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DIY Brand Design Book

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DIY tip: Color picker for 4-color digital printing

7/2/2018

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Here's a DIY tip for you. The "PANTONE GP5101 Plus Series CMYK Guide Set" is what you need to pick solid colors you want to print. The colors on a computer screen are close but no match to four color ink on paper. 

World-class color experts founded the Pantone company. They have been creating these professional guides for years.  I keep mine handy to get a real idea of what I will get back from the printer. Another DIY tip: Green and gold colors can be tough to match. Having this color match tool and has saved me headaches many times. 
Isn't technology great? The online printing options available today did not exist ten years ago. In the olden days, you had to "make art." Then paste it to a piece of cardboard and walk it into a printer's shop. No more.

Today I create digital art for my clients, upload and pay for it online. In a few days, the finished job shows up at my door. From business cards to books I've been there and done it.
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Order it on Amazon Prime today

PFL.com
GotPrint.com

Some links to digital printers I highly recommend. Tell them I sent you. Thanks.
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Korean Edition! DIY Brand Design & Arde Books

8/3/2017

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The top book stores in Korea just launched the DIY Brand Design Book ePub edition. It's translated into Korean and available in four online stores at the links below. Thank you Arde Books!


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DIY Style Video

Ridibooks
Aladin Books
Yes24 Books
Bandi & Lunis
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International news!

7/12/2017

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Do-It-Yourself Brand Design will be published and available in fine South Korean ebook sellers late this year. 

We'll keep you posted on the launch dates.

​DIY style!
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Beautiful DIY ads that don't look DIY

7/10/2017

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​Clean and modern design

Selling homes in southern California requires a professional who understands affluent buyer tastes. ​You're looking at the luxurious new brand design for Snyder Sutton Real Estate. This newly refreshed design looks like a super premium brand. 

Snyder Sutton territory covers rolling hills from Malibu to Topanga Canyon. Those hills are dotted with oak trees throughout the landscape and inspired the new brand logo. A classy gold foil "S" sits on top of the iconic tree on the business cards and stationery. Custom email signatures for every agent at the firm were designed so every point of contact looks fantastic.

"Apple Pages saved the day." 

One of the senior partners at the firm wanted the weekly ads in the local Topanga paper to look as great as the new brand identity. And wanted to make DIY updates to next week's ad at a moments notice.

Apple Pages saved the day. After designing the ad, I locked down all the pieces that rarely change like the logos, hairline rules, tagline and contact info. All the house listing photos and detail information is still editable and can be easily updated in the template. Drag, drop and type. That's it. When the new ad is ready, save the file as a print quality PDF and send it to the paper's production department. 

Isn't technology great? This case study is a good example of giving clients DIY options and custom design solutions. Everybody is happy, the way it should always be.

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Goodness gracious! DIY e-commerce!

7/7/2017

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If you've ever wanted an online store of your own it's only a few clicks away. Sell handmade or vintage items, craft supplies or unique factory-manufactured items from anywhere you'd like using Etsy.com. 165 million, mostly US shoppers and visitors stopped by in June 2017 alone.

Etsy seller tools are very well designed and user-friendly. Place custom digital ads on Etsy and Google search results pages. Buy and print custom shipping labels. Use the super easy mobile app. I could go on, but I'll let you investigate for yourself. 
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 "Goodness gracious"
​is a term for "jumping with joy" and it's a substitute for cursing."

​This brand story was inspired by my grandparents who were farmers and the nicest people you could meet. Their down home wisdom made me smile and inspired my greeting card line. And brand identity.

The new logo design includes a photo of them inserted into a likeness of the 1930 American Gothic painting background. The old and the new. Vintage etchings from the 1600-1800's work well with modern sayings and graphics. I found them locked away in dusty art museum archives. I've cleaned them up, added love and modern graphics. 
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    This is where I spill my trade secrets for hungry DIY enthusiasts. Nice to meet you. Creative Director at your service. Also an experienced art director, designer, illustrator, strategic thinker and author of the Do-It-Yourself Brand Design Book. 

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