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Your core values are a compass that guides you throughout your life, and they’ve been lurking in the background of all the decisions you’ve been making, no matter how big or small. In this post, I explain the role of our personal values in our business, and give you a process to discover your core values. Read more...
Have you ever stopped to analyze your brand objectively? And if so, what have you found?
Most business owners have no idea what their brand actually means for their bottom line. Nobody told them how people respond to design, and about the power of the first impression. In this article I wrote what I want business owners to know, and hope that with this knowledge, you will be equipped to make a decision that's best for you and your business (whether that means working with a brand designer or not). Read more...
There is a term in the online business worlds called “website shame”. Many of us are very familiar with it. Perhaps you too have felt ashamed over how woefully inadequate your website was. Perhaps you cringed every time you gave the link to a potential client, because you were afraid it will ruin the great first impression they just had with you.
You wouldn’t believe it, but designers can feel the same way. I certainly felt like my website was not doing a good enough job of presenting my work for a loooong time.
Here’s an overview of my redesign process and the reasoning behind it. Read more...
Logo redesign is something most business owners would like to avoid, because it means having to change all your graphics and documents, and let's face it – it's a headache.
In this post I share my own experience of going through this process, and 6 very compelling reasons why you might want to consider it as well. Read more...
New business owners get overwhelmed with all the options when it comes to professional presentation. Additionally, each type of design service is a special beast with its own science behind it, and people often specialize in one area. In this guide I give an overview of the most common visual design services for small businesses, and you'll be able to tell if you need it right now or may need it later, and how much to budget for it. Read more...
Often when I'm talking with new clients about their goals for the branding or website design project, they half-apologetically say something along the lines of 'I'm not sure what I want in terms of design'. What they really wonder is, how do I convey my ideas to a designer if I'm not a visual type? I'm telling you that you don't need to worry about that. Read more...
Rikon is a sci-fi and fantasy convention held annually in Rijeka, Croatia. Even though it has a longstanding tradition (since 1997), it never had a logo. I set out on a task to create the logo design and branding guidelines for this convention that caters to a variety of interests and age groups. See my hand lettered logo design process from sketch to finish! Read more...
When I asked people what they would like to know about logo design so I can write about it, most of them were confused about the process itself, and they didn't know if it's bad if they have no idea what they'd want their logo to look like. In this post I share the entire logo design process for one of my clients, so you can get all the inside info about what goes into making a logo, from sketch to finish. Read more...
If you're just launching your new business or creative venture, you're probably on a tight budget. Designers (myself included) insist that you should not be skimping on the quality of your presentation, but I understand that it's difficult to invest upfront in something that you aren't even sure will take off. So let's skip the preaching how you should absolutely let a professional do your branding and visual identity (it kind of goes without saying). I'll give you some tips how to handle it if you absolutely can't afford it right now, or at least not all of it. Read more...
When I started my website, I wrote about my branding and how it came to be. I wanted NelaDunato.com to embody all my creative work and hobbies, so that people may see the entirety of who I am, and not just one facet. However the homepage image was bugging me a bit. The image I wanted to portray was 'I do all these different things, and I'm managing it well! No reason to specialize, you can trust me even though I claim I can do the job that normally takes 3 people to accomplish!' I'm not sure if that's what came through. All I know is that I did some heavy soul-searching in the past 6 months... Read more...