Knowhowtodesign
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Needful things for a graphic designer. EN version of https://t.me/ne_znal_ai
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A few items with the Amsterdam metro map.

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KnowHowToDesign
https://www.youtube.com/@steblina
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Trade move

There's a tactic that helps sell design. Not many talk about it, but the attentive and bold ones put it into practice.

I once had a client from the cinema industry who was a fan of the zombie genre. I discovered this when he made a reference during our meeting, and I caught it. When presenting the branding, among other mediums, I had the logo draped on a zombie-themed jacket and showcased a close-up frame in the presentation: a close-up of a half-decomposed corpse with a shattered skull, wearing the client's logo on its attire. Besides having a good logo, this move definitely influenced the decision.

Another client often mentioned his collection of old books. Although it had no relevance to the project, I delved into my samples, incorporated a layout partially following the style of 18th-century British books, and presented it. The client later sent me a separate video thank-you from his library, demonstrating how accurately I captured his preferences.

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KnowHowToDesign
https://www.youtube.com/@steblina
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crisp.png
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Crisp Edge

If you want to enhance the clarity of your graphics, add a subtle dark line between color transitions. For an even more energetic look, consider adding two light lines on either side of the dark line. This creates a manual sharpen effect.

This technique is most effective in schematic branches, technical graphics, and similar applications.

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

To add visual fillets to the edges of extruded objects, simply pull down the shadow side slightly. In this case, there is no need to draw any additional elements; the edge will be perceived as rounded.

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KnowHowToDesign
https://www.youtube.com/@steblina
https://linktr.ee/steblina
The AxoTools update with minor improvements and fixes is out. Under the hood, there's another update that the author and I are fine-tuning, but it's not ready for release yet. Once the author rolls it out, I'll provide a brief overview.

https://rj-graffix.com/axotools-transformations-panel-improvements/

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KnowHowToDesign
https://www.youtube.com/@steblina
https://linktr.ee/steblina
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Simulate colored paper #ai

If you need to change the background color of the page and the workspace, go to Document Setup, check Simulate Colored Paper, and choose the desired color in the first swatch. With visible artboard borders, the sheet is tinted; with hidden borders (Shift+Cmd+H), the entire area is tinted.

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KnowHowToDesign
https://www.youtube.com/@steblina
https://linktr.ee/steblina
Don't forget to compensate for thicknesses and overlaps that occur when aligning objects. If you extend the internal white spaces slightly into the black area, the graphics will appear more balanced.

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KnowHowToDesign
https://www.youtube.com/@steblina
https://linktr.ee/steblina
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Notion calendar Open/Closed

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KnowHowToDesign
https://www.youtube.com/@steblina
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Guidelines

You and I are formatting a document, the absurdity of which we both understand.

I'm explaining how to make a guideline a useful, necessary, and functional document. At some point, I just had to stop, or I would never have published it.

https://steblina.notion.site/How-to-create-a-good-guideline-ad985c50a97a48eaa7828681105bf10f?pvs=4

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KnowHowToDesign
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Charts

I notice that the guys are creating beautiful but incorrect charts. Let's tidy things up.

Histogram. It uses continuous variables, meaning they cannot be swapped (for example, from 10 AM to 6 PM or from January to December). The columns in this type of chart are closely packed together, forming "bins" (value intervals).

Bar chart. It uses discrete data (music, movies, ballet) that can be swapped without affecting the chart. Here, the columns don't show intervals but illustrate a specific variable, standing apart from each other.

Line chart. It represents the same type of data as a bar chart but uses horizontal orientation for label convenience. A line chart can never be a histogram.

Grouped line chart. This is when one data strip is divided into subcategories. For example, Music (children, adults, seniors), Movies (children, adults, seniors). Grouping can also be done in a bar chart.

Histogram and stacked bar chart. Here, an entire variable is shown along with its components. For instance, showing the occupancy of a theater with a full scale and indicating its components (orchestra, amphitheater, mezzanine, balcony, box).

I hope this explanation is clear. (Was lazy to translate imgs)

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

Let's continue the topic. The most inaccurate, approximate, and uninformative way to present something is a pie chart.

It looks good but provides only a general impression of proportions. It's acceptable for a few values, but starting from 6–7 parameters, it becomes difficult to discern the differences (and impossible without numerical values). It's especially challenging when some parameters vary insignificantly (11, 12, 15...), and you have to use various colors, creating a confusing pattern.

Moreover, it lacks axes, making it impossible to show dependencies.

One of the advantages of a pie chart is its speed in presenting information. It visually and quickly shows the contribution of each parameter to the whole.

I use it in cases where I need to illustrate the proportions of 2–3 parameters to the whole.

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KnowHowToDesign
https://www.youtube.com/@steblina
https://linktr.ee/steblina
Miniature version of the logo

To ensure that the small version of the symbol looks good, it's not enough to simply reduce the main one. It is necessary to compensate for proportions, internal flows, stroke thickness, and overall volume.

Each symbol should be approached individually, but there are common principles:

1. Make small elements larger and large elements smaller. The symbol should lose contrast because contrast doesn't work well in small versions.

2. Average out white spaces, getting rid of those that are too dense or too open.

3. The symbol in relation to the text part should be larger because small letters are easier to read than graphics in small versions.

4. The signature should be simplified in the small version.

5. Provide more space between the symbol and the signature.

Depending on the symbol, some elements are better off removed altogether. Any intricate details, serifs, small openings, stars, or whatever you have. Keep only what is essential.