Use Paper Sheets Efficiently
Paper money-saving tips
Use Standard Paper Sizes
Paper money-saving tips
Lower the Paper Grade
Paper money-saving tips
Conserve Desktop Printing Paper
Paper money-saving tips
Use a Lighter Weight Paper
Paper money saving tips
Use Smaller Sheets of Paper
Save money on paper.
Spec Work vs. Pro Bono
What's the difference between working on spec and doing pro bono work? They're both free work.
Get a Deposit
Requesting a deposit from clients is standard trade practice for designers. While some clients might balk at paying something up front, never apologize or become defensive. Simply explain the rationale behind getting a deposit and, if necessary, explain how it is to the client's advantage to pay in installments.
Get Samples of Your Work
Build the cost of samples into your pricing and pay for more when it is called for.
Include a Kill Fee in Your Contract
The kill fee, rejection fee, or cancellation fee insures that you are paid for all work that you have done up to the time that the client notifies you that they are not going to continue with the design project.
Be Carefule When Mixing Different Kinds of Script Fonts
Most script typefaces are too distinctive to work well in combination with other script fonts.
Don't Use Script Type in ALL CAPS
Get tips on using script fonts more effectively for Valentine's, Wedding announcements, and other uses.
Tone Down the Use of Ornate Script Characters
Give ornate characters breathing room and don't make them compete for space and attention with other fancy letters.
Use Casual Script Fonts to Personalize Correspondence
Use casual script and handwriting fonts to personalize correspondence.
Keep it Fun with Doodles and Funky Hand-drawn Fonts
Get whimisical, modern, and have some fun with loose, loopy, but lovely handwriting or hand-drawn fonts.
Use Elegant Scripts for Formal Occasions
A fancy script is elegant and formal. Use these carefully drawn typefaces with equally elegant images.
Multiple Master Fonts
At some time in the course of your travels you may encounter a thing called Multiple Master Fonts.
The Classic Roman Letterform
A common saying in many fields, including design, is that "nothing is carved in stone." It means that things change, flexibility is allowed.
Dingbat Fonts
Dingbats AKA Symbol fonts AKA Pi fonts AKA Picture fonts AKA Clip Art fonts AKA Printer's Ornaments (how many aliases can a font have?) are typographic ornaments or graphics in digital font form.
What is Desktop Publishing Software?
In the beginning (1985 to be exact) desktop publishing software was synonymous with PageMaker.
Lorem Ipsum Origins
In an actual bit of Latin -- dolorem ipsum quia dolor -- we see the roots of the Lorem ipsum placeholder text.
Default/Typical Guideline Colors
While it may not be universal, the grid lines, margin lines, and other non-printing guidelines used to construct grids in desktop publishing software are usually some combination of blue, purple, and pink.
Typesetting Then and Now
Before desktop publishing, text composition or typesetting was a specialized skill that evolved over time.
Font vs. Typeface
Back in the days when all typefaces were made of little pieces of metal that had to be arranged one character at a time in a big tray for use in a printing press, the word font referred to one specific style of type in a single size.
Gestalt
Gestalt is a fancy way of saying "the sum of the whole is greater than its parts."
