a bunch of photos and memes with the errors “sticks out like a sore cock” and the client's company tag appeared on Instagram. He had to come back to me and redo the release properly.

In about 99 out of 100 cases, the client is always rushing everyone. The designer and editor make mistakes in haste, a thousand-copy print run is released, and then it still needs to be redone. It turns out that it could have been done without rushing, and the world wouldn’t have collapsed.

To avoid this, it is necessary to prevent this sprint at the start in the contract. And don't forget to systematically remind the client that timeliness is good, but haste is bad.

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KnowHowToDesign
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When working with new designers, I immediately teach them convenient and optimal ways to handle routine tasks.

——
KnowHowToDesign
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Dunkin' Donuts

The 1965 Dunkin' Donuts logo is just awesome, my favorite version. Both with and without the cup. I don't understand why they changed it.

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KnowHowToDesign
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Repetitions and Meaningful Grouping

When there are repetitions in text or graphics, I look for ways to eliminate them. For example, on a page with chairs, there's no need to label each product with the word "Chair." Instead, give all the cards a general heading, such as "Comfort Chairs," and include only the index—Comfort QX1243—inside. If all chairs have the prefix Comfort, place it in the heading: "Comfort Chairs."

Instead of having "Buy," "Buy," "Buy" on every button, replace them with a single button showing the price. Instead of listing "Director," "Director," "Director" under each photo, group them under a single heading: "Directors."

Repeated elements signal that the designer and editor are not paying attention to the content. This applies to icons, thumbnails, photos, or any other recurring elements.

Are there exceptions? Sure, maybe once every ten years.

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KnowHowToDesign
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Sampling Wayfinding

There's an interesting aspect in wayfinding where you need to handle user queries in a way that ensures they receive only the necessary information at the right moment.

Imagine we have an arena, a concert venue, or a theater with multiple entrances, floors, and sections. While the user hasn’t found the correct entrance, the floors and seats don’t concern them, so the focus should always be on the entrance number.

Once the correct entrance is found, the user is interested in confirming that the needed section and seats are available. When they reach the correct floor, we change the information priority: now, the section becomes the most prominent detail. Then, the section and floor number become secondary to the block containing seat numbers. Even if we remove the section index in the final chart, the colored outline will still indicate the section we’re in.

In the image, there's a good example where the information is organized in such a way that it not only answers direct queries but also demonstrates logic. The signs clearly show that there's also Entrance I with seats up to 40 and a group of sectors AB.

Sampling and prioritizing information helps to grasp the overall concept of the wayfinding system: what follows what, where I am, and what’s next.

The great thing is that this approach is just as effective in organizing large projects, drafting complex documents, setting up a pipeline, or managing timing.

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KnowHowToDesign
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TOC bookmarks #indesign #indd

When you create an automatic table of contents in InDesign, check the "Create PDF Bookmarks" option. This will generate bookmarks for the entire document based on the headings and subheadings (Window—Interactive—Bookmarks).

This feature is handy for quick navigation in multi-page brand books, for example.

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KnowHowToDesign
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Various double helices, fingerprints, and similar spirals are created through a semicircular offset. Don’t forget about this and don’t waste time doing it manually.

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KnowHowToDesign
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Create gradient #ai

A new feature in Illustrator — automatic gradient creation. With Cmd, click on the swatches and drag them into the gradient palette (or click Create Gradient in the swatches menu). It’s a small thing, but nice.

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KnowHowToDesign
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On the website https://branddb.wipo.int/, you can check the database of existing logos. There are options for checking by concept (AI), by shape, colors, and name.

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KnowHowToDesign
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