edwards design blog

Difference between RGB and CMYK

createone — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 15:34:57 +0000

RGB and CMYK are the two most prominent and typical color spaces / formats / models used in the world of design. In print, web, or digital media, a basic understanding of what the differences are, means a fledgling designer can vastly improve the quality of a project.

RGB (Red, Green, Blue) is the typical color space used by electronic displays, monitors, pda screens, etc. In RGB, images are created by combining red, green, and blue light. Process of addition can create millions of different colors by using varying concentrations of the primaries. So when designing a website, web banner, buttons, e-newsletter, etc., your images and files should be set to this profile. Chances are any image you receive will be RGB by default, but it’s always a good practice to check.

CMYK is the primary color model used by color printers. So for flyers, brochures, advertising, newsletters, direct mail pieces, etc., a CMYK profile may provide better quality results or a better expectation of what your results will be. CMYK creates different colors in a subtractive process using four colors or inks: cyan (blue), magenta (red), yellow, and black. Chances are your inkjet, bubblejet, or laser printer at home has a CMYK or CMYK variant setup. There are many RGB colors that CMYK printers cannot reproduce. Something that looks good on the monitor may not retain that quality in the printed piece.

For design or consulting questions or jobs, visit us at energdesign.com, an Orlando / Central Florida based design company dedicated to your success. We prompt a healthy understanding of our industry and self reliance in business.

Choosing a Web Host…Part 1

createone — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 15:32:40 +0000

With so many hosting companies available after typing just a few words into a search engine, how do you find the right host for your needs? There are many factors involved, and the folks here at edwards design make one major recommendation…Don’t base your web hosting company on price ALONE!

Here are some items to consider when you are on the hunt for a new web host:

Server Type - As a rule, if you have a desire to use ASP, a Windows-based server is really your only option. If ASP isn’t required for what you are planning to do with your website, a Unix system is the way to go. It is typically less expensive, more stable and with everything available for it, it’s almost a no-brainer. For those planning to develop dynamic PHP sites with database connections, Unix-based servers open up the majority of what the web has to offer you.
Reliability and Support - This is a big one, so look into it with anyone you choose. Being referred by a friend is always a good way to go, so ask around. Check potential hosts out on message boards and review sites. What does the host have to say about itself? Does it give a guaranteed up-time over 99%? Does it offer refunds when it can’t deliver on that and other promises? And what happens when something does go wrong? Is there support staff available 24/7? An outage can happen anytime of the day or night, so it’s good to know you have someone monitoring the system on the same schedule. How long are their response times? Do they offer a guaranteed response in hours or days? Do your homework on this one, as it will save you some disappointment down the road.
Pricing and Payment plans - Yes, price plays a definite part in the choice. But it shouldn’t be the end-all to the search. You get what you pay for after all, and in the same breath, the most expensive doesn’t automatically equate to the best host. Consider everything as a package and you can’t go wrong. Also, most companies offer monthly, quarterly, and yearly plans (typically offering the best price when you prepay a year). If you want this to be cut and dry, and you are confident in the service offered, then go for a year. BUT, though the monthly plan will cost a few dollars more, it gives you an opportunity to see what service they offer before committing to anything long-term.

Another installment coming soon, courtesy of edwards design. If you need a recommendation, contact us, we’d be glad to shine some light on the subject.

What’s Your Corporate Identity?

createone — Sat, 22 Sep 2007 02:58:55 +0000

Your brand or corporate identity plays an integral role in your business and its success. To either establish or re-establish your brand, consider its importance before hiring a graphic designer or design group to develop your corporate id. Corporate id is, on a larger scale, comprised of three elements - design, communication, and behavior. In this post, we will address design.

A company’s name, logo, the color schemes utilized, slogans and tags, and type selections are all elements that commonly make up the basis of its corporate identity. Ensuring a solid and succesful brand involves planning for possible uses, developing the desired identity and its associated elements to meet those needs, and maintaining the usage of that identity inside and outside the organization. Be sure to set standards for the usage of your company identity (logos and color usage in brochures, reports, advertising, vehicles, uniforms, etc.) that are beneficial and sensible.

edwards design, based in Orlando / Central Florida, has created solid corporate identity packages and logos for companies from start-ups to the well-established; contact us today and see what we can do for you.

Image Size and Quality

createone — Sat, 22 Sep 2007 00:48:15 +0000

We get questions all the time on what we need from clients image-wise to create a quality piece. Be it an advertisement, brochure, flyer, direct mailer, whatever, some basic principles should be understood, so that you get the best quality possible. Here is a basic set of guidelines that might be beneficial prior to submitting an image to us or any designer.

Let’s begin with some definitions:

pixels - Dots of color that your photo is comprised of.
image size - The number of pixels in an image, both for length and width.
dpi - dots per inch - The resolution of the image is determined by its dpi. 300 dpi means a file has 300 dots, or pixels, across every 1 inch within it. An ideal size for any submission is 300 dpi.
file size - A measurement typically expressed in kilobytes (KB) or megabytes (MB).
profile – The color space the image uses. Most digital photos are, by default, RGB. Others may include CMYK or Lab.

Calculating the image size:

The file you want to provide will, by default, have a set height and width. It can be displayed as inches, but more commonly by pixels, i.e., 3000 x 5000 pixels. So to determine 1) if this image is large enough for the application, and 2) is the resolution good enough to produce a quality piece. We can answer both these question by simply checking the properties of the image. Let us first, ALWAYS base our calculations on a 300 dpi resolution. So, if we check the properties of an image and it states that the image is 3000 pixels or dots wide, we can divide that width by 300 to get the images width (10 inches wide) in inches at a resolution of 300 dpi. It is a formula that can be useful to those who do not have access to graphic applications. And it works with any desired dpi:

300 dpi, 10 inches x 5 inches =
150 dpi, 20 inches x 10 inches =
75 dpi, 40 inches x 20 inches =

all are 3,000 x 1,500 pixels.

So on your next project, be it a brochure, flyer or a photo you want retouched or restored, consider what you are submitting to achieve the best results.