HT DESIGNS_ BE INSPIRED

Fonts, fonts, fonts. Part I.

BODY COPY

SAN SERIF For my go to fonts for body copy I tend to prefer fonts that come in a lot of weights for versatility. Some would say Helvetica is overused, and that’s probably true. Others would say the reason it’s #1 is because it is a good font. It gets a lot of love and a lot of hate. As for where I stand, Helvetica Neue (the 1980s Linotype revamp which fixed many issues of alignment and consistency from the original Helvetica family) is my go to san serif font. It tends to work on most projects, and the weights range from Ultra Light to Heavy, and from Condensed to Extended.

I had a typography teacher once tell me something along the lines of ‘a good designer uses very few font families but learns to use them well’. I didn’t exactly take that and run with it, but despite the fact that I probably have more fonts on my computer than anybody else in the office I tend to leave the fun fonts for logos and headlines and stick to certain fonts for body copy.

Other great alternatives
Univers : I use to prefer Univers at one time, but have since converted to Helvetica Neue. But it’s still a great font that has many weights as well, and a bit more personality as the strokes are not entirely monotone in weight.

Frutiger: Univers and Frutiger were developed by typographer Adrian Frutiger. In many ways I actually prefer Frutiger to either Univers or Helvetica. “Frutiger's goal was to create a sans serif typeface with the rationality and cleanliness of Univers, but with the organic and proportional aspects of Gill Sans. The result is that Frutiger is a distinctive and legible typeface.”

SERIF There are so many versions of Garamond it gets confusing, so to be specific my go to serif font family is Adobe Garamond Pro a revival based on Claude Garamond’s original typeface. The Adobe Garamond family is extensive, and includes great additions such as Old Style Figures & Small Caps & beautiful Alternate Characters. Other great alternatives: Bembo, Minion, Palatino.

We Love Helvetica Neue by RogerLima

 

HEADLINE

These days there are a variety of fun fonts that work well for display type that can work depending on the situation. But there are some classics you can always fall back on for display and headline type that always look timeless. Any of the body copy fonts above will work, as they come from font families with extensive variations.

A good headline font is Trade Gothic in its condensed weights, which looks great in advertisements. Another is Futura, which is probably the most common geometric san serif, designed by Paul Renner who based them loosely on the simple forms of circle, triangle and square. It’s great for headlines, and despite being debuted in 1928 it’s a font that always gives a modern feel to designs, which is why I like it. Some tend to consider Futura on the cold side, and Avenir is a great alternative which is not purely geometric or monotone. Another is Avant Garde, which is a geometrical san serif much like Futura (it also has some fun alternative characters). Its letterforms are built of circles and clean lines and highly effective for headlines and short texts. Where have you seen it? The logo for adidas.

In terms of a slab serif font for headlines Luablin Graph or Rockwell are my go to fonts.

Other great alternative headline fonts: Franklin Gothic, DIN, Didot, Clarendon.

Trade Gothic

BOOKS I WILL BUY FOR THE COVER

Let’s admit it- we’ve all judged a book by its cover. And maybe even liked it so much, we ended up purchasing it. And now, we’ve got a row of books we haven’t (or never will) read all because the cover caught our eyes. Here is a list of books I will buy just for the cover design:

Americans in Paris

Everything about this cover is American. It uses pop culture to represent Americans in Paris. And what’s more popular than the American-style envelope? It plays with the elements of travel and flight- whether it’s through the use of the envelope or the image of a plane taking off. I particularly like the juxtaposition of the script against the bold sans serif typeface- it gives a sense of a charming story ahead based on these font choices.

Newsonomics: Twelve New Trends that Will Shape the News You Get

How appropriate is this cover for its content? It’s no doubt that news can be acquired from absolutely everywhere now. This book cover uses the iPhone’s messaging interface. Simple and straight to the point is what makes this book design effective.

The Icarus Girl

When I came across this novel, I was drawn to the photography and the mood of the cover. Icarus (Ikaros), is a Greek myth in which the main character attempts to escape from Crete with his wings of wax and feathers but when he flew, the sun melted his wings and he fell dead into the sea. The imagery on the covers shows traces of this story but it seems that the main character has either just started her mission or has already survived the plunged. I like that the title is set in a serif font- it’s playful but it doesn’t take away from the imagery. In addition, the juxtaposition of the graffiti wall with her fairy-tale like costume suggests a contemporary take on this Greek myth.

A General Theory of Love

I would buy this cover just for the photography. Using chairs as visual representation of love/human emotion is absolutely brilliant. I love that the chosen typeface (Helvetica) for the title matches the style of the chair. Subtlety and wit drew me to this cover.

A Thousand Cuts: A Novel

There is something I find beautiful and vulnerable about hand-written words that serve little aesthetic purpose. The title of this book has been hand-written more than once, showing emphasis. Its placement is almost bleeding onto the edges but not quite- giving a sense of uneasiness. The summary of the book reveals a story of a history teacher going into his class with a gun and murdering three students and a colleague. The white type (written in chalk) and black background (blackboard) in accordance to the line paper on the left margin suggest the mood of a classroom. The big cast of shadow simply adds a sense of mystery to the cover.

Eternal Light

The imagery of this cover is truly on-point to what this sci-fi novel is about. The story revolves around a scientist and a pilot racing their way to the galaxy to uncover the origins of a star and possibly locate an alien enemy. The use of white paper on a black surface to represent the galaxy is cleverly made. I love the details on the title- it wasn`t just placed on to the surface, it`s tucked in between the circular paper which makes it part of the whole imagery.

Chances Are: Adventures in Probability

There is a great sense of harmony that I felt when I first looked at this cover- from the color palette to the configuration of the typography and the imagery. This cover definitely gives off the picture of a balanced well-coordinated story ahead. The top corner revealing that it is an ace of hearts is a great detail and also a nice place to specify the publishing company.

The Tattoo Artist

Whenever I see hand-written type, I automatically check if the letters are different from each other. I think hand-written type should be hand-written and not repeated. It makes the designer look lazy when the letters are duplicated and the typography loses its characteristics. I would buy this book for its cover because it is faithful to these simple details that can really add authenticity to a design.

 

Colour Combinations I Love

DESIGNED by PEARLFISHER

I love the combination of the bright orange and turquoise. It feels fresh and exotic.

DESIGNED by I AM ALWAYS HUNGRY

I'm always drawn to the combination of lime green and black. It feels fun and almost a bit rebellious!

Designed by Edmundson | Martin

I like the two different colour combinations here. The pastel colours work well together and give it a colourful yet subtle look. I also really love the combination of different pinks and purples on the second page, it’s fun but sophisticated. The colour combination on these food packages it what makes it look fun and trendy.

I love the combination of brown & any bright colour. It adds contrast but feels richer then black. it also looks great with photography.

DESIGNED by JJAAKK DESIGN

Design Lessons I learned in 2011: Transitioning from School to Work

In May 2011, I joined the HTdesigns team as a junior graphic designer. Post-secondary school taught me the basics but the professional world schooled me in a whole new different way.

1. Do homework. Just because you are out of school, doesn’t mean doing homework stops. Learning, in general, does not stop. The more you know about a project or a client, the better you will understand them and the better you will be able to represent their needs. I’ve learned that spending 30 minutes to an hour on your own time reading about the client really helped me prepare for the next workday.

2. Prove yourself. Being an A+ student in school doesn’t guarantee that your new employer will see you in the same way. Sure, you may have been hired because you have those A+ qualities, but more importantly, the next step is to show them that you do acquire those characteristics and can only grow from there.

3. Be aware. When I first started working, I thought I knew a lot about the design industry. In school, it seemed as though I had to be aware of the ins and outs of the creative world (past and current) because as a student, I was required to write essays and do presentations. This year, I’ve learned to take initiative about keeping myself aware of everything. Knowing all the important design news or trends simply helped me better my design process.

4. Ask questions. I can’t count the number of times I’ve called on to Lisa to help me with a million and one things – whether it’s about a software issue, design advice or everything else in between. I’ve learned to be comfortable enough to ask questions from everyone. In order to maximize my productivity, there is no room for me to shy away from asking for help. I’ve learned to be proud of being a rookie because that is who I am and there is nothing wrong about it.

5. Proofread. The most difficult thing I had to learn the hard way this year was proofreading. In school, it was the least of my worries. The reason being was my works were not going into production. I was not paying thousands of dollars for printing; therefore I was more concerned about the process rather than the production. In the professional world, both aspects matter equally.

6. Work faster. Doing things right the first time can definitely make a difference in terms of maximizing your production time. This is very well practiced in the office and something I had to learn in order to be able to do more in less time. Spending a bit of time learning new software tricks now and then adds up and becomes a great time-saver, especially during crunch time.

7. Surprise yourself. The biggest challenge I gave myself this year was to dive into the world of web. In school, I did not take any web design classes because it was not part of the curriculum. When I was given my first web design project in the office, I was afraid of not being able to deliver. I tackled this problem by just immersing myself in the project. This was my chance to learn something new in a small amount of time and now that I know a little bit about it, I cannot wait to dive into it more in 2012.

Written by Anne Mendizabal, Junior Designer at HT Designs

Holiday Greetings 2011!!

Every year we like to send out a holiday card that is unique + created by us. This year is definitely no exception. We LOVE the card and we hope you do too.

Designed by Lisa Samtani

A graphic designer's Christmas wishlist.

Top 5 (or maybe a few extra!) on my Christmas wish list:

1. Painted Amaryllis Measuring Cups from Anthropologie.


I enjoy baking, so I would love to receive these beautiful painted measuring cups for Christmas. They are something unexpected, and I could see myself leaving them out on display when I'm not using them.

2. A new font: Mishka by Fenotype

I always like playing with new fonts (I freely admit I'm a type geek). This is a cute, fun and well designed font! Fonts with alternative characters and ligatures are great, they can add that something extra to make invites and logos elegant. I particularly like (shown above) how it has 4 different versions of the word 'by', that can add a lot to a design.

3. Also because I'm a type geek, this letterpress necklace.

 

It's something unusual, and I love the vintage feel (its a reproduction of a letter piece that was actually used on a press). I think it would go great with so many different outfits! (While I'm on theme here, this necklace would hang perfectly with all my other jewelery in this jewelery display made from a Antique Printer Drawer!)

4. Jewlery making kit

A few years ago I played around with making jewelery (sort of making it up as I went!). When I was in Italy in October I had a lot of fun going into the Murano jewelery shops and look at all the fun beaded jewelery. They had a lot of beautiful beads that you could use to customize a bracelet or necklace etc. Kinda had me thinking I wanted to try learning a bit more about jewelery making, a basic beginners project kit to start with would probably be a good idea to start with.

5. 1,000 Package Designs

I love package design, so this would be a great book to have! Its always good to get the creative juices flowing by having new inspiration.

Bonus. Print Magazine Regional Design Annual - Okay I should (hopefully) actually be getting this one in the mail soon. But I'm really looking forward to receiving it so I thought I'd throw it in here. Its a great gift for a graphic designer.

 

 

Top 12 Picks for Christmas

Although the temperature outside is not as frightful as it should be, we are still nearing Christmas Day and there is no more time for procrastinating over purchasing gifts or decorating your house. Here is a compilation of my top 12 products to give and to keep this holiday season.

1. These brass branches add a great amount of warmth and fun to a room. It's a piece that can be used as decorations during Christmas time yet funky enough to be carried on as part of your home decor for the rest of the year. What phrase would you spell out? (Anthropologie, $24.00)

2. These bold storage units are extremely handsome! I can picture these pieces everywhere, from children's playrooms to lofts. It's a great way to liven up a space of any type lover. (Set26, Check website for specific pricing.)

3. The Action Journal is created by The Behance Team. It is a notebook created specifically to organize written thoughts. The templates are not too constrained that it would restrict the creatives from freely jotting down or drawing his or her thoughts. (The Action Journal, $17.50)

4. I came across these ice cubes and I instantly thought of throwing a typography-themed party. How much fun would that be? It can be used with ice, jelly and butter. (Alphabet Ice, $29.00)

5. Every year, DesignThinkers takes place in Toronto where creative thinkers are invited to participate in a collective discussion about anything that is design related. Next year is their 12th anniversary and the discussion is “the unique insight and problem-solving processes of the designer.” (DesignThinkers, Check website for specific pricing.)

6. Thinking about throwing an unconventional Christmas this year? Wood and Wool Stool’s recycled wooden Christmas trees are absolutely quirky and different. Decorate your house with these trees that you can hang on your wall. There’s nothing conventional about that. (Wood and Wool Stool, Check website for specific pricing.)

7. Made out of Polyurethane, this manila-envelope inspired iPad case comes in 4 different colors. It has a clean, fun and functional design. The button closure adds a nostalgic touch to snail mail. (Poketo Envelope iPad Case, $48.00)

8. For all the iPhoneographers, here is the ultimate treat you can give your iPhone and your eyes. This iPhone lens dial comes with 3 lenses: telephoto, wide angle and fisheye. All three lenses are mounted on a case in which you would just simply slide you r iPhone in. It is also equipped with two tripod mounts for portrait or landscape shot styles. Changing lenses is as simple as rotating the discs. (iPhone Lens Dial, $249.00)

9. This unconventional table clock showcases clean and sleek design. As opposed to showing you time with numbers, QLOCKTWO TOUCH spells it out for you. “The time display is set using one of the most accurate precision oscillo graphs.” It’s thek ind of alarm clock that makes you think twice before waking up. (QlockTwo Touch, $599)

10. IdeaPaint PRO lets you turn anything you can paint into a dry-erase surface. It transforms an ordinary space into a collaborative and interactive one, to better widen one’s creativity. Who doesn't want to (IdeaPain Pro, $199.50)

11. If you ever had to cut or score, you would appreciate this utility knife. Its form follows the free and natural position your hand make. No more aching after cutting those home made Christmas Cards! (Art. Lebedev Studio, Check website for specific pricing.)

12. Inkling lets you draw in paper without the need to scan your artworks to turn them into digital files. Draw on any paper surface and Wacom’s new product will cut your production time immensely, bridging the gap between traditional drawing and digital development. (Inkling, $199.00)

SOURCE: Anthropologie, Set26, The Action Journal, Alphabet Ice, DesignThinkers, Wood and Wool Stool, Poketo, Photojojo, QlockTwo Touch, IdeaPain Pro, Lebedev Studio, Inkling)

Top 5 Picks for Christmas

Although the temperature outside isnot as frightful as it should be, we are still nearing Christmas Day and thereis no more time for procrastinating over purchasing gifts or decorating yourhouse. Here is a compilation of my favorite products to give and to keep!

1. TYPE LOVERS

-anthropologie :

1. These brass branches add a greatamount of warmth and fun to a room. It's a piece that can be used as decorationsduring Christmas time yet funky enough to be carried on as part of your homedecor for the rest of the year. What phrase would you spell out?(Anthropologie, $24.00)

http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/catalog/productdetail.jsp?id=21306113&catId=HOME-OFFICE&pushId=HOME-OFFICE&popId=HOME&navCount=42&color=000&isProduct=true&fromCategoryPage=true&isSubcategory=true&subCategoryId=HOME-DESK-OFFICEDECOR&templateType=subCategory

-alphabet ice: http://www.gnr8.biz/product_info.php?products_id=946\

3. I came across these ice cubes and instantly, I thought of throwing a typography-themed party. How much fun would that be? It can be used with ice, jelly and butter.

http://www.gnr8.biz/product_info.php?products_id=946

Silicone rubber ice cube trays. Packof three with 26 letters, A-Z.

Can be used with ice, jelly, butter,etc.

-type furniture : http://www.set26.ch/masse_start.phpor http://design-milk.com/alphabet-furniture/ OR

http://www.set26.ch/offen.html

2. These bold storage units are extremely handsome. I can picture these pieces everywhere, from children's playrooms to lofts. It's a great way to liven up a space of any type lovers. (Set26)

3. DF Korolev-

DF Korolev is a typeface based on “ananonymous Soviet graphic designer from the propaganda displays at the CommunistRed Square parade in 1937.” The package comes with 20 fonts in total. Iabsolutely love it in Thin and Italic Bold. The miniscule “t” is the star in this series.

5. Ampersand necklace:

I adore ampersands but what I love more about this particular one is the unexpected curl! It is laser cut and comes in bamboo. ($28.00, http://www.ponoko.com/design-your-own/jewelry/harrington-necklace-in-bamboo-6694)

2. BOOKS

- Pantone: The Twentieth Century in Color

-

-

3. ELECTRONICS/ACCESORIES

1. POKETO - http://poketo.com/shop/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=1506

Made out ofPolyurethane, this manila-envelope inspired iPad case comes in 4 differentcolors. It has a clean, fun and functional design. The button closure adds anostalgic touch to snail mail. ($48.00

-IcAM Camera case for Iphone - http://www.usbgeek.com/iphone-ipad-case/2206-icam-camera-case-for-iphone-4OR \

Photojojo

For all the iPhoneographers,here is the ultimate treat you can give your iPhone and your eyes. This iPhone lens dial comes with3 lenses:telephoto, wide angle and fisheye. All three lenses are mounted on a case in which you would just simply slide you r iPhone in. It is also equipped with twotripod mounts for portrait or landscape shot styles. Changing lenses is assimple as rotating the discs. (http://photojojo.com/store/awesomeness/iphone-lens-dial, $249.00)

3. CLOCK: http://qlocktwo.com/touch.php?lang=en

This unconventionaltable clock showcases clean and sleek design. As opposed to showing you timewith numbers, QLOCKTWO TOUCH spells it out for you. “The time display is setusing one of the most accurate precision oscillo graphs.” It’s thekind of alarm clock that makes you think twice before waking up.

4. SPRAYPAINT

IdeaPaint PRO lets you turn anything you can paint into a dry-erase surface. It transforms an ordinary space into a collaborative and interactive one, to better widen one’s creativity.

http://hackerthings.com/product/dry-erase-whiteboard-paint-100108/ http://www.ideapaint.com/work/products/

WACOM – INKLING

http://www.wacom.com/en/Products/Inkling.aspx

Inkling lets you draw in paper without the need to scan your artworks to turn them into digital files. Draw wherever and Wacom’s new product will cut your work preparation time immensely. It bridges the gap between traditional drawing and digital development.

XACTO KNIFE: http://www.artlebedev.com/everything/maketicus/

If you ever had to cut or score, you would appreciate this utility knife. Its form follows the free and natural position your hand make.

4. FOR YOUR HOME

1.Christmas Tree - https://www.velocityartanddesign.com/superstar-tree-c-1202-p-1-pr-30814.html

2.raw clock - http://spartan-shop.com/products/525-raw-clock-by-stanley-ruiz

3.antlers- http://www.etsy.com/transaction/60784737

4.White dipped spoons: http://www.ashesandmilk.com/white-dipped-spoons/

Urban glasses: http://www.cb2.com/cb2-buyer-favorites/gifts/selma-flute/f4734

Unconventional Christmas tree; http://www.woodwoolstool.com/prod_trees.html

5. SOMETHING FOR INSPIRATION

- Origami Sticky notes - http://www.thinkgeak.com/geektoys/b21b/

In the creative industry, it is important to practice activities that fuel and exercise the mind. If origami-making is not your cup of tea, these sticky notes may just be the perfect activity for that dull afternoon. Each pad has instructions for 10 different origami shapes.

- ACTION JOURNAL- http://www.creativesoutfitter.com/product/21/action-journal

The Action Journal is created by The Behance Team. It is a notebook created specifically to organize written thoughts. The templates are not too overpowering as to restrict the creative from freely jotting down or drawing his or her thoughts.

- RGD – DESIGN THINKERS 2012 tickets

Every year, Design Thinkers takes place, where creative thinkers are invited to participate in a collective discussion about anything that is design related. Next year is their 12^th anniversary and the discussion is “the unique insight and problem-solving processes of the designer.”

Although the temperature outside is not going down as it should at this time ofthe year, we are still nearing Christmas Day and for all those procrastinators outthere, I’ve put together a compilation of my favorite gifts you can give toyour loved ones.

Inspirations from Italy - Part One

Back in October I took a solo trip to Italy (the perk of going solo is that you can do whatever you want!) In my 11 days in Italy I visited Rome, Florence, Milan, Venice and a few others briefly.

Rome is an amazing city filled with so many historical sights, you turn every corner and you come across more amazing sights. I spent four days in Rome and still found it somewhat of a whirlwind tour. There is an unbelievable amount to see and do in Rome.

I half expected the Colosseum to be on the city outskirts with not much around it. That was a misleading assumption on my part! I stepped out of the subway station and there it was.

The place is unbelievably crowded (tip: buy a Roma Pass and you skip the line), and a bit on the touristy side but regardless it was one of my favourite parts of my trip to Italy (other than the amazing gelato! If you’re in Rome visiting Gelateria Della Palma is a must! ). It was a colossal (pun intended) structure, looking at the ruins I wished I could have seen it in ancient times with the Emperor on his throne and the crowds cheering for their favourite gladiators. If you climb (the very steep stairs!) to the next few levels there’s an exhibit filled with ruins. I actually really enjoyed the graphics that were part of the exhibit, you wouldn’t expect it to be so modern and vibrant in colour (think shocking pink and bright yellow) it was an interesting juxtaposition and let the ruins stand out, not blend in with the info graphics.

During my time in Rome I took a side trip to see the ancient ruins of Pompeii. They did an amazing job excavating it. It was a city buried under so much volcanic ash and dirt yet today you can see the city that once existed and walk the same streets as the people of Pompeii once did. Below is a picture of the incredibley well preserved bathhouse in Pompeii.

Other sights I enjoyed seeing were the Trevi Fountain (I saw it 3 times in fact!), the Roman Forums (beautiful columns), the Pantheon (beautiful structure, with the world's largest unreinforced concrete dome). I also visited the Vatican Museums on my last day and I don’t think I’ve seen so much art in one place, it was incredibly inspiring. Their collection includes everything from ancient ruins to modern art. I never realized how much I really enjoyed sculptures till I saw the enormous collection housed by the Vatican museums. However I think I might be one of few people who have visited the Sistine Chapel and been somewhat underwhelmed. No disrespect to Michelangelo but after seeing so much amazing artwork (many by him), and amazing ceilings on my way to the Sistine Chapel I think I was expecting more. Of course seeing the Creation of Adam was worthwhile enough to go into the chapel.

 

One of my favourite parts of my trip to Italy was to wander the streets around the piazzas and just take in the architecture. Even the buildings holding the shops and restaurants are beautiful, and this was true for the streets around the Spanish Steps and the Pantheon.

Eco-Friendly Chinese Take-Out

"Focusing on sustainability, this packaging attempts to eliminate the need for a plastic bag.For multiple orders, hook carrying strings into the diecut design of the one on top of it. Holds up to three entrees."

I like the idea of eco-friendly takeout containers.I think the best part about this design is how the different containers can connect to each other so there is no need for a plastic bag either.

Designed by JoAnn Arello / SOURCE

Canadian Postage Stamps designs by Paprika

ZODIAC SERIES

Beautiful stamps based on the Zodiac signs. I love the choice of muted colours in the background, with the pop of colour. The halftone pattern, along with the dotted line patterns really add depth.

 

The Date of Issue stamps that match are a great touch.

 

MENTAL HEALTH

This stamp design is fantastic as well, I love the combination of colours, as well solid shapes layered with the line pattern.

DESIGNED by PAPRIKA