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The Brain Child

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25.01.2022 Is professional photos worth the investment? Heck yes. I’m looking forward to some new branded shots in 2021 with the greatest @hayneshayley... I can’t express how important good photos are for your business and have been for mine. It not only gives you that professional look it also makes my website design look a million times better. I’ve had two photo shoots over the past 3 years and I use the 30-40 or so images over and over ... and over again. My top 4 tips for getting the most out of your shoot day: 1. BE PREPARED in the words of Scar. Have some inspirational images saved on your phone to share with the photographer prior to the shoot. That way they can bring the right equipment on the day. 2. BRING PROPS not only do they give you something to do in the scene which allows for a more natural pose they will also tie in the photos with your industry. See in this pic I have a laptop Some other ideas are: - Flowers - Business cards - Phone - Pen and journal 3. RELAX have a laugh with your photographer as the best shots will be the ones where you are really smiling and laughing and not forcing it. 4. OUTFIT CHANGES bring some other pieces to switch up your look - that way the shoot won’t be as one note. Dress quickly so as not to waste time. A jacket and reading glasses over your outfit for example is a great way to quickly get a different look. I’m interested - what is your industry and have you paid for professional photos before?

25.01.2022 Q. What is better than designing packaging? Designing the brand and range for Yes Hair Australia was a beautiful journey. A first for me collaborating with artist @themarker_ with her hand lettered 'yes'. Once the brand was ticked off we moved on to the packaging concept and colour palette. We wanted the packaging to stand out on the shelves and boy, do they! The bright organic "blobs" are the organic shapes formed from the product themselves.... The colour scheme for the packaging is actually drawn from the Australian native flora and fauna that is also used as an ingredient in the products. The answer to what is better than designing packaging is... designing packaging for a product as good as this one, for a good a company as Yes Hair Australia. Australian made, free of nasties and packed with natures goodies @yes.hair.au P.S Is this shot not the most adorable thing you have ever seen? by @rachelltagg @ Shellharbour, New South Wales See more

24.01.2022 ‘FEEL GOOD FILES’ - What they are and why you need them! There are many ups and downs in Freelancer / Small Business Owner land and when you find yourself in a funk you need a pick me up and sometimes that coffee isn’t strong enough. I’ve got an Evernote note dedicated to feedback, lovely emails, messages and images (not just work related) that make me feel good. ... Like this gem below: Hi, I'm not sure if you remember me, but you came to talk at Nowra High School a couple of months ago, I was the blonde girl asking all the questions haha. I found you super inspiring. So much I have decided to open my own business. P.S thank you for inspiring me. You have changed my world and I'm sure that after I start trying to make a difference, I will have changed others worlds and it all started with you. So thank you. This was a few years ago but it’s this that fuels my passion to keep going. Another thing I love to do is watch cute pet videos, especially golden retrievers being adorable. What are things that get you out of your funk? #keepitPG See more

22.01.2022 Reviews like this I understand with a lot of my clients that it’s their first time working with a designer so I tend to err on the side of over-communicating. So much so at times I fear I am borderline annoying. When I get feedback like this well, it makes it worth that extra time and effort in explaining every step and then what’s coming up next. ... What’s your process? Do you tend to explain on a need-to-know basis OR do you tend to over-explain?? Giving my clients the knowledge only makes my process smoother and hopefully leaves them feeling empowered. @thewellnesswitch thank you for your feedback, it’s so important for me knowing I am on the right track with my processes. See more

22.01.2022 HOW TO SPIKE ENGAGEMENT ON YOUR POSTS Leave a typo The keyboard warriors will let you know your foible. Oh yes. You will be told of your careless grammar. #getagripkaren

22.01.2022 I love learning about user experience and what things you should implement on your sites homepage to be able to grab a hold of your viewers hand and walk them to the end goal - what ever that looks like for your business - a sale, an enquiry, a booking or a subscriber. Some web design tips I’ve learnt along the years that I can share with you are: Tell your story straight away, with an image that paints a picture and a short summary of WHO you are WHAT you do WHY they need ...to work with you .... sometimes WHERE helps too is you are location dependent like a restaurant/cafe. Have a CALL TO ACTION in the top right corner of the page and another in the middle of the page. Subscribe pop ups are annoying as hell but they work with the right lead magnet Don’t overload your top menu, have max. 4 pages and put the non-money making pages (blog, about) in the footer menu. Make your sites speed a major priority - you are losing people if you make them wait. Feel free to reach out to ask any design related question you have... I love to geek out on design related topics

21.01.2022 M O O D This month I am vibing with... mosaic design. When I have my design studio I want the entry way to have a mosaic tile. Lines and geometric shapes all play a big part in my latest projects. Serif fonts and muted colours are still on my favourites list and I don't see them leaving anytime soon.... So excited to share some website designs I've been working on BTS - but they look to be unleashed on the world in the new year! . . . . #illustrator #logo #artistsoninstagram #art #digitalart #graphicdesign #graphicdesigner #graphic #graphic_arts #visualdesign #design #drawing #designer #logotype #graphics #artoftheday #draw #digitaldesign #graphic_design #creative #illustration #branding #graphicartist #adobe #sketch #artist #typography #digitaldesigner #logodesigner #artwork See more

21.01.2022 Packaging doesn’t have to cost thousands of dollars to be on brand and be practical. I love that there is no buyers guilt with this, do you know what I mean? Have you bought something and there has been three layers to even get to the product and all of a sudden your bins are full? I bought bath bombs for the kids a little while ago and they were shrink wrapped and then in a plastic case and then in a box - why? Much too much!!... I love packaging design but with any good design less is more. These pouches of Epsom salts are sitting pretty for @coastalfloat Shot by @hayneshayley See more

20.01.2022 Introducing SUNFOLK - the latest must-stay location to hit the shores of the South Coast, NSW. Thoughtfully designed for families and wedding groups. The brand design is a hardy mix of retro cool and folk with the incredible type by @violaineetjeremy... The colour palette was inspired by the Mediterranean interiors, nature and the idyllic coast line of #Currarong

20.01.2022 PINCH MEEEEE Nearly booked out for 2020 I am taking super limited bookings for December so please send in your enquiries early to avoid disappointment.

17.01.2022 . / ? Project creep or scope creep is when more than what is in the agreed upon scope of work is added - without being accounted for in additional time or budget.... ? For the design client: It can mean missing your deadline, it can mean blowing through your budget and very worse case not having the project finished. I know a story where this has actually happened! For the designer: If not properly managed (ie. not charging for your time), can add so much stress on your project time and can lead to feelings of being under appreciated, and resentful. ? For the design client: You have a working relationship with a designer who understands your brand. You can get more designs that are all aligned with your current branding. Less communication with the designer as they already know your brand. For the designer: More work! I try and look at it like the client is impressed with your designs and communications and wants to continue working with you! You just need to be open before doing ANY extra work that this is outside of the project and will cost $__ $__/hr. ? For the client: Read your contract and know what is in the scope of work. It's 100% fine wanting more work done, just request it like it's a new piece of work and ask for a new deadline for that - don't expect that it will be done within the original timeline. For the designer: Have a contract that outlines the project deliverables. Not involving the client throughout - be open with your communication. If the project is at risk of going over the timeline due to slow response - tell them! Not raising issues was my major downfall earlier on. Letting things slide and not having the gumption to speak up. Estimating poorly is also a designer problem, time track your projects and see if you need to raise your prices. As mentioned above, be open with your client straight away when things are requested and let the client know how much extra and if they want to proceed - so much easier to handle early! . . . . #illustrator #logo #artistsoninstagram #art #digitalart #graphicdesign #graphicdesigner #graphic #graphic_arts #visualdesign #design #drawing #designer #logotype #graphics #artoftheday #draw #digitaldesign #graphic_design #creative #illustration #branding #graphicartist #adobe #sketch #artist #typography #digitaldesigner #logodesigner #entrepreneur

17.01.2022 Mark your calendars Next Tuesday at 11am AEST I will be walking you through how to turn a Photoshop design into a HTML email signature. This will be a live but I will turn it into an IGTV for later viewing too. I now need to go and find a phone stand that will work for this - any recommendations?

13.01.2022 How do you choose a font that speaks for your business and attracts your perfect audience? Let’s take a look at the latest brand to be born... The chosen font is clean, modern and engaging, this sans serif font works perfectly for new brand ZIMMER. It fits in perfectly with their minimal aesthetic. The line break feature is a detail that evokes a sophisticated and edgy vibe.... The brand development process behind the scenes would make a normal persons eyes bleed with the amount of font choices tried and tested. The client sees four of the best and the refined to perfection I choose fonts based on the clients end goal of where they see their business and audience they want to attract. It’s hours of research behind the scenes in their chosen market. The icon has been made by reworking the letter Z in a creative way which will make for an exciting design element in their packaging and other marketing materials. Currently working on their perfume packaging and website design and this is quite a dream come true for me as I have always wanted to work with a perfume house and here we are. #workingthedream Strategy is behind every choice from type, colours, images and tone of voice. @ Shellharbour, New South Wales

12.01.2022 Branding is not a logo make. It's ok if you thought it was, branding can seem like a vague marketing-term. Good branding can be achieved with definition through strategy and brand identity: name, tone of voice, logo, colour palette, type, packaging and more.... Submark designs are a great addition to any well-rounded brand. They are typically an element pulled from the main logo and different to an icon. Normally I provide one with my branding creation package but I just couldn't choose between these two - so, they both made the cut. Introducing EUNOIA pronounced [yoo-noy-uh] How perfect is this business name? Its business names like this that are a designers dream. It means a pure and well-balanced mind, a good spirit - ' '.

11.01.2022 Are you accidentally CONFUSING YOUR AUDIENCE by making this COMMON MISTAKE? How many pages in your top menu of your website is optimal? It’s probably less than you think. People have a hard time consuming a lot of information all at once and too many tabs in your top menu can lead to confusion on your service. ... The optimal amount of pages linking from your top menu is no more than 4. Yes, just 4!! 3 is the most optimal if you can. These pages should be your sales pages, the ones that take your client from a new lead to a buying customer/client. These are common sales pages: Shop Services Book Contact I’m not saying delete your other pages or blog - these I do recommend having for increased keyword count, shareable content and SEO traction - but these should be dispersed throughout the site. Other areas you could organise your other pages: Nesting then under your other main pages Adding them to your footer Creating different menus for different pages to drip feed relevant content How many pages is your website currently boasting? As pictured, The Space Project Co is the most recent website launch I couldn’t be happier to help Merccy with her branding strategy, creation and website design. Go follow if you love interiors @the.space.project.co

09.01.2022 Happy freakin’ Friday - where did the week go? Just for laughs I thought I would share some FUN FACTS you probably didn’t know about me! The humble almond croissant are and always will be my undoing I prefer baths because I don’t like standing for long periods. If I am being fancy I might pour some lavender magnesium salts in there to unwind... I LOVE a good horror movie and true crime podcast, but this is also the reason that I can’t wash my face when I am home alone. I’m currently on the hunt for the next podcast to tune into, hit my up with your recommendations below

09.01.2022 I visited one of my first branding clients @whiteearth_ today at her store opening in Kiama, her third store! White Earth entrusted me to create her original brand, website, all three shop front signage designs as well as all her marketing collateral. A total package and she is too Today has made my soul happy. Seeing her thrive despite the year throwing devastating challenges her way. One of the worst fires the South Coast of NSW has faced earlier this year and now a gl...obal pandemic! Please show your support and go visit their new store in Kiama or if you are heading further North there are two stores in Huskisson; and of course for everyone else her online shop is open 24/7 Then 4 more spots for branding and websites before the end of the year - if you are thinking about please to avoid disappointment get in touch.

09.01.2022 Your skill set is important but it isn't everything... Just finished a branding creation that I am sooo proud of. The design itself I am very happy with but the branding journey was one of the smoothest I have done to date! The difference? ... I do feel like this was in part due to the connection the owner and I had (hello! dream client) she also invested her time with the branding questionnaire with thoughtful answers and provided clear inspiration from the very start. Sometimes it seems like designers can read your minds *insert mystical music* but boy is it helpful to be given some walls to work within! Skill set is important, knowing how to use your intuition and being able to ask the right questions is a really valuable asset for a designer to master too. Who likes a detailed brief and who would prefer creative control?? '

09.01.2022 A beautiful shot of the infamous teas that @theberryteashop packaging designed by yours truly and was a labour of love but boy did they turn out a treat!! Have you tried their tea? Of so, what is your favourite blend? Mine is hands down their Masala Chai mmmm ... : @digitalhabitus See more

09.01.2022 Packaging was one of the chosen elements in the EUNOIA branding creation - I’ve wanted to create a custom wrapping paper design for the longest time! This pattern was made up using submark elements featured in the two softest colours from the branding palette. I wanted the paper to be subtle and soft as it would be used in conjunction with a big dark sticker that would pull focus; so I wanted that purposeful distinction. I visualised the packaging to be an experience upon op...ening, something memorable and to tie in with the brand vibe of being ethereal and mystical. Are you a weirdo like me and save tissue paper from cool brands to reuse? No? Just me? #borntodesign

08.01.2022 Hello September

08.01.2022 Business cards can be the first impression people have with your business - SO make it count! A little tip when choosing a paper stock that will work for your business, I always try and go for uncoated as these just feel WAY more luxurious and less Vistaprint. #sorrynotsorry It also plays perfectly to contrast with a foil feature, it makes it stand out even more. It has that texture difference on the card which is satisfying when being held. ... If we need more durability then matte coating over gloss! GSM (paper weight) most standard cards are around 270gsm, these are printed in bulk and quite cheaply. Anything higher will be thicker, 350gsm - 400gsm is perfect for that quality feel. If you are a more premium service based business than your cards should be too in my opinion. I’ve printed up to 600gsm before and that was ridiculous like a coaster! Stunning shot of Dandelion & Mallows business card - designed by me shot by @hayneshayley These stunning cards are printed on thick recycled uncoated cotton with a slight texture and gold foil. The paper choice plays such a big part in the finish product vibe and style.

08.01.2022 No one told me this about rebranding, but I’ve done enough of them to pin point a few common feelings clients have to work through ... The emotional connection with old branding and working through the process of rebranding can throw up a lot of feelings. The impalpable fear that comes naturally with any change.... Comparing beginning concepts to the old brand. Comparison in general. Looking around instead of inward. The thought my branding has served me well so far.... (insert reason to keep here) Sometimes it’s a walk in the park and we breeze through the process and sometimes it’s journey. The end result is always the same though. My clients are in love with their new branding and I see the change not only with their physical business but also in them as business owners. I see new-found confidence in what they do, their highly motivated and driven. @ Shellharbour, New South Wales

07.01.2022 I’ve just read a recent post by Karina @dandelionandmallow and it’s sparked something in me that I had forgotten about and felt the need to share. The choice to stay small in your business. When you have work coming at you in all directions then hiring a team and taking it all on might be what is the natural next step. ... Hiring and managing staff, the admin, payroll, insurance, super and then the HR side of things, building a company culture, holidays, leave... I think it’s important to think - is that what I want? Do I want to be in the business of managing people? For me, the choice to stay small is not easy. It means turning down work, it means making people wait, it sometimes feels like everyone else is whizzing past in their careers and making bank. You hit a ceiling financially and is that enough? Karina as do I, really are passionate about our careers and what we do and don’t want to lose touch of that - we want to work in our business as much as we do on it. Would love to hear your opinion in the comments!

06.01.2022 ARE YOU DOING THIS WITH YOUR BRAND? I go through this time and time again with my clients, I've been guilty of it too! So I thought I would share... Are you choosing things you like for your business ... or that will attract your ideal audience to your business? ... What do I mean and what the heck is the difference? Ok, here is an example: You are looking for images to post on your social, are you choosing them based on your style/taste or are you choosing them because they support your brand and your message within that particular post? If YOU ARE your ideal audience then awesome that makes thing easy but for most of us we aren't our ideal audience so we need to do some more work to get their attention. How do you step into our ideal customers shoes and be able to understand what will cut through the noise and get their attention?? Where I start with any brand strategy session is to create an ideal customer avatar for them. I research what they do for work, what they do in their downtime, what their day to day looks like, where they hang out online... and most importantly what their pain points are. Pain points are things in their world that are giving them grief. Think a busy mum of four, one of her pain points would be being time poor. Knowing this you wouldn't choose to market to them in the middle of a busy shopping mall and expect them to stop and listen to your sales pitch while their kids are losing it in the pram. Not. Gonna. Work. Find out where you can position your business to help with or solve one of their pain points. Be strategic with your advertising in a language that they will read and pay attention too. It might take some trial and error getting your branding voice nailed but it's worth testing things and looking at your Instagram (for example) insights to see what made a bigger impact. Any good brand strategy should include your ideal audience, this is something to refer to to help create clear strategic posts and moves within your business that are for our clients and not for ourselves!

04.01.2022 VULNERABILITY ALERT! Just finished reading a post by @tomrossmedia and it struck a nerve, like a lot of his posts do for me but this one today was a real lightbulb moment. It was about delegating. ... It's only taken me ah... 5 years to come around to the idea that there are areas of my process that would be better handled by someone else. What was holding me back was the negative thoughts of having to rely on someone else, control freak much? Well, it's my business baby and I don't want anything to go wrong that is out of my control. *insert worse case scenario* From the words of Tom: "There are two truths in business when you refuse to delegate: You will either hit a ceiling with your growth OR you will burn out, bad. You literally cannot do it all yourself" So, here I am - the year is 2020 ( I thought when I was younger we would all be driving hover cars by now #disappointed ) and I am leaning into the change and I'm going to free me up some time so I can be in my zone of genius - designing. Do you delegate? What are some hot pointers you can give a noob like me?

02.01.2022 Introducing EUNOIA a personal and spiritual coaching service on the South Coast, NSW guiding people around the globe. The brand brief was to create a brand that was mystical, ethereal, not too modern and that would attract people looking for self improvement resources. I chose a serif font that I customised tp make work, losing the O and using a light code design and removing detail in the A that wasn’t needed for legibility - less is always more in design in my opinion.... The colour palette was carefully curated to attract her target audience, green is both symbolic of abundance and professionalism- it’s bold but still retains that feminine touch with the thin strokes of the design.

02.01.2022 Oopsie! 3 MISTAKES you are making with your branding Lacking consistency - use the same fonts, colours, tone of voice, filters, photo style - everywhere you possibly can. Don’t know what they are?? Get in touch and let’s book you in for a free discovery call to see what is lacking in your branding. I offer online branding consulting that may be useful to have the tools to sharpen this area up without necessarily rebranding. Not knowing your audience - spend an ...afternoon to go through your past clients, your audience on social and even your competitors audience and understand them. Their wants and needs are so useful to be able to cater your marketing to speak to them. Not investing in good design. Do you know I once cancelled a health insurance policy because they sent me an email without branding, no logo, pixelated images I know that sounds dramatic but I totally lost trust in their ability. Like, if they can’t even send an email how are they going to look after my health benefits?? See more

01.01.2022 "I just want a simple logo." If you are a brand designer hands up if you have had this request? I hear it quite often and after asking a few more questions I can either come to the conclusion that they, the client, is after a wordmark, OR find out that they want a combination mark (mixture of typography and image). ... It's also, may I add - rarely simple, but that is another posts topic. A logo design simply put is used to identify your business/product with a text based mark or graphic icon. There are many different types of logos but in a bid to keep this relatively easy to understand I will just mention the top four that I find myself designing again and again. (aka lettermark) a combination of connecting or overlapping letters to create a unique design, typically under 4 letters otherwise it can get a bit messy. (aka logotype) is a font based logo of the business name. (aka brandmark, logomark, symbol) is a graphic-based logo. Think about Apple, Nike and I bet their icon comes to mind. This is a variation of the main logo that typically combine the wordmark and icon. Many successful companies are instantly recognisable from their icon, for new business that are getting their name out there commonly use a combination of a wordmark and icon are used. I always ask where you see your logo being used in my branding questionnaire and that helps me when I am designing logo concepts as each business has varying needs so it is very much a bespoke process. So what is right for you? I always love to chat about design so hit me up in the messages and let's discuss what your business may be lacking. @ Shellharbour, New South Wales See more