As a child she suffered from Polio disease and nearly died in a fatal accident when she was a teenager. It was during her recovery that she started painting and experimenting with self-portraits using a specially-made easel with a mirror connected to it allowing her to paint in bed. Her art took a deep influence from the Renaissance masters and the avant-garde movement.

As well as art, Kahlo had a keen interest in politics and joined the Mexican Communist Party where she met the famous artist Diego Rivera. He was amazed by her paintings and even more so by her, which eventually led to them getting married. Their relationship was pretty turbulent and was marked by multiple affairs from both sides. Though they were both transparent about each other’s infidelities, Diego would get extremely jealous when a woman lover was involved in Kahlo’s life. Their marriage became further strained when Diego went on to have an affair with Kahlo’s younger sister. Her painting ‘Memory, the Heart’ reflects the pain she suffered during this period. They both eventually divorced but remarried again a year later, but it continued to be rocky.

It was during her travels with Diego that she took inspiration from Mexican folk art and developed her unique artistic style. This was quickly noticed by a very famous surrealist artist André Breto, who arranged Kahlo’s first solo exhibition. He considered Kahlo a surrealistic, but she rejected this statement and said she painted her reality.

In 1953, just a year after the exhibition she died at the age of 47. She was crippled by multiple disabilities and long-term medical issues throughout her life but came face-to-face with these and turned them into art. Kahlo ultimately painted the diary of her life. Each painting, whether it be a self-portrait or a still life, captures a moment in her life whilst exploring questions of identity, post colonialism, gender and race in the Mexican society.

Today she is celebrated more than ever due to her indigenous culture and her vision of the female form. She has become a recognised figure in the history of art and regarded as an icon for the feminism and LGBTQ movement. She didn’t conform to beauty standards. Instead she celebrated her facial hair and accentuated her unibrow with an eyebrow pencil. She was challenging the norms of society, which would be seen as progressive in today’s era.

She was an amazing woman artist who has left behind a legacy that should not underestimated. She is an influencer, not only to artists, but to people who suffer similar painful times in their lives, be it a failed marriage, miscarriages, assaults or severe injuries sustained in accidents. Through her work, it gives the viewer hope that they can also endure and recover from these experiences.

Quotes

“Passion is the bridge that takes you from pain to change.”

“Don’t build a wall around your own suffering or it may devour you from the inside.”

“They thought I was a Surrealist, but I wasn’t. I never painted dreams. I painted my own reality.”

“I used to think I was the strangest person in the world but then I thought there are so many people in the world, there must be someone just like me who feels bizarre and flawed in the same ways I do. I would imagine her, and imagine that she must be out there thinking of me too. Well, I hope that if you are out there and read this and know that, yes, it’s true I’m here, and I’m just as strange as you.”

Many start-ups understand the importance of a website and rush to get something up and running as quickly as possible. This is all very well, as having a website can immediately allow potential customers to see what you do. Whether those customers decide to stay on the site, purchase something and return is another matter. 

One way to tackle this is to have content that is engaging, and to ensure that on screen it looks visually exciting and attractive. Layout is one important factor when thinking about a website, Imagery is another.

Why do many companies fail on this crucial point and why is it over looked?

The truth is many companies do not understand the relevance of having beautiful images. For them they fail to see the connection that a better-looking website can potentially lead to more sales through a better user experience. They will leave their site design to an agency or web designer who will often use whatever existing assets they are given and will assume that would be good enough. Obtaining additional images or graphics is just an added expense that isn’t warranted. 

Images are more powerful than words.

People digest information easier through images, shape and colour then compared with words.  Having large amounts of text on a site may be inciteful to the end user but it’s no good if no-one actually reads it. Instagram, a social media platform based on sharing information through images have over a billion people use its app every month – a great indicator of how people now consume data.

What are the benefits?

1. You look professional.

Having a well-designed website that is attractive gives the impression that you take pride in the services/ products you offer. You understand the importance of quality and have attention to detail. You operate in a professional manor and care about your audience. 

2. Stand out from competitors  

A beautiful website can make you stand out from other companies competing in the same space. It can make your company look modern and up to date in comparison to competitor sites that may look tired and dated. 

3. Brand builder

Imagery and assets used for your site can help empower your brand. Colours, fonts and images used in your marketing material can be leveraged on your site to make your brand have a consistent look and feel – giving the impression that you are a well-established company. 

What imagery can you use on a website?

1. Photographs  

This is the most basic asset that can be leveraged on your website other than words. This is also the main type of medium that many sites fail to exploit fully and use effectively. This is due to a lack of know-how on how and when to use photography. When it is used, its often-using poor-quality images that have low resolution and poor composition. 

There are many ways in which to make the products stand out and look better on screen. See our blog ‘5 ways to display products for your website and product portfolio’. For service-based companies, photography can be used as a tool to complement text and an evoke an emotional response. For instance, private chefs who sell their service as a cook can capture attention through great photography of their food. Having mouth-watering photographs with elegant plates of food can capture an audience like nothing else.

Photography doesn’t have to be expensive. There are many photographers out there that are competitively priced. These professionals can help capture what you do effectively and utilizing the images on screen can help set you apart. Alternatively, there are royalty free sites that allow you to download high res images for you to use. Depending on the license agreements, you can use and adjust these images how you see fit.

2. Vectors

Using vectors and flat graphics is a great way of commutating information. They can be used as icons to represent what your core competencies are or be used as icons in a diagram. There is a great way of adding colour and detail that perhaps a single image wouldn’t be able to capture. Vectors can be used as repeat patterns and overlays to cover large areas on a site. These can either be created by vector illustrators, bought through vector sites or be used from free sites where you would have to give accreditation.

3. Sketches

An underestimated medium that can provide originality to a site. They can be used to communicate sensitive topics of discussion and provide a more emotional engagement with its target audience. This type of visual can soften the look and feel of a site to make the person reading more at ease with the subject matter.

4. Video and Animation

Video and Animation can be a great alternative to image slideshows or image reels used on a site. They allow a lot more content to be shown in a very short time. It can enable complicated diagrams with large amounts of text to be explained succinctly using a medium that’s far more engaging. Companies have now started to use this on their home page to hook consumers to stay on the site for longer. Incorporating sound with video also means that there can be little to no text on the page. Video and Animation however can be expensive depending on the length. As well as this, they take up large amounts of space and Loading speeds may vary depending on your internet speed.

Incorporating just some of the guidelines mentioned above will help ensure that your website is visually exciting. It will compel consumers to linger on your site for longer, view further content and engage with your business in a much more meaningful way. 

Branding

You should really only start to think about developing your website once you have established your company logo and brand identity – if you haven’t already done so. Using your brand identity can help shape the look of your website and save you time. You can use existing colours, patterns, imagery and in most cases fonts you already use. This will help ensure your brand look is consistent across all touchpoints, allowing customers a more memorable brand experience.  

The aim for your website

Your website should always have an aim. Is it set up to inform people about your business? Is it set up to sell products online? Or is it to show case your work and to encourage visitors to get in touch? Having a purpose will shape the sites structure and a user’s consumer journey.

Know your target audience

Who is this website for? Understanding your target audience is crucial as this will shape the design and theme of your site. Knowing who you are selling to and communicating with, will allow your site to be more effective in delivering its message.

Choose your domain name

Your domain name ideally should be the name of your business as it makes it easier for consumers to remember. If you are unable to use the name of your business as the domain name has already been taken, you should then use a short name that is associated with what you do. A great example of a company that does this, is B&Q. Its domain name is DIY.com. Your chosen name should reflect your brand tone of voice and crucially should be easy to spell and pronounce. Otherwise, potential customers may mistype your web address and end up somewhere completely different. If you’re harder to find it’ll be harder to sell your product or service online.

Design and Layout

Having a site with appealing design and layout will help viewers stay on the site for longer. It can help elevate your brand and allows users to focus on its value. Information can be understood better and be more effective in engaging with its intended audience. This can in turn lead to a positive customer experience and more repeat visits to the site.

The way in which good design can be established is using effective imagery that is visually engaging – good resolution and not pixelated. A good colour scheme that is well balanced and on brand. And finally having the right wording that communicates successfully to your consumers. 

Functionality and Navigation

Your website should work correctly with no broken links. The navigation should be easy to use and intuitive. Consumers should be able to get directly where they need to go with ease. Loading speeds should be kept to a minimum so content can be seen quickly. If a sites navigation is too troublesome, has broken links and loading content is too slow – customers will just leave your site never to return. As a result, they will go to a competitor, and your site ends up being a non-effective medium. 

Content

Your content should resonate with your intended audience. Having clear, concise and relevant content will encourage customers to read further and to revisit your site. Contents needs to be engaging whether this is through words, imagery or video about your products or services. Doing this will allow you to generate leads and to push your business forward. Companies who fail to do this will stay stagnant and inevitably lose business.

Responsiveness

The way in which consumers now view websites is changing. More people are viewing products and services via their phone than sitting down and browsing via a laptop or desktop device. In 2018, 52.2 percent of all website traffic worldwide was generated through mobile phones. So, what does this mean? It means that a website can no longer cater for widescreen laptops only. They have to be responsive and adapt their design to all devices including smart phones and tablets. This way no matter how the website is viewed – your site will always perform correctly.

Social Media

A social media platform is integral to any business. Whether this be on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, or through video such as YouTube, Vimeo – having a social media page or channel is crucial to advertise and promote yourself. It is a more convenient marketing tool that enables you to share content more easily. This integrated with a great website can provide you with a powerful platform in which to sell your product or service.

A website on average has around 15 seconds to capture the attention of its audience. Within those precious moments, a website has to deliver enough meaningful content for its users to stay and interact for longer. Having a site that manages to tick the boxes of some of the criteria listed above will manage to have a better chance in doing this – and a better hit rate that will often mean better business.

So what does a logo do? 

The sole purpose of a logo is to identify. Without this it would be very hard to determine a product or service from another. They are the face of a brand and establish brand recognition. Once a company develops an ongoing trust with consumers, they can diversify into other products or services far more successfully as a direct result. They become synonymous with quality and are able to evoke a positive emotional response. Their brand logo becomes a signifier that these items hold true to the company values and quality it adheres to. However, this also holds true if the customer experience is a bad one and the product/service is poor. 

Designing a logo

A logo essentially is an identifier. Having a bespoke identifier makes you more unique and makes it harder for others to replicate. It allows you to stand out in a competitive and sometimes saturated market. A logo can enforce standards and the expectations of a company. Coming up with a logo sounds easy enough but coming up with a great logo that’s timeless needs a little more thought. 

Logotype vs Symbol Logo

There is no right or wrong answer in whether a logo should either be a type or symbol. This is very much a personal decision. if you do decide to incorporate both, you will need to decide when and how both shall be used, in what context and in what circumstances. i.e. on a website the composition of a symbol and type may have to be aligned differently in order to maximise space, compared to the arrangement on a letterhead.

The complexity of the logo should be kept clean and simple. People understand shapes and colour better than words as it is easier to process visually. if you do incorporate a logotype, keeping its look clean will allow consumers to digest and understand it quicker. This will also ensure that your logo can stand the test of time and doesn’t mean a costly rebrand in the future. 

Example;

Google have made their logo cleaner and more simplified by using a sans serif font. The ‘G’ is more shape like in appearance than a letter and use vibrant colours.

Designing a logo in this way makes it easier for it to be transferred on to different applications without the need for modification. For instance, complicated Logos that have intricate shapes and a multitude of colours will not be able to be seen easily on a website header with a limited footprint compared to a logo printed on an exhibition banner. Therefore, the application of your logo is also a point to be considered.

Should your logo represent what you do?

Your logo doesn’t have to be an exact representation of what your business does and doesn’t have to be literal. Many company logos on first impression don’t actually give you an accurate reflection or insight on what their business does. Is this a bad thing? Not at all – this allows companies to expand in the future and develop different products and services without being confined to what their logo dictates. Once a consumer interacts with your brand and receives a positive experience, that connection is enough for them to understand what you are about and what your logo symbolises.

Examples;

Both Apple and Walt Disney logos have become synonymous with quality. The logos respresent a high standard in both product and service. They have diversified into many categories including electronics, gadgets, toys, theme parks, and streaming services.

Clever messaging

Logos can have clever hidden messaging through use of colour and negative shapes. Companies use this as a way of promoting their brand values and core messages. This is a great way of communicating to consumers in a subtle way without being too literal and direct. If you decide to take this approach, ensure that the message you promote is one that holds true and is core to your companies’ values. 

Examples of clever messaging;

1. Toblerone – the hidden bear on the mountain is a reference to the birthplace of the chocolate they produce.
2. baskin robbins – the pink parts on the letters also show the number ’31’ in reference to the number of flavours.
3. Beats – the ‘b’ also symbolises a person wearing actual headphones on their head.
4. Tour de France – The ‘O’, ‘U’, ‘R’ on the white circle represents a person leaning forward on a bicycle.

Logo and Brand identity 

A logo is the first step in establishing your company identity, what follows on from that is the brand identity. These are the colours/ fonts/ assets and elements that your company will use along with your logo to promote your products/ service or business. This will shape the overall look and feel and govern how your brand will look on packaging/ marketing material/ documentation and every other touchpoint that your business has with its consumers. This in some ways is as important as the logo as it reflects the type of company you are or aiming to be.  

By understanding some of the considerations mentioned above, you can start to understand the importance of creating a logo whether it be for a service, product or business. Once developed it can enable you to stand apart from your competitors, elevate your business and allow for great brand recognition. 

The Design Portfolio – The Holy Grail 

We all know rule 101 is to ensure you have a shit hot portfolio! Easier said than done.

You may be in two camps – the first camp being is that you think your work looks horrible, dated and no one in their right mind would hire you. You’re scared of all the talented people out there on Pinterest and Behance and feel you cannot compete. 

The second camp being that your over confidence allows you to see every single project of yours in a good light, even that favourite university project that you decide must go in! You think it all looks pretty cool and important to show. Surely that can be put in the portfolio? Well no…

No matter which camp you belong to, it is always hard to critique one’s work. All graphical work is subjective and this should always be at the forefront of your mind when selecting your projects. Projects based around a brief may be easier to discuss as the work has been subject to brand guidelines, set imagery or fonts. As a result, this may give your final graphic work more structure and rigidity, making it easier to explain the reasoning behind your final design. In any case, the truth of the matter is people will still be looking at your work and judging its aesthetics with an emotional response.

So what do you do?

Well the simple answer is to look at it from the agencies point of view. What would they look at and be interested in? What projects have good discussion points that you can confidently speak about? What projects inspire you and have been exciting to work on? The truth is the work you show should be the best of you, your talent, and your thought process.

If it doesn’t meet that criteria it shouldn’t go in. It should be varied and show as many skills as possible, but as cliché as this sounds – quality over quantity is always the right way to go. One way of trying to do this is to show your work to someone else and practice rehearsing and going over your projects with them. This will not only help you to ensure you don’t stutter about a project or waffle on, but it will also help to get an opinion of another person looking at your work for the first time. Another option would be to layout all your projects and let them decide what they like. You will find, it’s mostly certainly a project that you are not so fond of that they like the most.

You also need to have the confidence not to include everything you have ever done. Be confident and remove that 1^stbrochure you ever got published, that advert for that first major client you worked with, and have the reassurance that the work you do put forward is of the highest calibre. 

Should I present that portfolio that I’ve had for the past five years or should I refresh?

I would always say have a look at your portfolio work and be judgemental. Is it up to date? is it on trend? Or does it need a refresh or an overhaul? Some designers carry huge portfolios with samples of brochures, magazines and printed books, whilst others use a laptop/ iPad. Whilst both are fine to do, I would always opt for the latter and only bring along items that really need to be seen to get the full wow factor. Do not bring tattered or dog-eared publications or magazines that have your work printed. And if you do carry a laptop, I would always carry a cable or dongle that allows you to connect to a TV just in case you’re a lucky enough to be in a room where a larger screen is available.  Last but not least, pack your power cable/ battery.

Layout and composition of your work

A good layout and composition can always transform a standard piece of work to an engaging and exciting piece of design. You can do this by showing your work clearly and emphasise key features that perhaps cannot be seen, if shown in its entirety. E.g. texture and grain of a published cover or subtle debossed elements.

Pinterest, Instagram are great ways of seeing how work can be presented and how basic images can be made to look beautiful. For graphic work that has been published, use a good camera to take photos of the piece or hire someone who understands lighting and is able to take Macro shots. If you aren’t able to do this, then look at mock-up’s that you can lay your work on. These are a cheaper alternative and allow you to express your designs through exciting imagery.  There are also plenty of free mock-up sites online, but always ensure they look as realistic as possible. If you have a product to present then the same rules apply. Visit our blog on product layout at: chocatee.com/layout-blog.

The focus

Remember, your work is King and everything else is irrelevant. I have seen portfolio spreads with too many distracting elements like side bars, iconography, and thumbnail photos etc. that distract from the work being show. In some instances, a simple caption in a clean font is all you need to sit alongside your artwork and it’s also a great way to jog your memory too when you start to talk about that particular project.

Brand Yourself

You are a walking, talking brand. You you are selling your self to employers. You are presenting yourself in the best possible light and you want them to invest into what you are saying and what you are showing. Therefore, why not promote yourself by establishing a brand. So, what does that mean exactly? Well for me it’s about having a certain colour palette, layout, typography, Info graphic, imagery or layout design that is unique to you. This should be used on all your platforms, be it the online portfolio and CV hardcopy (InDesign PDF and word format). I would even say establishing a logo for yourself would be a good idea. That to an employer would signal that you understand the power of branding and make you look more credible as someone who has commercial awareness. 

Also, no matter where you go for an interview, be it Agency or In-house B2B, always dress smart. I’m not saying suit and tie like Harvey Specter, but this does show you are serious and care about presentation. 
On my very first job interview, the big boss looked at my shoes, which I though was rather odd. However, in a passing comment a few years later he mentioned that he always looked at the candidates shoes to measure their seriousness. Odd, but maybe just leave those converses for another day.

It first emerged in the 20^thcentury soon after the Art Nouveau movement, which paved the way for modernism. Gone were the days of realism, which dominated the art world during the 19^thcentury, it was now time for the Scandinavian design movement to shine and showcase the most talented names in design history, names like, Hans J. Wegner, Arne Jacobsen, Verner Paton and Ingvar Kamprad (the founder of IKEA).

If you look at the five Nordic countries where the movement stems from then you will notice that the environment has played a huge factor in the design process. Most of these countries are dark, snowy and cold for long periods in the year with short summers, so nearly all the homes have a base of whitewalls and a monochrome colour palette to allow for inner  light with a complimentary warmness of earthy tones, wooden flooring and furniture to depict the mountains and forests of these regions. So a lot of influence has been taken from these natural and organic forms.

Here at Chocatee, we absolutely love scandi inspired products. All that fabulous designer furniture you see in most grand designs episodes makes us tingly with excitement! It is clean and simplistic design at its finest, with the perfect grooves and flawless craftsmanship.

It’s so easy to create a scandi look for your home or office and it doesn’t have to be very expensive. The key is to get a good mix of products that complement one another, but always keep in mind that ‘scandi style’ when hunting for those perfect items.

And if you have the choice to paint your room/s then do ensure the paint choice compliments your furnishings. A quick google search and you will see lots of white and grey tones with hints of pastel colours such as blush pink. While these colours are somewhat essential to Nordic design, you shouldn’t limit yourself to them.

We like the minimal style, so enjoy monochrome colours with a touch of bohemian. And to add a little warmth, we love dashing’s of ochre or mustard.

For the 2019 trends, you will start to see a lot more muted blues, Bordeaux red, sage green, statement ceilings and even terrazzo printed on walls and lamps!

Below we’ve selected our top 15 products that we love. Most of these products come in a range of colours, so be bold and embrace something that reflects YOU. We’ve tried to capture a range of prices and also showcased a few products from some small businesses we love to support. Aren’t they just lovely!

If you fancy looking at further beautiful craftsmanship then head over to Hays, Skandium, Aria, Twent-Twenty One or the Aram store. Get some inspiration or better yet, treat yourself!

P.s be sure to let us know what your favourite product is from our selection and just to be clear, this isn’t an advertisement for these companies or their products, just a topic we are passionate about 

1. Mullion Floor Light in oak ( 495.00, Tom Raffield)
2. Eames plastic side chair DSW (370.00, Vitra)
3. John Lewis & Partners Round Oak Scandi Mirror, 70 x 70cm, Natural (180.00, John Lewis)
4. MOSSLANDA Picture ledge in white 115cm (Ikea,9.00)
5. Set of 3 Orion Side Tables, Dark Stain and Grey (Made, 99.00)
6. Lounge chair at ottoman, (John lewis, 6,642.00. Also available at Vitra)
7. Grey knot pillow (wonderlina, etsy, 21.24)
8. Sheepskin Rug (Dunelm, 35.00)
9. ‘Hans’ Short-Legged Mirror in Oak (Joined+jointed,360.00)
10. Desenio prints and frames (desenio), range of prices)
11. Geo diamond rug (Next, 55.00)
12. Plant Box – Light Grey (Ferm living, 179.00)
13. Asymmetric concrete tray (ConcreteRaw, etsy 24.69)
14. Knitted Pod Footstool charcoal (Argos, 44.99)
15. Concrete Plant pot – Concrete planter (bellsandwhistlesmake, 13.50)

Prices as of January 2019.

Many designers often let themselves down due to their layout being messy and inconsistent, with very little thought given to the page. Having a nice product but poor layout can lead to viewers dismissing the product visuals completely. Product arrangement is the most crucial part of putting a product layout together. Thought needs to be given on how the page will look even before a product is placed or produced. E.g. if you wanted to have a birds eye view of a product range then you would only display product from a ‘front’ perspective and therefore wouldn’t photograph any of the products in a 3 Qtr angle. Once a layout style has been chosen for a page, the products can then be photographed in the appropriate manner. Products can be displayed in a variety of creative ways that can entice an audience.

Here is 5 ways to make your online product portfolio stand out!

Layout 1 – ‘Masonry / Box’

This is an ideal layout to use if you want to showcase different features of a product. The layout works If there is subtle detail on the product that you wish to emphasise to the viewer – (E.g. logo, sewn printed label, embossing). If you have a variety of designs of the same product (only with different graphic executions) then this can also be incorporated in the grid system. Products do not have to be shown in its entirety.

Layout 2 – ‘Bird’s Eye View’

This layout involves having products displayed at one angle only. This layout often resembles products laid out on a table in a row/ grid system or randomly as though some one has just opened a box and has placed a product on a table. Products can be displayed either from the front, side or back. However, it’s only by applying clever, subtle shadow that the viewer will be able to tell that the product is resting flat, rather than it being in mid air. Texture and colour can be used in the background to give more depth to the visual. Again, products do not have to be shown in their entirety.

Layout 3 – ‘Thrown in the Air’

The visual allows products to be placed randomly without using any drop shadows. This is therefore a faster layout option to produce. A sense of depth can be created by enlarging some products off the page and reducing the size of others. Products don’t have to be put in alignment and can be rotated in any direction to give the impression that products are falling or being thrown. This layout works if there is a large number of products that need to be displayed. Although shadows will not be around the product, they can be placed subtly below, giving the impression that the product is hovering over a flat surface.For added effect, products ‘further away’ can be slightly blurred.

Layout 4 – ‘Products on the Same Plane’

Ideal for showing a whole range of products or one product in its entirety. This should be used with drop shadows with clean backgrounds – as the focus would only be the product. Packaging can also be introduced to make the image look more realistic. When a group of items are put together, the  arrangement can be changed to make the image look less static and linear. E.g. have products tilted, leaning, falling on each other or even positioned flat on the floor or above one another.

Layout Background

The emphasis should be on the product and graphic and therefore the background should be as clean as possible and is only a secondary element. Backgrounds shouldn’t detract from the main visual and should only be used to enhance the product. Therefore the backgrounds should never be complicated and in most cases should be simple. Colour can be used if it enhances the product visual and can incorporate the graphics and colours that actually appear on the product or packaging.

Background Colours

a.Having a white background – Puts emphasis on the product, especially if it is rich with colour already.

b.Using the colour of the product – You can use a lighter shade of the colour that’s already used on the main body. This can can elevate the whole page. Alternatively you can use any colour that appears on the product.

c.Contrasting Colours– To make an impactful impression on a page, contrasting colours can be used to lift the product. This only works if the page isn’t text-heavy.

Branding is more than just a logo and a website. Though these are both crucial, they are not the initial building blocks. Rushing to have these done can be a costly process, and if done badly, it can leave a lasting negative impression. As a result, businesses spend money rebranding themselves as their current visual identity starts to look tired and outdated. Like an onion, you have to peel back the layers to really get a feel for what your company represents, its strategy, core values, vision and mission. Once this is done, you can work on other visual elements of your brand, such as logo variations, colour palette, typography, iconography and photography. This combined can form a powerful brand identity.

To enhance your business further, it is crucial to carry your brand guidelines across all social media platforms. This establishes a tone of voice that customers can recognise and identify, no matter where the imagery and messaging appears. Conflicted branding can confuse consumers, which is why consistency is key.

Below we have put together six benefits on why branding can enhance your business:

1. Creates trust – quality is essential when it comes to design. Having a strong visual identity that makes your company look professional will establish trust.
2. Improves recognition and builds credibility – a powerful brand image will evoke emotion and give a lasting impression of your company when people look at it. Consumers often make purchasing decisions based on emotions. If you can receive an emotional response from your audience, and giving them reason to care about your brand, it is more than likely they will buy from you.
3. Increases the value of your product and service – customers are willing to pay more for a reliable product/service if they know they are speaking to a reputable company who know what they are doing. Having a powerful brand elevates your offering.
4. Makes your business look larger – having a strong brand image allows customers to pay the right value for your product/ service without it being dependant on how large your business is.
5. Motivates and encourages employees – having a well-respected brand that employees are proud of, will increase work moral and boost productivity.
6. Distinguish you from your competitors – having positive testimonies and hearing from happy customers is a sure way of getting new business. However, having a strong visual identity across all touch points will only elevate and strengthen their decision to choose you over the competition.

You can offer a remarkable service, but if your brand isn’t solid then you have the potential to lose customers. By investing time and effort at the beginning, the long-term rewards will be everlasting.

Step 1:

• Create a rectangle using the rectangle tool. Make it a bright, and noticeable colour. (fig. A)
• Next, on your layers panel, right click and select the “convert to smart object” option (fig. B). You will notice a small icon appear on the layer as below, and set the layer to multiply
• Once you have done this, transform your shape to match the surface; anything you do to the smart object will be remembered by the software! (fig. C).

Step 2:

• In the layers panel, double click the smart later, and it will open up in a new tab (fig. D). You can also right click the layer, and scroll down to “edit contents”.
• On the new smart layer tab, make your edits and create your graphics as you please. Once this is done, hit save. (fig.E) and close the tab.
• When you return to the file you’re working on, you’ll see the layer has applied itself to the render. (fig. F)

Step 3:

• Repeat steps 1-3 and apply this to all surfaces you wish to have editable layers on see (fig.G)
• You can add layer mask around the smart objects to ensure that the graphic is placed only on the actual box and not beyond that. (fig. H)
• Duplicate the initial box design and place on the top layer. You can use this to create highlights. (fig. I)
• Use ‘Hard Light’ on the effect tab and decrease Opacity to 50% (fig. J)
• Adjust levels by moving the middle arrow (G) to the right to make the layer darker (fig. K)
• Use ‘Smart Sharpen’ to create a Matt texture appearance. (fig. L)

Step 4:

• Once complete, add any other finishes you want to accentuate the render (such as Shadows and background lighting )see (fig. M)

Final result

Now that you have this set up, it will be very easy to edit the layers, as you simply go back to Step 3 in this tutorial, and edit the smart layer; this edits will then auto apply to the base render. You can experiment with this and potentially set up a very complex box (with a window for example) and not only will you be able to change the graphics, but the actual shape of panels.

Firstly, let me say that the design museum is an amazing building in terms of aesthetics. If you love great architecture (avid fan of Grand Designs) then you’ll appreciate the new building from its bold exterior to its minimalistic interior. A great improvement from the previous building, which felt cramped. Although the South Bank, Shad Thames, in my view was better due to its central location, the new home in Kensington, West London offers a much larger area to explore, with other great museums located nearby.

As soon as you enter the foyer you appreciate the large space and open plan layout. A hint of Nordic/ Scandinavian interior springs to mind when staring at the modern, wood paneling situated on the walls and stair case – and what a stair case! A clever use of seating combined with stairs, allowing the flow of people to constantly move to and from floors but also turning it into a communal area where people can sit and have conversation – nice.

So heading through, I decided to have a coffee first before contemplating which exhibit to see. The café was located downstairs. Expecting to be over charged and drinking nothing more than a standard ‘so, so’ coffee I was pleasantly surprised. The coffee tasted pretty good, enough that I went back for a slice of cake and sat down admiring the oak interior that cocooned the café. Arching from the walls, across the roof to the other side were large wooden timber beams. I could hear Kevin McCloud in my ears, ‘isn’t this nice’. Yes Kevin, I would have to agree with you there. My pondering thought as I left was how could I incorporate this ceiling into my semi-detached house with low ceilings – I soon gave up on that idea.

Walking back to reception my wife and I (another designer with a keen eye) decided to go for the design exhibit ‘Designer Maker User’ which is the design museums free permanent display.

When you get to the 3rd floor where the exhibit is situated you are confronted by the hard-to-miss, dominant wall display that you get a peek of as you enter the building. ‘DESIGNER, MAKER, USER’ it says rotating like a bill board every few seconds. What an entrance. Not that the beauty is in the mechanic of this sign being rotated on its own axis, no we’ve seen all that before sitting at a bus stop catching the night bus home, but it’s at the sheer boldness of the language and words being displayed in large Sans Serif font – a great Snap Chat moment to be sure. At that moment, I was rather proud of the fact that as designers we were both part of a creative collective that actually design and make things for a living. Designer, maker, user – we were all three!

Walking across to the other side, another powerful display – a collection of more than 200 objects nominated by the public that have shaped the way we live, from a Vitra Eames DSW chair to a Converse trainer – iconic products to say the least. I half smiled at my wife knowing that a selection of these products were residing in our living room.

The entrance walk way leading to the main exhibit is a vibrant yellow with geometric shapes mapping out some of the world’s most important projects in a chronological time line dating back to the 1700’s. This is definitely worth reading if you have the patience. Not only is it insightful but you also start to understand how design has had a truly global impact across multiple disciplines. Feeling like Dorothy walking along the yellow brick road we follow the wall to the opening of the exhibition. Here we carry on in a traditional museum manor, slowly walking and weaving through the displays guiding you around a set path. Much of products and artifacts shown are interesting, but you can’t help but feel that the display is somewhat amateur, like final year University showcase. The captions were not short enough to be an easy read and not detailed enough to fully appreciate how the project was defined and brought to light. The ways in which the products are displayed unfortunately are nothing fancy. As a permanent exhibition you expect better displays given that this is not temporary. Perhaps there is too much on show as each product is very different from the next? moving from the history of the London underground map to the Air Zoom Mariah Flyknit trainer designed by Nike.

The exhibition goes on and showcases industrial and product design through varies mediums, looking at signage, furniture, fashion, and vehicles through to electronics, with historical mentions of design icons such as Vignelli and Rams. Sections are also dedicated to companies that have truly shaped everyday consumer products like Apple, Sony and Braun. Pockets of areas are visually engaging and you start to get excited again about design and the importance of it. Such areas as the Olivetti advertisement displays are a testament of how beautiful graphic design can be and if done well can stand the test of time. We finally get to the end of the exhibit where there is a workshop and meeting area where presumably students can sit and discuss what they have just seen.

So was the exhibition good?

In my opinion yes and no. Yes for people who are new to design – non-designers, the public, tourists who want to understand more. Yes for school children, students who are thinking of studying the subject further and designers who want to understand product/ Industrial design in a fuller context. Sadly here lies the problem for people who don’t fall in these categories. Design as a subject matter is so vast that in order to cover all aspects the exhibition falls short of being truly great. It has ended up being a rounded overview rather than anything meaningful, especially for designers who work in the industry and take keen interest on the subject already. Yes, it did fill in some holes about design and gave me more insight in certain areas but it still only managed to scratch the surface.

The exhibit never truly engages you fully – but perhaps this was always its intent. A teaser, an appetizer – an introduction for you to explore the subject further beyond the confinements of the museum. Each area in my view should have been more visually engaging and communicated in way that was unconventional from a standard museum set up.  It should have done more to captivate an audience.

That said, my wife had her own conclusion and summarised in her wise words,  if I wanted more of a detailed topic of interest then I should view the paid exhibitions and pop-ups! – A very good point indeed.

‘Ferrari – under the skin’ – here I come!