So, how does this all fit into his photography business? That has to do with Robert’s vision for his business as one that communicates his progressive, artistic approach to photography – a perspective accented with his appreciation for beauty of a vintage, photojournalistic style. For his design we wanted to create something that brought all of these elements together into something that not only identified the motivation behind Robert’s business, but incorporated something of Robert’s personality and interests as well.

The product: ROJO Foto Design. We used illustrated design elements – a stylish fadora,  the playful cricket and a series unique fonts – then we brought these elements into a look reminiscent of retro concert posters and fliers. We also included a collection of stylish patterns that serve as the foundation for ROJO’s overall branding identity. These central elements are carried over into the blog design and print materials. The overall look is stylish, creative and fun. It captures the most important aspects of Robert’s business and his personality.

Say Hello to ROJO Foto Design!

Projects Include: Branding, Logo, Tagline Creations, Illustrations, Brand Elements, Patterns, Stamps, Watermarks, Business Cards, Notecards, Letterhead, Image Heavy PDF Brochure, Pricing Guides, and ProPhoto3 Blog Customization.

We should also note that Robert’s logo will be published in the upcoming Logo Lounge 6 Book which is available for pre-order at Amazon.com

Check out the ROJO blog here.

This is several spreads from Robert’s brochure containing his philosophies, thoughts and client testimonials.

Series of modern accent patterns that is used on the backsides of many of the pieces to give that pop.

Projects Include: logo design, brand elements, illustrations, watermarks, pattern design, business card, notecard, appointment card, pricesheet, custom blog design.

Custom blog design – www.rebeccadevono.com. Blog programmed by the team at Flosites.

ProofPress functionality:

Full front end customization
Photographers can customize their proofing site by editing a multitude of options for example, logo, background, fonts, colors etc without any knowledge of HTML or other programming languages.

Templating
The system will be compatible with custom created templates.

Per-client management
Managing each client has never been easier. Photographers will be able to create a separate page for each client, add galleries for each of the clients, have a sleek invoicing system and more.

Great way to manage collections/packages
They actually interviewed photographers on how they want their collections/packages to be managed and have created the best system to meet their needs.

Financials
The system will give the possibility of basic bookkeeping features, to always know the state of their payment and orders but also know all their expenses and profits.

SPECIAL OFFER
ProofPress will launch in October 2010, sign up now on www.proof-press.com and you will receive a 30% discount when the system is launched. Moreover, follow them on Twitter and Facebook to participate in contests and be able to win a FREE copy.

We decided this was the year that we should finally submit to a few competitions.

We weren’t exactly sure when the winners would be published but knew we were supposed to be notified upon winning. The mail (and magazine) came in around noon so when I finished working that evening I sat down to check it out. To say I was surprised is an understatement. WE WERE IN IT … not once BUT TWICE!

So, I hope you will celebrate this huge milestone with us and allow us the opportunity to enter more in the future. In order to do that, we need your samples! If we have created your brand, PLEASE send us at least 10 samples of each printed piece. Being showcased in these competitions is a huge advertisement for YOU too! This is our very favorite part of the process. To be able to see all of the hard work that we (us and you together) have accomplished come to fruition in print is what reminds us that we LOVE what we do and want to share it with the world!

~Eva

Bold colors paired with brightly colored frames and lovely accents, couture holiday is sure to appeal to the modern and classic tastes alike. Like most of our holiday collections this year, this collection is versatile enough to use all year round!

PRODUCT DETAILS:
• 5, 5×7 folded/4-sided card template designs
• Designs for front back and inside
• All text and colors can be edited
• Instructions for use & font information included
• Compatible with Photoshop CS and later, Windows and Mac

Couture Holiday Wallet Accordion Calendar $20.00

An adorable companion to our Couture Holiday set. Offer these to your clients as holiday gifts, an add on to their holiday order or as the perfect gift for parents and grandparents. However you choose, they are sure to delight all year long!

PRODUCT DETAILS:
• 2, wallet size accordion calendar template designs
• Designs for front, back and covers
• Most text and all colors can be edited
• Most fonts used are standard or free
• Instructions for use & font information included
• Compatible with Photoshop CS and later, Windows and Mac

Images in samples courtesy of Stacy Larsen

~ PURCHASE NOW ~

Deck The Holidays $60.00

A retro and modern mix of swirls, plaid and antique backgrounds. With it’s unique color palette and bold patterns, this set takes the old and new and shakes things up. Deck the Holidays is sure to be a new holiday favorite. Get creative and use this funky set for multipurpose solutions.

PRODUCT DETAILS:
• 5, 5×7 folded/4-sided card template designs
• Designs for front back and inside
• Most text and colors can be edited
• Instructions for use & font information included
• Compatible with Photoshop CS and later, Windows and Mac

Deck The Holidays Wallet Accordion Calendar $20.00

An adorable companion to our Deck the Holidays set. Offer these to your clients as holiday gifts, an add on to their holiday order or as the perfect gift for parents and grandparents. However you choose, they are sure to delight all year long!

PRODUCT DETAILS:
• 2, wallet size accordion calendar template designs
• Designs for front, back and covers
• Most text and all colors can be edited
• Most fonts used are standard or free
• Instructions for use & font information included
• Compatible with Photoshop CS and later, Windows and Mac

Images in samples courtesy of Stacy Larsen

~ PURCHASE NOW ~

Delightful Dreams Holiday $60.00

Our very first holiday collection for 2010! A soft color palette paired with delicate patterns, frames and ornamental elements is sure to be delightful. Additionally, you will be able to use these multi purpose templates all year long!

PRODUCT DETAILS:
• 5, 5×7 folded/4-sided card template designs
• Designs for front back and inside
• Most text and colors can be edited
• Instructions for use & font information included
• Compatible with Photoshop CS and later, Windows and Mac

Delightful Dreams Wallet Accordion Calendar $20

An adorable companion to our Delightful Dreams Holiday set. Offer these to your clients as holiday gifts, an add on to their holiday order or as the perfect gift for parents and grandparents. However you choose, they are sure to delight all year long!

PRODUCT DETAILS:
• 2, wallet size accordion calendar template designs
• Designs for front, back and covers
• Most text and all colors can be edited
• Most fonts used are standard or free
• Instructions for use & font information included
• Compatible with Photoshop CS and later, Windows and Mac

Images in samples courtesy of Stacy Larsen

~ PURCHASE NOW ~

I am so super excited to share this news! My best friend and one of our very favorite photographers, Stacy Larsen, has just announced that her next workshop will be in Atlanta … and in September!!! Atlanta is not only my hometown but one of my very favorite places to spend time. I especially love the city in the fall! So, I am definitely not going to miss the opportunity to be a part of THIS workshop!

As with all of her workshops, Stacy is generously giving away a free seat. To enter the contest all you have to do is comment on the Launch blog before Sunday, July 18th. *** AND to make things even more fun you can also comment HERE on the Luxc blog for an additional entry and better chance to win! ***

Oh, and just in case Atlanta isn’t enough enticement for you, Luxc gives all Launch attendees our entire Business & Marketing set , that’s a $140 value … just one of many goodies you will receive over the weekend.

Good luck to everyone and I will see you in Atlanta … in September!!!

~ Eva

Just for fun we whipped up this fun and FREE mad lib baby announcement. Hope you like and enjoy.

GET IT HERE

Seriously Simple Marketing | $80

Designed to coordinate with and compliment our Business Forms, these clean and simple templates will make creating marketing materials easy while making your photos the true focus, as they should be. You may use the included text or fill in with your own.

INCLUDES:
• folded appointment card (2×7)
• dvd case (single)
• postcard (4×6)
• promo card (5×7)
• bookmark (2×7)
• accordion (4×5.5)
• trifold (5×5)
• sticker (3×3)

PRODUCT DETAILS:
• All text and colors can be edited
• All fonts used are standard or free
• Instructions for use & font information included
• Compatible with Photoshop CS and later, Windows and Mac

*** If you haven’t had a chance to buy the Business Forms you can now purchase our LUXC BUSINESS & MARKETING COLLECTION which include both the business forms and the marketing collection, saving you $20. ***

Luxc Business & Marketing Collection | $140

*** Links to Purchase*** :

Seriously Simple Marketing Collection | $80
Luxc Business Forms | $80
Luxc Business & Marketing Collection (includes both the MARKETING AND BUSINESS FORMS) | $140

Images in samples courtesy of Stacy Larsen

Stay tuned for another useful business set coming soon!

Announcing our VERY FIRST Mini Accordion Albums: Flora Mini Square Accordions | $60

Mini accordion albums are a great way to offer affordable variety to your clients. Use them as client gifts, grandparent albums or simply as a unique option for greeting cards. 4 unique styles are included in this collection (vintage, organic, modern and a little funky too).

PRODUCT DETAILS:
• 4, 3×3 mini square accordion album template designs
• Designs for front, back and covers
• All text and colors can be edited
• All fonts used are standard or free
• Instructions for use & font information included
• Compatible with Photoshop CS and later, Windows and Mac

YOU MAY ALSO PURCHASE THESE INDIVIDUALLY:

Antique Flora Mini Accordion Square Album | $20.00

Funky Flora Mini Accordion Square Album | $20.00

Vivid Flora Mini Accordion Square Album | $20.00

Flora Doodles Mini Accordion Square Album | $20.00

Images in samples courtesy of Stacy Larsen

Don’t underestimate the importance of well designed materials, even when it is something as simple as your business forms. These clean and simple, pre-filled forms are a perfect starter set for a new photography business or a great way to unify your currently used forms. You may use the included text or fill in with your own.

Included:
• copyright notice
• digital release
• dvd label
• invoice
• model release
• notecard
• client questionnaire
• caring for your canvas / caring for your prints
• client folder checklist
• price sheet

PRODUCT DETAILS:
• All text and colors can be edited
• All fonts used are standard or free
• Instructions for use & font information included
• Compatible with Photoshop CS and later, Windows and Mac

So, Luxecetera customers … send us your show and tell photographs! And if your’s get posted you will receive an instant gift credit to our store for any template set you wish (up to $80!!) You will be linked to and credited but please send only non-watermarked images.

We can’t wait to see what you all have to show & tell

We are so excited to announce the winner of our Anniversary Contest … and she is Elizabeth Leighton!!! Please know that this was HANDS DOWN one of the most difficult decisions we have had to make. We poured over the emails and agonized over the decision but in the end all of us here at LUXC were so touched by Elizabeth’s story. We received MANY entries and after sifting through them all we felt that Elizabeth’s called out to us the most. Please know that this decision wasn’t easy and we thank you ALL for your entries and especially your kind words about LUXC We would also like to announce our 2nd and 3rd place winners:

2nd: Jessica Schaack

3rd: (tie):

Leah Kua
Stephanie Lyell

Congratulations to our winners!!! And here’s to all of our amazing (past and future clients) and another wonderful year ahead for us ALL!

The first was our anniversary giveaway. This is a truly no strings attached brand giveaway to thank you and offer a gift to those who may not be able to afford (but want and appreciate a well planned, designed and thought out brand).

We have also come up with an additional idea that we think may help. Because we are currently booking for November and feel awful (really!) about the people who call /email daily and tell us they just can’t wait. We TRULY understand and have been wracking our brains for months to come up with a solution. Well, we think we have one (for some of you ) LUXC NOW is a pre-designed brand that is available for you RIGHT NOW. A full brand, including several pieces of collateral and all that you need to get started with NO WAIT. You will receive:

• Logo (vector/pdf and psd)
• Watermark(s)/Element(s) (vector/pdf and psd)
• Pattern(s) (vector/pdf and psd)
• Brushes of logo & watermark(s) (psd)
• 2 sided business card (vector/pdf and psd)
• Folded Notecard (vector/pdf and psd)
• Multi purpose 8.5×11” page template (use instantly as letterhead, for a model release/contract, price sheet, invoice, etc.)
• Style guide including list of fonts used, colors (pantone, web/hex, rgb and cmyk), directions on using files and recommendations for printers.

These Brands are available for sale ONCE, so like each luxc brand, the business that purchases the selected brand will have something unique and their’s only. So, this means also, that if you like something, grab it quickly because it will be gone after the first purchase.

If you are on our waiting list now but find that one of these brands fits what you are looking for, you can purchase now and will be removed from the waiting list.

So, without further ado, please take a look at our LUXC Now Brands RIGHT NOW…

Thanks to everyone who entered our anniversary contest. We were so excited to read all your kind words. We had SO many entries that it has taken us a little longer to read them. We have narrowed them down and are very close to a decision. We’ll be announcing the winner this Friday April 23rd.

~ Ash, Eva, Lisa

To celebrate our first official year in business, we will be giving away several high dollar goodies!

GRAND Prize: BRAND DEVELOPMENT + Business Card design + $300 template credit
2nd Prize: $200 template credit
3rd Prize: $100 template credit

So, how do you enter? Send us an email (inquiry@luxecetera.com) and answer the following questions (please keep it to a few paragraphs):

• Tell us why you need, deserve or just have to have new branding!
• Tell us why you are choosing LUXECETERA to develop your brand – and because “it’s free” is not an answer
• What you are looking for in regards to your brand identity
• Send us a sample of your work (1 image) or a link

Please note: Contest is open to prospective clients as well as those on our waiting list. In order to be fair to our current wait listed clients, we will be commencing this brand development in October 2010 as if you were a newly booked client.

And we couldn’t post about our anniversary without giving a HUGE THANK YOU to all of our existing brand/template clients, blog readers, vendors, contractors, employees and friends for making this year so rewarding and successful for us.

***Deadline is April 10th at Midnight***

William & Lydia $60, NOW $30

A classic baby collection full of florals and delicate touches that is sure to please almost any client.

PRODUCT DETAILS:
• 16 (5×7 or 5×5) flat card template designs (8 girl/8 boy)
• All text and colors can be edited
• All fonts used are standard or free
• Instructions for use & font information included
• Compatible with Photoshop CS and later, Windows and Mac

OTHER USES:
• Party Invitations
• Thank You Cards

Images in samples courtesy of Stacy Larsen

Chocolate Animal Asuka $60, NOW $30

A sweet and simple Asuka album template full of colorful animals against a rich chocolate background.

PRODUCT DETAILS:
• 20-page, 10×10 Asuka album layout
• Includes front/back cover design
• All text and colors can be edited
• All fonts used are standard or free
• Instructions for use & font information included
• Compatible with Photoshop CS and later, Windows and Mac

Images in samples courtesy of Stacy Larsen

Chocolate Animal Baby $60, NOW $30

A sweet and simple template collection of colorful animals against a rich chocolate colored background.

PRODUCT DETAILS:
• 10, 5×5 flat card template designs
• All text and colors can be edited
• All fonts used are standard or free
• Instructions for use & font information included
• Compatible with Photoshop CS and later, Windows and Mac

OTHER USES:
• Party Invitations
• Thank You Cards

Images in samples courtesy of Stacy Larsen

A new addition to our 2010 line of senior card templates. Couture senior is sure to be the perfect look, appealing to today’s high end senior.

PRODUCT DETAILS:
• 6 5×7 folded template designs
• Designs for front, back and inside spreads
• All text and colors can be edited
• All fonts used are standard or free
• Instructions for use & font information included
• Compatible with Photoshop CS and later, Windows and Mac

OTHER USES:
• Party Invitations
• Thank You Cards

Images in samples courtesy of Laure Lillie Photographie

Off The Wall Senior $60.00

New for 2010. Inspired by graffiti walls and urban streets, this senior collection is off the wall.

PRODUCT DETAILS:
• 6 5×7 folded template designs
• Designs for front, back and inside spreads
• All text and colors can be edited
• All fonts used are standard or free
• Instructions for use & font information included
• Compatible with Photoshop CS and later, Windows and Mac

OTHER USES:
• Party Invitations
• Thank You Cards

Images in samples courtesy of Laure Lillie Photographie

Well … I say I am just back although it has been over a week. After catching up on client work, emails, phone calls, and not to mention with my family I FEEL like I am just back.

So, some of you may know that Stacy Larsen (aka Stacy Larsen Photography/Launch Workshop) is my bff. What most of you don’t know is that LUXC would not even exist without her. That’s right! I met Stacy in 2006. I was a stay at home Mom (of 1 and 2 year old boys) and I was finally ready to find and hire a GREAT photographer. I called her up and we had our shoot. While ordering holiday cards I was being a bit picky regarding the font (we designers can be that way , I apologized and blamed it on my “graphic designer past”. She was super sweet and instead of getting irritated with me she asked me why the heck I wasn’t still designing. I told her the long story of why (the deadlines, all-nighters, countless weddings and graduation that had been missed as well as low pay to boot!) and of course she quickly understood how that did not fit into my new life as caretaker of 2 young sons. To my surprise she asked me to consider getting back into it. She told me that there was quite a need for photographer templates that were more her style (keep in mind this was quite a while back Although I had never even thought about going back to work she had lit a fire under me. I quickly realized that design might be the one thing that was missing in my just-about-complete life. Long story short … it was. I started Eva Talley Creative, met Ashley and Lisa and the rest is pretty much history.

Stacy and I have been just about inseparable since. We carpool, hang by the pool in the summer, our kids spend the night at each other’s houses and we even had babies at the same time (and yes, on purpose!) I have done 2 entire brands for her and of course she takes ALL of my family’s pictures (she even photographed the birth of my 3rd son). So, why am I telling you all of this?

… Because I am about to vouch for her workshop (LAUNCH) and I want you to know it is in more than a “LUXC sponsors” it kind of way. When Stacy first decided to do a workshop (which was in all of about 5 minutes after I suggested it) she totally panicked. She wondered if she was qualified, if anyone would want to come, if everyone who DID come would go home with the knowledge she wanted them to and so on and so forth. As a matter of fact, she pretty much worried in this manner until the morning of the first workshop day! So, at the end of the first day of the workshop I was happy to say something that I say to her A LOT … “I TOLD YOU SO!” Although I am certain that this was the first time she was actually happy to hear it LOL

the LAUNCH gang

I attended day 1 to speak about branding/identity but was also privy to take part in the workshop as well. Along with 11 others we casually sat in a circle in Stacy’s studio and listened, discussed, laughed and learned. (Day 2 was similar but included a newborn shoot and Day 3 – the optional day – was portfolio review and on location shoots.) Stacy was simply amazing. She was open, honest and shared an incredible amount of knowledge, experience and advice. She poured her heart and soul into this workshop and when I saw it all come to fruition I was almost bubbling over with pride and joy.

Luxecetera sponsors many great workshops but this is the first one I can personally attest to. If you are a new photographer looking to launch your business (or take your new business to the next level) this is a MUST! And by the way … she just announced the next LAUNCH workshop for Seattle, Washington on June 19-21st. Not only that but she is giving away a free seat again this time! Go over there NOW and register to win because the contest ends March 5th!

Hope to see some of you in Seattle

~ Eva

Using the blind emboss / pressed look on the back of this beet colored stock makes the tagline Tyrie created absolutely shine!

PRODUCT DETAILS:
• Includes 10 distinct color palettes
• Includes one limited edition WHCC CD cover template with color schemes already implemented
• Includes template sizes for both single and double CD cases
• All colors and text can be edited
• Font information will be included with your download
• Compatible with Photoshop CS and later, Windows and Mac

OTHER USES:
• Transfer colors to nearly anything.
• Cards, marketing materials, websites, branding schemes and more!

PALETTES INCLUDED:
• Maine December
• Ski Lodge
• Subway Chill
• First Light
• Snowberries
• Four Corners
• Juniper
• Sunny and Cold
• Crisp Cranberry
• Frigid Pier

Images in samples courtesy of Stacy Larsen & Ashley Jankowski

On a side note: we were VERY impressed with the quality of this CD/DVD Case from WHCC.

Project List: logo design, brand elements, tagline development, pattern design, watermark, business cards, letterhead, notecard, pricesheet, livebooks website design.

PRODUCT DETAILS:
• 1 (5×7) folded/4-sided card template design
• Includes a front, back and an inside design for folded card
• Includes original illustrations
• Some text and all colors can be edited
• Instructions for use & font information included
• Compatible with Photoshop CS and later, Windows and Mac

Images courtesy of Stacy Larsen Photography.

Projects Include: Branding, Logo Design, Business Card, Notecard, Custom Splash Page, Customized Blog.

A fun and bold collection designed to be used for templates, digital mats, frames or just about anything you choose! The sky is the limit!

PRODUCT DETAILS:
• 5, 5×7 and 5×5 unique designs
• All colors can be edited
• Instructions for use included

OTHER USES:
• Image Frames
• Birth Announcements
• Save The Dates
• Senior Announcements
• Holiday Cards
• Party Invitations

Sewn with tender love and care this multi-purpose set is sure to be the perfect addition to your template collection.

PRODUCT DETAILS:
• 5 (5×7) folded/4-sided card template designs
• Each template includes a front, back and inside spread design for a folded card (sized appropriately)
• All text and colors can be edited
• Most fonts used are standard or free
• Instructions for use & font information included
• Compatible with Photoshop CS and later, Windows and Mac

USES:
• Birth Announcements
• Party Invitations
• Thank You Cards
• New Years Cards
• Save the Date Cards
• Holiday Cards
• Valentine Cards
• Infinite Possibilities!

Images in samples courtesy of Stacy Larsen and Andrea Casey

Our sincere apologies to our international clients and vendors who probably didn’t receive their packages by Christmas… We are pretty positive that they got held up in customs and you’ll probably get them in March. We will send them in October next year.

Now… off to think about how we will top this next year … whew!

Luxecetera is seeking a graphic designer for a part and/or full time contract position. Our ideal candidate will have:

• An extensive knowledge of typography, color and layout
• Fluency in Illustrator, Photoshop and Indesign
• CS4 and Macintosh platform
• Basic knowledge of html, web design/layout
• Portfolio that is a balance of print and logo design

If you meet ALL of these requirements please send your resume, digital portfolio and references to opportunities@luxecetera.com. NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE.

We are also on track to release several new template sets in the coming weeks – how exciting!

We hope everyone has had a relaxing and refreshing holiday season! See you next year!!!

One of our classics & best sellers is now available as a folded set.  The sweet simplicity of Emma and Jack is the perfect showcase for any of your newborn images.

PRODUCT DETAILS:
• 16, 5×7 folded card template designs (8 girl/8 boy)
• All text and colors can be edited
• All fonts used are standard or free
• Instructions for use & font information included
• Compatible with Photoshop CS and later, Windows and Mac

Images in samples courtesy of Stacy Larsen

* Please note that if you have already purchased this set you can upgrade for just $20. Email here for your upgrade *

Regal Textues $30.00

A bright and funky texture set full of regal color. Use on your album covers, templates, marketing materials or just about anywhere you choose!

PRODUCT DETAILS:
• Includes 5 Regal-style textures
• File size is 12×24″
• All colors can be edited
• instructions for use included
• Compatible with Photoshop CS and later, Windows and Mac

Images in samples courtesy of Stacy Larsen Photography and Stacey Woods Photography

Happy Holidays O’ Dear Friends & Clients!!! We just wanted to update everyone about the goings on here at the LUXC offices. We are busy, busy bees wrapping up lots of work and preparing for a relaxing holiday with our friends and families. We are all excited for a little break to rejuvenate our creative juices for a very full first (and second) quarter in 2010. We are currently COMPLETELY BOOKED for January, February, March, and April of 2010. We are have 3, 1 slot(s) (Yes. THREE ONE.) left for May as of Tuesday, December 8th 2009 @8:30pm EST Wednesday, December 9, 2009 @8pm EST. MAY IS NOW BOOKED!

We will be CLOSED December 17th-January 3rd. We will have limited access to email. We will be answering emails regarding template purchases and questions as quickly as we can. Please bear with us as we take this much needed time off.

Also note that we will be doing some maintenance on our site during the holidays so you may encounter some strange things if you happen upon our site during this time.

Ok. So… you should now go and eat, shop and be merry. Happy Holidays from Luxecetera!!

Lovely Letterpress business cards printed by Mandate Press.

DVD Packaging! Making Janelle’s workflow much more seamless and easy… includes a built in digital negative release and other important info regarding reprints etc.

PDF Pricing Guide

Janelle Joy’s Website! We were even able to help Janelle customized her template website!

Janelle Joy Photography Customized ProPhoto Theme Blog

We have to mention that Janelle was one of our FIRST clients from way back in April 2009… just so you know that perfection sometimes takes a lot of time and patience.

Projects Include: Name + Tagline Development, Logo, Illustrations, Business Cards (3), Blog Customization, Custom Splash Page, Website Design and PDF Price List.

Lovely Letterpress business card collection printed by the fabulous Mandate Press.

The pricing guide…

Feather Nest Photography Splash Page

Feather Nest Photography – Customized ProPhoto Themed Blog

Feather Nest Photography Website – Designed by LUXC and put together by Allison using the Showit Web Software

In past articles, I’ve pointed out some essential elements of the branding process:

- communicating clearly with designers
– maintaining a reciprocal relationship with your designers
– embracing your name
– embracing your brand

These are all good tips if you are already engaged in the process; however, there are branding decisions you need to make before hiring someone to take the reins. In fact, these decisions may even lead you in another direction, involving some do-it-yourself branding that will not only save you money, but help you better understand what you want and what, exactly, you need in regard to your branding.

The first step in this process is meditation. No, I’m not getting all “new age” on you (does anyone use that term anymore?), but some introspection is integral to the process. The means for meditation are different for everyone, but some universal constants include finding a comfortable space for thinking, surrounding yourself with things you find inspirational (this can be music, images, food … beverages, ahem) – something to put you in a relaxed state and just taking a moment to shut out the distractions in your life. This may be harder than it sounds, but even 30 minutes of “clear’ time is helpful. Once you achieve “clarity” (I feel like such a shaman), reflect on your business and what you hope to achieve.

At this point, try to envision your greatest aspirations for you and your business. At the same time, look closely at your craft/business. What is your style? How do you like to work? What do you hope to do for your customers and clients? Who are they (better yet, who do you hope they are)? Create a sketch of the who, what, why and how of your business. You may find that during this time you are able to create a business philosophy or mission with real depth. Make this philosophy the driving force behind how you create your business identity. You don’t need a designer to tell you who YOU are. If you do eventually decide to go to a designer for your branding, then go in with a clear vision of what you want. This makes everyone’s job easier (and will make the experience all the more enriching). What you may come to discover, however, is that you aren’t ready for a designer or that, at the moment, you don’t need one.

Yes, that’s the second time I’ve mentioned the idea that you don’t need a designer. Maybe I’m crazy (ha ha ha, bless your soul). But, really what I’m saying is come prepared, complete with a vision of your identity and ready to do some work. By not doing so, you’re setting yourself up for a costly failure. There are so many clients who come to LUXC with a new brand that was just paid for and is NOT working. These clients have just paid an inordinate sum of money for a brand that was never suited to them in the first place or that is already dated and no longer in sync with the direction of the business. These are mistakes of both designer and client. On one hand, the designer doesn’t take the time to listen to what his or her client is saying. On the other, the client doesn’t clearly articulate his or her wants/needs and winds up stuck with something that kinda-sorta-almost-but-not-really-works. In the worst cases, clients with limited budgets pay for cheap branding solutions that look, well, cheap, and now these struggling businesses are broke and left with an ineffective brand. Poorly executed branding can be such a trap.

The main question any businessperson needs to ask is, “Am I ready? Am I fiscally, mentally and philosophically ready for a new branding strategy?” The question is especially relevant in these economic times and it’s that fiscal element of the question that may take precedence over any other issues. Certainly, if one is not mentally prepared, complete with a clear branding philosophy, then that business owner need not apply. Don’t spend the money (there I go again with my crazy talk). There are other options that can buy you time before taking the financial and mental plunge into the branding process. One that is rarely talked about (because many designers consider this an absolute aberration – utter blasphemy) is to go with a DIY approach …

(Let us pause for a moment of silence to remember all of the designers who just dropped dead)

No, it’s not as scary as it sounds. Play it smart, and some DIY branding can give you time to think, reflect, plan and raise the capital for a major branding overhaul without negatively impacting your business’s image or breaking you. Just remember the words of Thoreau: Simplicity, Simplicity, Simplicity! Think simple, clean fonts like serif or sans serif (see Julia’s article on fonts in our blog), clean lines, good use of white space. Make it clean. If you don’t have a name in mind, use your name with a single word that describes your business, such as Tom Foolery Photography or Betsy Ross Tailoring. Don’t go wild with color. Go with two, three tops and choose colors that aren’t “out there.” If you’re not good with that sort of thing, ask a few friends to give you some critiques. Just keep it simple. You want something you can use on a business card and something that can transfer easily to a website. Focus on your product and making it better. As business improves and your identity takes shape, you can then turn your focus to branding. It’s smart business sense.

However you decide to proceed, know that this process is a journey of self-discovery. Business is not just business. Business is meaningful, organic, reciprocal and enriching. It shouldn’t be a pain. It shouldn’t be overly stressful. Likewise, creating an identity for your business is meaningful, organic, reciprocal and enriching. Take your time and plan carefully. A little foresight and caution on your end and the process will take a natural path towards a brand that will work for you and for your company, without unnecessary setbacks. Yes, Grasshopper, it will all come with time.

Tyrie Smith is the copywriter and editor for Luxecetera. He has worked in journalism, public relations and marketing for 10 years. He currently walks the earth, finding adventure and helping others along his path to enlightenment.

Advertising Agency: Bates141

Creative Director: Hendra Lesmono

Art Directors: Irawandhani Kamarga, Andreas Junus

Copywriter: Darrick Subrata

Photographer: Anton Ismael

Published: August 2008

Please make sure and use code cyberluxc at checkout (AND make sure you click on APPLY once you enter the code).

HAPPY SHOPPING!!!

From 9am-10 am EST (RIGHT NOW!!!) enter code BLACKLUXC at checkout an receive 50% ANY AND ALL TEMPLATE PURCHASES.  After 10 am EST discount code BLACKLUXC will earn you 25% off until midnight.

* Please note that this does not apply to branding or custom design, only template sales.

HAPPY SHOPPING!!!

PRODUCT DETAILS:
• Includes 10 distinct color palettes
• Includes one limited edition Dream Album Wish cover with color schemes already implemented
• Includes template sizes for all available cover options (8×8 & 10×10)
• All colors and text can be edited
• Font information will be included with your download
• Compatible with Photoshop CS and later, Windows and Mac

OTHER USES:
• Transfer colors to nearly anything.
• Cards, marketing materials, websites, branding schemes and more!

PALETTES INCLUDED:
• Tweed
• Birches
• Tucson
• Napa
• Fall Line
• November Mesas
• Golden Rod & Heather
• Early Autumn
• October Plains
• New England Cranberry

Images in samples courtesy of Stacy Larsen

Seriously Simple Wish Album Templates $60.00

• 50 single page templates, sized 8×8 and 10×10
• designed specifically for the Dream Album Co.’s Wish Album
• designed with simplicity in mind

Images in samples courtesy of Stacy Larsen

*** FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY, BUY THE SERIOUSLY SIMPLE WISH TEMPLATES AND GET COLOR ANTHOLOGIE FALL FREE!!! ***

Enter code freefall09 at checkout

Seriously Simple Finao Box Covers | 60.00

Created especially for Finao’s line of Seldex Image Preview Boxes and based on our Seriously Simple Album Spread Collections. A clean and versatile set of box cover templates that will allow your photographs to truly be the focal point of your image boxes. You will love the versatility and simplicity of these image preview box covers!

PRODUCT DETAILS:
• Includes 10 box cover template designs to be used with Finao’s Seldex Preview Box
• Includes optional borders and/or color blocks in each cover
• Includes template sizes for all available box options
• All colors and text can be edited
• Font information will be included with your download
• Compatible with Photoshop CS and later, Windows and Mac

Images in samples courtesy of Andrea Casey Photography

Add a touch of refinement to your proofs, image boxes or albums with this lovely new collection of fine borders.

PRODUCT DETAILS:
• Includes 5 border designs in 2 sizes (4×6 & 5×7) with 2 border options (bordered & full frame)
• Bonus actions for seamless workflow
• Designed to be multipurpose
• Instructions for use included
• Compatible with Photoshop CS and later, Windows and Mac

Images in samples courtesy of Ashley Jankowski

Projects Include: Logo, Brand, Patterns, Business Cards (3), Notecard, Blog Customization, Custom Splash Page, and PDF Price List.

Custom HTML Splash Page

Blog Customization : ProPhoto Theme

We’ve been flooded with all of these YUMMY business cards lately. It’s been so wonderful! We don’t have everything done for these clients yet – but we have A TON of new brands to feature here as soon as all the lovely printed pieces are in our hot little hands (hint, hint). 

If you want your brand featured here – you need to mail several of each of your peices to Ashley to be photographed. Email Ashley to get her mailing address.

What those students – most students – have a hard time understanding is that the red ink on their essays and the resulting grade are not indictments of them as individuals, but constructive critiques of their work. The point of any course is to help the student improve a skill, not to build his or her ego (though, many believe this to be the case). The same paradigm extends to many different arenas, including business, where projects and reports are critiqued as a means of delivering the best product or service possible. And, as it is in the classroom, there are many individuals who view criticism of their work as somehow a judgment of them personally.

On the other side of the coin, people are often weary to critique another’s work for fear of hurting someone’s feelings or creating conflict. This is an unfortunate dynamic for how else can something – an essay, a project, a business plan – be improved upon if there is no one looking at the “thing” with a critical eye? The short answer is – it can’t.

In regards to design, constructive criticism is an integral part of the process and one that underscores the reciprocal nature of the relationship between designer and client. Designers aren’t miracle workers and they aren’t psychics (Miss Cleo was not a designer). The work of any designer hinges on the quality of information and feedback provided by the client. It’s true that a client hires or purchases the services of a designer, but the misconception is that the designer is simply working FOR the client. The reality is that a designer works WITH a client to design a identity. Clients have work to do as well – the lion’s share of which involves the client taking the time to provide constructive criticism throughout the branding process.

A good client should do the following:

• Maintain communication with the designer: Don’t fall off the planet in the middle of the design process. True, you have a life too, but at this point you need to focus a good bit of your attention on your design.
• Respond to questions from the designer with well-thought-out, detailed answers: No response to a designer should involve “yes” or “no.” Your responses need to have some meat to them. Furthermore, don’t give answers hastily. Don’t brush off or gloss over questions from your designer.
• Never be afraid to critique concepts or suggestions: You may worry about hurting your designers feelings by offering criticism, but the truth is you are going to really hurt their feelings (and really tick them off) if you wait until end of the process to say, “ I don’t think I like this.” Take care of problems or concerns early to ensure a final product that fits your wants and needs.
• Perhaps this is redundant, but … BE SPECIFIC: Don’t respond with, “I don’t like it.” Answers like that don’t say anything. What don’t you like? Color? Font? Direction? How can the designer make it better? What DO you like? (this question is a biggie – it can help steer the designer in the right direction).

There are certainly moments in life when one shouldn’t be a critic, but during the design process, a critical eye is more than warranted. The designer won’t know unless you tell her. So, get out your red pen and bleed on the page. In the end, a carefully-placed, well-developed critique will save you and your designer a lot of conflict.

Tyrie Smith is the copywriter and editor for Luxecetera. He has worked in journalism, public relations and marketing for 10 years. He is teribal prfsr. Dnt take his class! He will fail you for know reson!

There is nothing more frustrating than having to wait for a blog site to load up, especially for image-centric sites such as those for photographers, designers and other graphic artists. We’ve all experienced this problem at some point (I’ve baked potatoes in the time it takes to load some webpages). But this is not an impossible problem to remedy. The solution is simple and one that can be executed in a few easy-to-follow steps …

Which, I will provide shortly. First, I want to talk about a very special number. That number is 72. No, this is not the answer to life, the universe and everything else (for you Hitchhiker’s Guide fans out there … anybody?), but it is the number to remember when you are thinking about dpi (dots per inch) for any image you are uploading to the web. At 72 dpi, your image maintains its quality, but is in a manageable size so not to clog up bandwidth for those visiting your website. Remember this number and your visitors will thank you (as opposed to drumming their computer desks impatiently, mumbling nasty horrible things about you under their breath).

The first part of the process is resizing the image to an appropriate dpi (you guessed it … 72). You will need to click on the “image” menu and select “image size,” which will open a dialog box. You will see the following options:

- Image Size in MB
– Pixel Dimension (Size of image in pixels)
– Document Size (Size of image in inches/cm)
– Three checkboxes for Scale Styles, Constrain Proportions and Resample Images

Once you have resized your image. just go to the “File’ menu and select “Save for Web and Other Devices.” This little gem allows you to produce a copy of your image optimal for Web use. This means that the image file will be as small as possible (without compromising image integrity), and that the image will use only Web-safe colors (if desired). “Save for Web” can produce GIF, JPEG, or PNG format images. Once you select “Save for Web,” a dialog box will open. You can choose format (JPEG/GIF), quality using a slider (keep it as high as possible) and an option to resize Pixel Dimensions (we suggest adjusting to size of your blog -  most photo blogs are between 600 and 900 pixels). Feed in the required dimensions. You may choose a different size according to your needs.

However you decide to perform this operation, be sure to remember the 72 dpi and Save for Web. It will certainly make opening your site smoother for anyone stopping in to see your work. You don’t want to turn off potential clients or “fans” with slow loading.

Tyrie Smith is the copywriter and editor for Luxecetera. He has worked in journalism, public relations and marketing for 10 years and secretly dreams of sharing ideas with Neil Gaiman over coffee at DragonCon.

We here at Luxc are thrilled to finally be able to share some big news!!  We have been bursting with excitement about this but until now have had to keep quiet.  It’s been so hard!  Two of our most talented (and not to mention nicest) friends have decided to take on a new venture.  Stacy Larsen and Kristie Serra announced their brand new workshop today … LAUNCH!

Launch is a brand new photography workshop designed for the beginning photographer who wants to “LAUNCH” a successful business from the start.  We have worked with the Launch girls from the very day that they made the decision to create this amazing experience.  If you are just beginning your photography business this workshop is a MUST.  From proper shooting techniques, camera settings and lighting to marketing, branding, pricing, vendors and so much more, Kristie and Stacy have a complete weekend planned to help you Launch your business successfully.  For the complete schedule, content and more about these amazing photographers please visit their site.  We know they would love to have you!

*** ENTER TO WIN A FREE SEAT AT LAUNCH (go to the site now to find out how)  BUT HURRY!  ENDS NOVEMBER 1!!! ***

Oh I guess we should mention that we also did their brand … 

Well, I actually owned a beer hat in college and I’m pretty sure that there are no less than 5 people in my family who have purchased or received a “Big Mouth Billy Bass” for Christmas (maybe it’s the same one). The truth is we love our gimmicks. Think about the most crowded stores during the holiday season: Spenser’s Gifts and Brookstone (you know, for the moneyed losers). Both stores are chock full of catchy gimmicks that, for some reason, register in our heads as “you must have this!”

Truth is, “gimmick” is not always a four-letter word. Used properly, a well-thought-out “gimmick” can actually be a positive business move – especially when it comes to naming. In two recent articles, I’ve discussed strategies for both branding and naming your business. Both were focused on the idea of embracing your brand and embracing your name. The smart use of a gimmick to inspire your branding, naming or both is one means to that end. What you may regard as “gimmicky,” could, in fact, be a way to make you more emotionally vested in your branding.

There is no better illustration of this idea than the business owner who wishes to use her own name for that of her business. Let’s call her Robin Wainwright. We’ll say Robin is a children’s photographer in New Mexico. Robin is looking for a new branding strategy and has “no idea” what she should do. All she does know is that she wants to use her name for her business – Robin Wainwright Photography. Great! Immediately, she adds, “but I don’t think I want a bird. It’s too obvious.”

You hear that? That’s the sound of designers around the world collectively sighing at Robin’s decision about the bird. Yes, a bird may be the “obvious” choice, but when your name is Robin, the use of a bird has a basis – it’s warranted. However, in this case it isn’t the only choice. The name Wainwright could be of use as well. A search of the name reveals that it comes from the English word for wheel maker – as in wagon wheel. How perfect; especially since Robin lives in an “Old West” state. Not to mention, she’s a children’s photographer, so the idea of a wagon can be manipulated further.

Okay, so Robin’s name may be a little too easy, but you get the point. Even in a case as obvious as Robin’s, the use of a “gimmick” doesn’t necessarily have to be the dominant element in the brand design. The robin could be just one of a handful of design elements tied together by a larger idea (e.g. a nest or a tree). It comes down to taking stock of one’s resources and utilizing those resources as best as possible. However, you are not limited in how and to what extent those resources are used. The most important lesson to take from this article is to not limit your branding and naming options by excluding possibilities because you think something is “gimmicky.” People love gimmicks and, if done in the right way, a gimmick can bring you that much closer to a brand and name that you can truly embrace.

Tyrie Smith is the copywriter and editor for Luxecetera. He has worked in journalism, public relations and marketing for 10 years. His full name is Tyrie Joseph Charles Smith. His brand would be a king wearing a multi-colored coat, hammering a blockheaded kid on an anvil.

Julia has been with us for a bit now and is doing a FABULOUS job and helping us immensely. She is such a talented soul and we are all glad that she’s part of our team here at Luxecetera. Please welcome Julia to our team!

When it comes to brand identity, even some of the biggest companies fall flat. Case in point, Coca-Cola’s mid-eighties snafu, New Coke. If you aren’t old enough to remember that strange time, allow me to give a bit of a recap: we had a former b-list actor (featured in several 50s-era spaghetti westerns) as our president, fashion highlights included Jams, parachute pants, Ocean Pacific t-shirts, and lots of acid-washed, paint-splattered clothing, Dippity-Do hair gel was a staple for both men and women, every popular song was required, by law, to have a synthesizer and/or drum machine (see Flock of Seagulls, Tears For Fears, Berlin, the Eurhythmics, et al), hip-hop was still fun and “safe” and the spot for the coolest television show on air was a toss-up between Miami Vice and Knight Rider (yes, Hasselhoff was a god). It was a strange time, indeed. So strange, in fact, that the hands-down, number-one soft drink company in the world decided to abandon its original formula and its long-standing, globally-recognized brand to introduce a new keystone product with a “computer generated” talking head as its spokesperson. It was truly a branding disaster.

Coca-Cola’s biggest mistake was its failure to commit to its brand identity. It’s strange to think that a company with such a recognizable brand would ever fall into such a trap, but the reality is that most companies, at some point or another, struggle with embracing their brand identity. Why? Well, it’s simple: markets change, people get nervous, triggers get pulled. In the case of Coca-Cola, though it was on top in the world of soft drinks, it was being threatened by relatively-new-kid-on-the-block Pepsi Cola. Coke was struggling to compete with Pepsi’s newer, hipper branding strategy. There was a real need for adjustment. However, adjusting to a market and completely abandoning one’s brand identity are two entirely different beasts (and the former will almost always explode into an ugly mess). What Coca-Cola should have done (ah, hindsight) was to embrace its brand identity and innovate it, building on its existing strengths (namely, its position as one of the most recognized brands on the planet!) and invigorating its standing in the marketplace.

Embracing brand identity is key for success in any business. And no matter if you are refreshing an existing design or starting from scratch, whether you are a one-person show or have 100 employees, embracing brand identity cannot be a fickle act. The brand is as much a part of a business as the products that business sells. It may seem that branding is the easy part of running a successful company, but, as our friends at Coke taught us in the 80s, many businesses struggle with brand identity everyday. In terms of brand development, it becomes even harder. Brand development is oftentimes a tug-of-war between designers and company owners and executives over the myriad of details that go into the process. The smarter execs recognize their limitations and allow designers to do what they are trained to do. The greatest failures in marketing history happen when the opposite occurs.

What makes branding so hard for some business owners? Well, that’s really a question about trust. It’s the trust involved with turning over, what could be, their biggest investment to another individual to develop. It’s like handing over the keys to your house to a new acquaintance and saying, “Okay, make it pretty.” Granted, the branding process isn’t a blind endeavor; yet, no matter how much information a client gives to a designer or how involved he or she may be in the process, it can be truly hard to “let go” and trust the designer’s decisions.

But, trust is exactly what every business owner should do. If you’ve taken the time to research and find the right designer for you, entered into a contract with that designer, invested the time and energy in providing information to that designer and given the “okay” on the designer’s choices, then you should embrace those decisions and trust to the designer’s expertise in regard to your brand and all the design elements that accompany it. In other words, embrace your brand identity.

In a recent ezine article, “Embracing Your Brand,” Charen Smith notes that branding goes beyond marketing materials, but should be a part of every aspect of one’s business – that it needs to be a part of every aspect of the business. Smith writes:

To spread your brand you need to ensure that everything your company does is linked with that brand name. You need to get custom printing done to have letterheads on everything you send out. If someone gets something from anyone in your company you should be sure they’re going to see your brand name in a prominent position.

Smith makes an important point. Having a smart logo and a clean, sleek website aren’t enough when it comes to embracing your brand identity. Everything from the tag line to stationery to business cards needs to incorporate the brand on some level. Even seemingly banal things, such as the language of your website, need to incorporate this philosophy. For instance, if your brand is something fun and whimsical, then the language of your site should also be fun and whimsical. If your business is sleek and stylish, then, again, the language on your website – everything from your personnel bios to your blog – should be a reflection of that sleek and stylish element of your brand. This principle extends to every aspect of one’s business self or personae. It should appear in your personal style, the design of your work space, your letterhead and even, perhaps, your choices of where you hold business lunches. The more a business can incorporate the brand into the day-to-day, the more that brand becomes recognizable to clients and potential clients.

In another aspect of the process, you must EMBRACE YOUR NAME. It’s amazing how simple this concept appears on the surface, yet how difficult it becomes for a company to follow through. If your new brand identity is named “Surfing Unicorn” and indeed employs a unicorn on a Santa Cruz surfboard, cresting a “bitchin” wave, then you need to embrace that name to the fullest. Surfing Unicorn, LLC doesn’t need to have a bird as its logo. Nor does it need to be a simple, script logo. If you’ve signed off on “Surfing Unicorn” then, by golly, there needs to be a unicorn! (unless you’re going for irony, in which case there needs to be an ogre or, at the least, some play on  the idea of a surfing unicorn like one of those narwhal thingies that Norwegian fishermen thought that was a sea unicorn) Furthermore, every other aspect of your branding needs to be, in one way or another, an extension of that name. Surfing Unicorn, LLC needs to be communicated in everything from the tag line to the website to the stationery.

Once again, this all comes down to trust (though, if a design firm throws “Surfing Unicorn” your way, you can trust that somebody is either A) using illicit substances, B) out to destroy your business, or C) carries a Trapper Keeper … possibly with unicorns and kittens on it). When working with a design firm, trust to the fact that everyone involved in the development of your brand are individuals who are A) highly experienced in what they do, B) just as invested in the success of your company as you are and C) have a broader perspective of branding principles than you do. That’s why you hired them. These designers, illustrators, and copywriters are branding junkies . They live for this stuff. And what’s wonderful for the client is that they are applying all of that knowledge to create a look and feel for your business that is entirely unique to that business and are ensuring that your brand is something that clients will recognize as a relevant, quality and necessary part of their lives. Trust your designers. Trust your identity.

Tyrie Smith is the copywriter and editor for Luxecetera. He has worked in journalism, public relations and marketing for 10 years, none of which took place in the 80s (and that is really sad, because he like totally missed out on some bitchin’ professional fashion trends and like, ya know, could have totally been one of those gnarly marketing dudes with a Delorean and a rad Don Johnson sport coat).

1. We are COMPLETELY booked for 2009. There ain’t no squeezing left.

2. We are booking currently for March 2010. Yup – that’s right January and February are pretty solid too. Crazy – right!? BUT – we are growing our little team and things could pick up and move a bit faster in twenty-ten.

3. While we are natural workaholics and we work very hard throughout the year… but… we are like most of you… we have friends and families too and we would like to spend some quality time with them this year. So… we will be taking off for the upcoming holidays.  The LUXC offices will be closed. We will not guarantee that emails or phone calls will be returned during those times. Please see the dates below for closings.

CLOSED November 24th – November 30th 
CLOSED December 17th – January 3rd

Projects Include: Branding, logo, tagline creation, watermarks, business card, notecards, custom Dream Album cover, custom blogsite and HTML newsletter.

As branding consultants will tell you, the strength of a brand lies in the name and how well it communicates all the unsaid aspects of a business – mission, product, philosophy, etc. – in a single word or phrase. However, the name is only a piece of the overall branding puzzle. The real magic happens when a business embraces the name to its fullest potential, incorporating all of those unspoken nuances into a branding mission. It really is all about naming your brand and embracing your name. Though, it’s easier to see how this works if we can look at the process of naming in practice. For that, I want to turn to a recent client and her personal journey towards creating a new identity for her photography business and how that journey led to a lesson, though indirect, about semiotics.

Allison Parker came to Luxecetera looking for a new way to brand her photography business, Phreckle Nose Photography. Like a lot of our clients, she was happy with her name, but wanted something more from her brand – something that better communicated her business’ mission and her philosophy on photography. Furthermore, Allison was looking for a brand that could carry her business forward.

Initially, we looked at Allison’s business name, “Phreckle Nose,” and her business’ focus, primarily children’s photography, and immediately honed in on the fun, whimsical, kid-centeric aspect of the company. It seemed to be an easy fit. However, as we talked to Allison, we could see that her vision, as she saw it, was something not exactly relatable to the name Phreckle Nose.

Over the next few weeks of consult time, we, along with Allison, struggled with how to keep the name (a name that Allison and her husband developed together), but communicate her particular business perspective. In my interview with Allison, I gave her my theory on changing a name once a business was already established – that if you have a good reputation and are well-known under one moniker, changing midstream runs the risk of affecting relationships with established clients. To a fault, I stretched the boundaries of what we could accomplish with Phreckle Nose and tried to fit a square peg in a round hole. Going over the conversation with Ashley, I started to realize the problem with my advice – that Allison’s vision for her company had outgrown her old name (and, thusly, her old brand).

It wasn’t even my company and I was having trouble with altering the name. Yet, the fact remained; Allison’s revised vision of a company that communicated a refined but playful, vintage, classic product no longer fit with her name. Additionally, Allison had dreams of broadening her scope as a photographer. It wasn’t something she was looking to do immediately, but she wanted the option to photograph more seniors, couples, brides and families in the future. Again, this was a vision not relatable to the semiotics of Phreckle Nose. Our sketches of fairytale frog princes and cartoon-ish blue birds wouldn’t fly (had to get one pun in).

It took Allison some time to get used to the idea too. “It’s so obvious now,” Allison says about her new name and brand. “I didn’t get it until I saw the design concepts. Now, I am so happy.” What Allsion saw in those concepts was the branding manifestation of semiotics. The new name, Feather Nest, is built out of the phrase “feather your nest,” which was a tagline Allison had used for Phreckle Nose. Her perspective on photography is to bring art – the art of moments – into her clients’ homes. To that end, “Feather Nest” works metonymically to represent this idea. Breaking the name down into its parts, “feather” and “nest” we uncover even deeper meaning from the images these words/symbols evoke. In this instance, ambiguity is intentional and important because we want the client to imagine several images and emotions associated with these terms. Too much detail, like Eagle’s Feather Sweetgrass Nest, would be restrictive. As it is, clients may imagine the softness of feathers, downy feathers, beautiful feathers (like those of a peacock), while nest may evoke ideas like homeplace, coziness, and something thoughtfully put together.

And though clear to her now, Allison still remembers why she was initially hesitant, “I just saw it [Phreckle Nose] as something else. I was blinded by love, I guess. It’s like renaming your kid – you know, just waking up one day and having namer’s remorse and calling your child something different. I just didn’t see it.” A big part of her “seeing it” was the time she had to think about her brand during the process. “I am really grateful for the time it took to put this all together. It really forces you think about the business – what we are, where we are going. I got more than just a new brand and a new name, I got a new business plan. I needed that time really see what I wanted and what I needed.” Ultimately, what Allison came to see was that she needed a name that she could fully embrace. If she stuck with the Phreckle Nose brand, she had to embrace what that name represented – its semiotics and metonymy. If she wasn’t able to do that, then she had to accept that her inability to do so said something about her business; what it was and where it was going. That, in turn, translated to the fact that she had to find a name she could embrace – fully and without question.

To borrow a cliché, “what’s in a name?” Well, as you can see, there’s a great deal. Names carry weight. They overflow with ideas and represent different things to different people. In branding, the ability of any business to “embrace the name” lies in understanding what that name communicates about the business. It’s an all or none dynamic. When you look at your company name, ask yourself, “can I embrace these words and the images they evoke as representative of my company and its mission?” If your answer is not a firm “yes,” then it’s time for a change. The ability to embrace your name trumps any history or attachment you may feel towards that moniker. If you can’t embrace your name, then the name is not fulfilling its purpose. It’s not an easy path to walk, however, as Allison says, “it takes time, but it is definitely worth it.”

Tyrie Smith is the copywriter and editor for Luxecetera. He has worked in journalism, public relations and marketing for 10 years and spends his downtime thinking of better names for well-established companies … if only they would listen.

Keep an eye out for a Allison’s brand feature on the blog very soon… it will include some YUMMY letterpress business cards!

Katie’s job is simple (hahahahahaha!). She is in charge of preserving the ever-important relationships with our clients – past, present and future. Katie will now be handling all waiting list questions, product inquiries, customer service issues and three alarm fires (which is why she gets a nifty set of flame-retardant coveralls and a sweet oxygen mask). On top of that, she will be managing the waiting list and generally keeping order in our LUXC offices. So, those of you who are already clients, and those who are thinking of becoming clients, rest easy in knowing that you are in very capable hands.

Katie is a fiery redhead from Atlanta. No, that’s not quite right … hmm. Katie is an Atlanta native, mother of two wonderful children, a former financing officer and a rabid UGA football fan … no, that doesn’t really quite capture her either. Okay, okay … ummm. Oh! Got it! Katie Troxel is, like, the coolest woman ever. No, really. She has this really incredible personality that just puts you at ease. She’s very controlled and calm, which has a lot to do with why we hired her (she’s a dedicated practitioner of Bikram Yoga  – yes, that’s the one where people meditate inside an oven). The organizational skills she acquired during her tenure in the banking industry, coupled with her feats as a wonderful mother of two great kids, makes her the ideal person to keep the LUXC ship sailing smoothly (or, at the interest of maintaining the metaphor, the LUXC Bullet Train running tip-top). And, like all of the LUXC team, Katie is a creative thinker, which makes us just that much stronger. So, be sure to welcome Katie to the team – she is, after all, keeping us all sane.

Meet Katie and her gorgeous family!

Seriously Simple Album Spreads III $80.00

• 50 template spreads, sized 9×9
• actions for resizing templates to fit a variety of album sizes (6×6, 7×7, 8×8, 10×10, 12×12, and more!!!)

• All 3 versions were designed to mix and match for use with almost any album size you wish. YOU CAN USE THESE WITH ALMOST ANY ALBUM OUT THERE!

Images in samples courtesy of Andrea Casey Photography

PRODUCT DETAILS:
• Includes 10 box cover template designs to be used with the Dream Album Co.
• Includes optional borders and/or color blocks in each cover
• Includes template sizes for both available box options (5×7 & 8×10)
• All colors and text can be edited
• Font information will be included with your download
• Compatible with Photoshop CS and later, Windows and Mac

Images in samples courtesy of Andrea Casey Photography

The principles of design

Balance: Balance is an equilibrium resulting from looking at images and judging them against our ideas of physical structure (such as mass, gravity or the sides of a page). Balance can be symmetrical or asymmetrical.  Symmetrical balance occurs when the weight of a composition is evenly distributed around a central vertical or horizontal axis. Asymmetrical balance occurs when the weight of a composition is not evenly distributed around a central axis. It involves the arranging of objects of differing size in such a way that they balance one another with their respective visual weights.

Rhythm: The repetition or alteration of elements, often with regularly defined intervals, or spaces.  Rhythm can create a sense of movement, progression, or simply repetition.

Proportion: The comparison of dimension of elements in relation to scale.

Dominance or Emphasis: Determines what in the composition is given the most visual weight.  Can be expressed as primary, secondary and tertiary information; or as dominant, sub-dominant, and subordinate.

Unity: The relationship of all parts of the composition to the whole.

Color

Hue: Hue is generally what is meant when you ask “What color is that?” What you are asking for is the hue. Red, yellow, green, blue, those are all the hues.

Saturation: Saturation is just like it sounds, the saturation of the color, or hue.  For instance, a room is painted one color, but throughout the day the saturation changes based on lighting conditions.  Think about it in terms of pale or weak versus pure or strong.

Shade: Adding black to a pure hue.

Tint: Adding white to a pure hue.

Tones: Adding gray to a pure hue.

Value: When we talk about a color in terms of its “lightness” and “darkness” we are talking about its value, this may also be called brightness.  It is a measure of a color in relation to white.  For instance, yellow is brighter than olive green, which is brighter than black.

Other type terms

Alignment: How a line of type relates to the edges of a column.  Examples are flush left, flush right, or justified.

Kerning: Kerning is the adjustment of the space between two letters.  If a typeface is spaced too uniformly, it creates a pattern in the letters that is not uniform enough, so to remedy that, designers often kern the letter spacing to create optical balance and equality.

Leading: The space between lines of type.  Also called line spacing.  Why is it called leading?  It goes back to the days of letterpress and manual printing.  When the typesetter hand-set the small lead type, letter by letter, they would space lines with a long solid piece of lead, whose thickness determined the spacing to the next line of type. The term has stayed, even as typesetting moved from manual to digital.

Tracking: Tracking is adjusting the spacing across a word, line, or column of text. Also known as letter spacing.

Typeface: A typeface is a set of one or more fonts, in one or more sizes, designed with stylistic unity. A typeface usually comprises an alphabet of letters, numerals, and punctuation marks. The term typeface is frequently interchanged with font, however the two terms had more clearly differentiated meanings before the advent of desktop publishing. A font is a specific style within a type family, or typeface. For example, Adobe Garamond Pro Bold is a font, within the typeface Adobe Garamond.

Graphics and images

Vector: Vector graphics are comprised of geometric “primitives” such as points, lines, curves, and/or polygons which use mathematical equations to create the image.  The benefit of using vector images is that they are infinitely scalable without distortion, and create smaller file sizes.  So your logo, whether it is 1/4″ high for a business card, or blown up for a car wrap, will maintain its quality.

Raster: Raster graphics, unlike vector graphics, are created with a series of pixels, or points of color.  Photographs, for instance, are raster graphics.  Raster graphics can show great photographic detail, however, if you have ever taken a picture with your cell phone and tried to blow it up, you are well aware that a raster image is not scalable above its original size.  That is because when you blow up a raster image, you are making the pixels visible, which creates that unattractive jagged, or artifacted look.

~Intern Julia

Now, the reality is that there are not a whole lot of people out there (well, any people out there) interested in the connections between an obscure modern poet and 700-year-old oral traditions, but I got a real sense of accomplishment knowing that something I created was important enough to fit into the definition of copyrightable material. This protection, afforded me by United States Constitution Article 1, Section 8 (the actual federal law is codified in US code Title 17), covers a whole cadre of creativity. The concept of “creation” is at the heart of copyright law.

However, the purpose behind copyright is not to necessarily “protect” anything. Its major purpose is to ensure the progress of new ideas. It allows the creator time to develop and innovate his or her idea into something more useful and more complete. By granting the creator a temporary monopoly over the creation (a time which varies based on what the copyrightable material is and how it was created), copyright law provides an opportunity for revision. The only exception to this rule is if lifting a copyright is in the public interest.

In order to be worthy of copyright, the created material must meet all three of the following requirements:

Fixation—the work exists in a medium from which the author’s expression can be read, seen, or heard, either directly or by the aid of a machine;
Originality—the work owes its origin and independent creation to an author;
Minimal creativity—the work is the product of at least a minimal level of creativity.

And fits into one of the following categories:

Literary works
Musical works, including any accompanying words
Dramatic works, including any accompanying music
Pantomimes and choreographic works
Pictorial, graphic, and sculptural works
Motion pictures and other audiovisual works
Sound recordings
Architectural works

Yes, just about anything can be covered (even obscure dissertations). Furthermore, the process to obtain a copyright is fairly easy. However, there is the potential for misunderstanding in regard to the who and the why of copyright law as it pertains to something like design work. Oftentimes, clients coming to a design firm are flummoxed by the idea that they won’t “have ownership” of their new brand once it’s created – it is, after all, their brand (photographers will recognize this conflict as they “own” the photographs of their clients, but the client owns copies of the prints, which cannot be replicated unless by or with the permission of the photographer … complicated, ain’t it).

More than likely, this confusion arises out of ignorance concerning the difference between copyright and trademark. Remember, copyright law protects the creator. In regard to the issue between designer and client, the brand, while FOR the client, is BY the designer. It’s the designer’s creation and is representative of the designer’s work. Therefore, ownership lies with the designer. It protects him or her from misuse or misrepresentation of a creative work. Without a copyright, a logo or tagline could be attributed to the client’s creation, pirated by another individual for possible misuse or otherwise altered and used for purposes contrary to its original intent. And, though not directly addressed by the US code, the law also protects the client from the same dangers. It ensures that the brand is sustained and protects the client from imitation or replication of his or her brand by competitors or others wishing to profit from that brand.

A trademark differs from a copyright in that the trademark is used by an individual, business or other legal entity to signify to consumers that a product or service, with which the trademark appears, originates from a unique source, and to distinguish its products or services from those of other entities. In other words, the copyright protects the brand design while the trademark protects the brand and its products and services. A client may not own the design of the brand, but he or she can apply for a trademark to protect the brand – its name, products, services, etc. (look for the upcoming article on trademarks).

Back to copyright law …

The final point, and what many people don’t quite grasp, is that copyright infringement is illegal. A lot of clients go to design firms and request a design that “looks like (insert object of brand envy here).” When the designer attempts to explain why that can’t happen, the client becomes frustrated (“but that’s what I want”). There are a number of reasons “why,” including ethical reasons outside of the law such as preventing the birth of yet another branding cliché, but what’s most important is that “copying” another design is flirting with copyright infringement. Being inspired by a brand or a design is one thing – there’s nothing wrong with appreciating and finding inspiration in someone else’s ideas – but, the outright copying of another’s design is copyright infringement.

Overall, copyright law is in place to protect creativity and the progress of new ideas. For those working in the creative arts, copyright law is a tool for prevention against plagiarism. For more information on copyright law, check out the following link:
http://lcweb.loc.gov/copyright/title17/.

~Tyrie

Tyrie Smith is the copywriter and editor for Luxecetera. He has worked in journalism, public relations and marketing for 10 years … his dissertation, A Voice That Was Thin and Pure: Folklore as Literature and Literature as Folklore in the Works of Byron Herbert Reece, is available upon request.

We’ve just created the Luxecetera page on Facebook. Check us out – become a fan – and find special offers and discounts that you’ll only find there! Hurry on over – you may find something special!

(Valley Girl Voice)
Oh My God, Becky, look at her BLOG
It is sooooo new
It looks like one of those Luxe girls‘ blogs
Who understands those crazy girls?
It only looks so good because Flosites coded it, OK?
I mean, her BLOG, it’s just so… AWESOME!
I can’t believe it’s so colorful and out there
I mean, look, it’s just so…. CUTE!

We got a big kick out of that after reading Lauren’s intro of her new blog on OSP.

“My logo makes me smile!” That’s a recent email we received from Lauren Wright just days after we completed her new brand for Lauren Wright Photography. It’s the kind of response that makes everyone here at Luxecetera smile too – it means we provided Lauren with what she wanted and, equally important, what she needed. The inspiration for her design came from her desire for something “high-end, natural, and simple.” Lauren was also looking for a brand that had an “artsy” look. Because her brand is built upon her name, the primary design element was the font – it needed to be original, elegant, modern, and, above all, represent Lauren’s business. To complete the brand, Lauren was also looking for a design element that represented nature because much of her work takes place outdoors. Her initial inclination was towards a flower or a leaf. Taking all of this into account, we went to work creating a font-driven brand of wispy, feathery letters. Building on this design, we took an alternative approach to Lauren’s want for a flower or leaf and added a peacock feather that matched up aesthetically with our font design. The final product is bright, stylishly simple, and will surely bring a smile to Lauren’s clients.

Projects Include: logo, branding, graphic mark, pattern, custom blogsite, business cards.

P.S. Congrats to Lauren who just got engaged!!!

NOTE: If you have already contacted us for 2009 – be sure to send your deposit in by this Friday (August 28th, 2009) in order to hold a 2009 date.

Yup! That’s Typography Soap!

Projects Include: Logo, branding, pattern designs, watermark stamp, business cards, notecards, customized blog, custom splash page, and customized template site.

Cristina’s Blog… a customized ProPhoto Blog.

Cristina’s business cards are exquisite! Printed traditional offset on a heavy-duty two color duplexed linen paper with yummy metallic ink… they make us melt to the floor! Photographs of these cards could NEVER do them proper justice!

For these examples, we’ll be using Adobe Garamond, as it is a beautifully designed serif font that clearly showcases everything we want to discuss. However, these terms do apply to all fonts.

Terms Defined:

Apex: the point where two ascending strokes meet (two descending strokes meeting is a vertex, like in V.)

Arms: the horizontal arm-like strokes of a letter, such as on E.

Ascender: the stroke of a letter that projects above the body of the letter, such as in b, d, or k.

Beak: a single-sided upper serif.

Bowl: a fully enclosed space in a letter.

Bracket: the part of a letter that connects the stroke to the serif, as in the example H.

Counter: a partially or fully enclosed space in a letter.

Crossbar: a horizontal stroke connecting two vertical strokes in a letter.

Diagonal: the angled strokes in a letter.

Dot: the mark placed above a lowercase i or j in most fonts.

Ear: small stroke protruding from the counter of a lowercase g.

Eye: enclosed area of a letter, such as in e.

Finial: finishing of a stroke.

Flags: can be unusual or more traditional flourish or finishing strokes at the tops of numerals, such as 1 and 5.

Hook: bent over or ‘hooked’ stroke, as in f.

Leg: diagonal (generally) stroke supporting a letter, such as R.

Ligature: two or more letters joined to create a single glyph for aesthetic or traditionally practical reasons.

Link: stroke connecting the counter to the loop, as in g.

Lobe: enclosed section of a letter, such as in P, B, or R.

Loop: descending, closed space, such as in g.

Sheared Terminal: the modified terminals of the stroke on lowercase t, combining the two upper strokes of t.

Shoulder: curved stroke, such as in n.

Spine: supporting stroke in a curved letter, such as S or 8.

Spur: modified and abbreviated serif, such as in b.

Stem: the main supporting horizontal stroke of a letter.

Stroke: the lines that make up a letter.

Tail: the descending horizontal stroke, such as in y.

Terminal: the end of a stroke, in the case of Garamond, generally slightly flared or rounded.

Waist: pinched area between two lobes, such as in B.

Links

If you would like to find out more about typeface anatomy, try these pages and resources.

Fontshop’s Glossary

Books: Designing Type by Karen Cheng

Books: Stop Stealing Sheep by Erik Spiekermann and E.M.Ginger

Books: Thinking with Type by Ellen Lupton

~ Intern Julia

Business or “calling” cards, have a long history that dates back over 150 years (and, perhaps, before). They are a prominent part of corporate culture. “Here’s my card,” is not just a cliché – it’s a way of life. Myself, I have a drawer full of the things. They are all over my office and my home, tucked away here and there. The most important ones (including Rebecca’s) get placed in the pocket of one of my trusted Moleskin notebooks. And, yes, I do refer to them again and again to find all kinds of people I need to reach. Some I keep for practical purposes, others because of aesthetic reasons – no matter what the case, they are there and with me and, therefore, so are the people who first handed them to me. And while you may think that a business card is an “added” expense or a luxury, think again. A business card is the next best thing to being right next to a potential client. It allows him or her to take something to remember you by and provides what that person needs to find you again. Furthermore, it’s an expense that pays – perhaps even more so than big-budget marketing like fliers, rack cards, print advertisements, and the like. And, if used correctly, can turn potential clients into free advertisers. No matter if the focus is on an aesthetic element or informational content, a well-developed business card is more important than any other marketing medium you can invest in.

Think of this. Let’s say you are given the option to order 500 business cards at $1.00/card or 1000 at $.75/card. Which do you choose? Your first instinct is to consider price – $500 v/s $750. You recognize the deal you’re getting in the 1000 scenario, but then your logic kicks in and says something like, “hey, logic here, when are WE ever going to meet 1000 people? We don’t need that many cards.” Your logic assumes that you are only handing out one card per person. This is the moment where you should realize that logic hasn’t really been pulling its weight lately and maybe needs to be let go. Of course you don’t hand out one card. If you have someone’s attention and are discussing business and you are connecting on a level beyond, “so what do you do,” you need to leave that person with no less than three of your cards. Why? Because then, when he or she has another conversation with a friend or family member or associate who is also looking for a (insert your business type here), he or she may just feel good enough about you and your business to pass on one of those extra cards to that person. It’s word-of-mouth advertising X 100. Now that person’s friend/family member/associate also has your information AND an unsolicited endorsement from someone they already have a relationship with. It’s a dynamic marketing tool and one that most people don’t take full advantage of.

Remember, your business card is an extension of yourself. It communicates, through its aesthetic elements and its content, who you are, what you do and how you can be reached. In addition, it supplies a potential client with something tangible to remind him or her of your meeting OR reminds someone that a trusted acquaintance endorses your business. So, order more, give out more, get more for your investment.

Oh, what was on Rebbecca’s card? Simply her name, number, email and six check boxes that she marked accordingly, based on her conversations with the other attendees at the conference:

_ thanks, I highly respect your work
_ help … I need a job
_ it was a pleasure to make your acquaintance
_ I am seriously in love with you
_ @&$% off
_ come visit me sometime

memorable, eh?

~Tyrie

Tyrie Smith is the copywriter and editor for Luxecetera. He has worked in journalism, public relations and marketing for 10 years, including a brief stint as a student events coordinator at a small liberal arts college, which, by the by, is where began his obsession with business cards, day-glow t-shirts and free frisbees.

A world where people throw around words like “serif” and “transitional” and “oblique” without regard for those of you without a degree in graphic design or typography. It can be frustrating trying to describe the font style or look you want when you don’t know the lingo. However, there are some simple ways to communicate what you are looking for in that perfect font. In this post, we will discuss fonts in terms of font classifications. There is certainly more than one way to classify fonts, depending on where you are looking or who you talk to, so in this case, we are going to give you a general set of categories that may help you start your search.

Serif

Essentially, a serif is the little extra stroke found at the end of the main horizontal and vertical strokes of a letter. The look of the serif can vary greatly in serif fonts, as you can see in the selection below. Generally, serif fonts are more legible, or easier to read, when used in large amounts of text because the serif helps stabilize the line of letters and draws your eye left to right on the page. They also generally present a more traditional look, as they date back further than other types of fonts.

Slab Serif

Old Style

Sans Serif

A sans serif (french: sans meaning “without”) font is just what you might imagine then, a font without the serifs. You can see from the examples below that there are no strokes at the end of any of the letterforms. Sans serif fonts overall tend to appear more modern, and have many variations that can be geometric, organic, or more neutral in appearance. Helvetica is very popular for it’s ability to be neutral, and take on the personality of whatever it is designed with. Bryant is a more rounded, friendly, even childish font. Whitney is a great step between the two, still remaining neutral, but with a slightly more modern, friendly flare.

Geometric

Geometric fonts are created using geometric proportions. You can see in the examples below that the “o” for instance, is a near perfect circle, and all the other letters are based on near perfect triangles and squares. These fonts were designed in the 1920’s and 1930’s, to look “modern,” which now translates into a style reminiscent of the Art Deco and Bauhaus eras.

Other Categories

After grouping fonts into the two main categories of serif and sans serif, there are more specific categories in which they can be gathered. There is no universal standard, but we do have some guidelines when it comes to these categories.

Blackletter

Display

Display fonts can encompass a wide range of other fonts. Essentially, a display font is a font that is not meant to be small, or set with a large body of text. It was designed to be viewed large (36pt or larger) and used to catch attention, such as a headline. According to Ilene Strizver at U&LC Magazine “A good display typeface should have a distinct, assertive personality. Whether it’s a decorative design with a flamboyant attitude (the “life of the party”), or a simple bold sans with minimal embellishments (the “strong, silent” type), a good display design makes a powerful and specific first impression.”

Script

Last but certainly not least, scripts! Script fonts are just like they sound, fonts created to mimic handwritten letters. There are countless fonts, ranging from extremely classical styles to more modern “handwriting” styles. They can be clean, youthful, unkempt, vintage or grungy, and everywhere in between. Depending on the style choice, they can communicate something extremely formal or very casual. You can also create a more unique look if you choose a font with alternate characters, which provides an alphabet that has different versions of certain letters, that can be used to create a more unique and individualized look.

Traditional

Youthful

Vintage

Clean & Modern

Remember, there are many, many ways to categorize fonts, and the above are just some examples to get you started. In Part 2 of Fonts 101, we will delve into the anatomy of a letter, the pieces that create the written word, and how those subtle variations are what create each font’s unique appearance.

Links

If you are interested in purchasing fonts, or just learning more about whats out there, please visit some of these pages.

Hoefler & Frere-Jones

Fonts.com by Monotype

Myfonts.com

Adobe Fonts

Font Shop

~ Intern Julia

Every now and then a brand comes along that very nearly literally takes on a life and character all its own. This is certainly the case with Elizabeth Smith’s new brand, Libbie Wicket. Elizabeth was looking for a new direction to take her photography business. She wanted a complete re-branding that could better communicate her philosophy as both a photographer and a business owner. Her spunky, fun approach to both, coupled with her real love for the whimsy of childhood, inspired the creation of an authentic brand that came to life in the form of a precocious, independent, and out-loud little girl we named Libbie Wicket (how fun that Elizabeth’s childhood nickname was Libbie!). This rough-and-tumble tomboy, with skinned knees and tussled hair, became the personification of Elizabeth’s work and drove the design-earthy tones, rich textures, and nature-inspired design elements. Libbie’s personae and her story serve as the foundation of a complete branding endeavor that lives, breathes, and climbs trees.

Projects Include: logo, branding, illustrations, naming, tagline creations, other copywriting services (Libbie’s Story), postcard, notecards, magazine advertisements, business cards, stickers, magnets, custom dream album cover, wall decals, and custom blogsite.

Cute little gift magnets that Elizabeth orders from here.

The Custom Branded Dream Album Cover… Elizabeth uses cream for the girls and chocolate for the boys.

Our favorite part has to be these wall decals that we had made via an Etsy shop. They really brought Libbie to life!!

The business cards were printed offset and turnout so lovely… printed on a thick cream linen stock in a larger size (3×3) with rounded corners… they look and feel completely wonderful.

The custom blogsite that we designed and our friends at Flosites programmed. All programmed as a custom Wordpress theme.

So… how did the client feel, you ask…

When you first met “Libbie,” was it love at first sight?
It was totally love at first sight when I saw Libbie. How can anyone resist her knobby little knees and devilish little grin?

In what ways does “Libbie Wicket” the brand communicate the most important aspects of what you do?
I was looking for a logo and a brand that pulled together both the business and the passion. I wanted something whimsical, unique and elegant (but not stuffy). I knew that the gals at Luxetera were the right ones for the challenge. Ashley and I met for lunch and got to know one another a little. She listened and noted my ideas and thoughts for the branding. After that meeting I knew I could trust whatever she came up with.

Tell us what you hope your new look will do for your business.
My new look came at an important time in my business history. I was able to reveal my new studio at the same time I revealed my new branding. The new brand gives potential clients a peek into what they will experience when they choose me as their photographer. Libbie, as a character, is what I am looking to capture in each child I photograph.

How would you describe your experience with Luxecetera?
My experience with Luxecetera was beyond fabulous. Ashley happens to live close to me so she and I worked on most of the projects together. The girls at Luxecetera say I was easy to work with because I loved all their ideas as they were – no changes. However, I have to be honest and say that the girls are just brilliant and it was easy to love everything they created! I would highly recommend them and I would absolutely use them in the future!

In what ways is Libbie a reflection of you?
Libbie is me – in a child version. I was that child who caught bugs, climbed trees, swung from ropes, caught craw dads in the creek and played on the boys soccer team. I fear I have not changed much. I still love to get dirty and to have a great time. Last weekend I got knee deep in the water to get “the shot”. Sadly, my camera took a dunk and now it is in the camera hospital. That, my friends, is what happens when you live life out loud… you have to laugh at the bumps along the way.

ETA: completely forgot to show these original sketches of Libbie…

*** AND FOR ONE WEEK ONLY WE ARE OFFERING A BUY TWO GET ONE FREE ON ALL OF OUR HOLIDAY COLLECTIONS! ***

Please use code b2g109 at checkout.

Introducing:

Frosted Holiday | $60

PRODUCT DETAILS:
• 5, 5×7 folded/4-sided card template designs
• Designs for front back and inside
• Most text and colors can be edited
• Instructions for use & font information included
• Compatible with Photoshop CS and later, Windows and Mac

Images in samples courtesy of Season Moore

Retro Holiday | $60

PRODUCT DETAILS:

• 5, 5×7 folded/4-sided card template designs
• Designs for front back and inside
• Includes original illustrations
• Most text and colors can be edited
• Instructions for use & font information included
• Compatible with Photoshop CS and later, Windows and Mac

Images in samples courtesy of Stacy Larsen

Radiant Winter $60

PRODUCT DETAILS:
• 5, 5×7 folded/4-sided card template designs
• Designs for front back and inside
• All text and colors can be edited
• All fonts used are standard or free
• Instructions for use & font information included
• Compatible with Photoshop CS and later, Windows and Mac

Images in samples courtesy of Stacey Woods

*** FOR 24 HOURS THESE WILL BE 25% OFF WHEN YOU ENTER THE CODE SIG25 ***

Signature Holiday $60.00

PRODUCT DETAILS:
• 5, 5×7 folded/4-sided card template designs
• Designs for front back and inside spreads
• Includes original illustrations
• All text and colors can be edited
• All fonts used are standard or free
• Instructions for use & font information included
• Compatible with Photoshop CS and later, Windows and Mac

More holiday collections soon … we promise!!!

images in samples are courtesy of Stacy Larsen

And don’t forget we released Holiday Silhouettes early this summer.

Images in samples courtesy of Stacy Larsen

It’s to be expected that you are anxious. This is not just a financial investment, but an emotional investment that asks you to put the future of your business into someone else’s hands – often without the slightest idea as to what, exactly, they are doing with your business. At Luxecetera, we get this and want to demystify the process to help you better understand what to expect over the coming months. With any luck, this guide will help clear the path and make your journey a bit easier. Remember, this is a positive, enriching experience and we want you to be comfortable. We value your business and your trust and want you to enjoy, what should be, an exciting and constructive moment. So, read on and come with us, down the rabbit’s hole …

The first thing is getting on our waiting list. We are a small firm and one that prides itself on carefully and thoughtfully creating every brand “from scratch” As you read on, you will notice that we have a well-developed process that ensures every project is thoroughly developed and completed with each client – not dependent of her or him. It’s what differentiates us from a lot of our competitors. A $250 deposit holds your spot in line and waiting times vary. When you make your deposit, we will give you an approximate estimate as to how long the wait will be.

Once we’ve gotten you on the list, you will fill out our initial questionnaire, which is a mix of questions to help us understand the who, what, why, where, and how of you and your company. This is our first real glimpse into your business, so be sure to take the time to carefully think out and develop your answers. It’s essential that you are honest and thorough and (this is really important) detailed. For instance, with a question like “who are your clients,” don’t respond “moms” – there are a lot of “moms” out there. Tell us what kind of moms or families or engaged couples you are looking for. Use descriptive language and really pinpoint your client demographic. These questions are not just an exercise – they are an important part of the process. They get you really thinking about what you want for your business and help us to gain an understanding of what you need.

As soon as your name reaches the top of the waiting list, things kick into high gear. We begin with a consult. This will be our first real meeting since this whole thing began. Meeting new clients is an exciting event at Luxecetera. We’ve learned a little about you from your initial inquiry and the questionnaire, but now we get to assign a voice, personality, and (sometimes) a face to the individual we are working for. This is a time for both of us to ask the other questions and develop a real rapport. Together, we will review the questionnaire and you will have the opportunity to amend and further develop the ideas you expressed there. The designer will give you honest feedback and a professional perspective on your concepts. The phone consult is also a key decision-making time. We will discuss your options in regard to branding packages and help you to decide on one right for you and your business. This is also when you will make your first payment so that we can carry on the conceptualization process and start developing your new brand.

Now that we have your ideas and have come to an agreement about your design package, our designers set to work on creating concepts for your brand. There is a lot of behind-the-scenes branding action (sounds fun, doesn’t it!) at Luxecetera, involving our entire creative team. We have a diverse think-tank working for you, drafting concepts, writing brand statements, illustrating design elements and giving life to your ideas. Creativity literally flies all over the place (usually in the form of scribbled post-its, crumpled pieces of drafting paper and, on occasion, entire computers). We could show you all of this, but we don’t want you to think we’re out of our heads, so, just take our word for it, there is a lot going on. All you have to do is sit back, relax and wait for …

The concepts. Once all of the fantastic magic of conceptualization and design has calmed, you will be presented with the initial concepts for your brand design. Based on your branding package, you will receive a number of items at this time, such as logos, accents, taglines and the like. It is now time for you review these “drafts” and make some decisions. Try them on, see how they fit, use your imagination and picture you and your new brand on the beach or out to dinner with the kids: is this the one? But seriously, think about each concept carefully and consider what works and what doesn’t. The good thing is that you and we have already taken the time to think things through before we ever got started putting ink to paper, so these concepts should be very close to what you had imagined in the initial stages of this process. Our experience has taught us what works in this regard-that is why we have all of these steps. However, it doesn’t mean that every concept is perfect every time. So, if there are real issues in this stage, now is the time to identify them.

In a perfect world, you receive three “perfect” concepts and your toughest decision is which “perfect” design works best for you. But, we aren’t as vain as all that and know that revisions will, most likely, be necessary – however minor they may be. In most cases, you find that at least one of the concepts (usually two) is to your liking and you’re ready to move forward with that design. At this point in our journey it’s time to take a step back and see how we can make your chosen brand fit even better. Revision is a normal process and an important element in the design package. We are professionals and conduct ourselves as such, so don’t be afraid to offer critiques of the concepts we’ve provided. You won’t hurt our feelings (much, haha). That said, it is also important to keep in mind that revision does not constitute a re-conceptualization. If you have been a proactive part of this process, the concepts we send you should be very near-perfect visual representations of the ideas you helped to create. All that will be necessary is a few tweaks here and there, such as color changes, font alterations, layout, etc. In other words, with very few exceptions, we will not scrap these designs to create a new slate of concepts. That is not revision. Again (underscore this), we work to make this a reciprocal process – so long as you are onboard and active in that process, you will see concepts that match with your wants and needs.

Hard to believe, but we’ve arrived at our destination! After the revision process, you receive your completed concept or concepts and you choose … the most perfect, greatest, fantastic design for your business ever created! Well, hopefully. You’ve chosen a design and are left with a few decisions concerning your branding package. There is an opportunity to now upgrade. If you initially signed on for a logo and decide you want an entire branding package, we can do that. We are at the point of wrapping up, so consider those options. Whatever you decide, you now have a new brand and we move on to creating your deliverables:

For the logo, you will receive your logo in vector and layered .psd format, a lookguide with fonts, colors and instructions.

Brand packages will include the logo in vector and layered .psd format, patterns, accents, watermark files, the lookguide with fonts, colors and instructions.

Once those are received and reviewed, your second payment for the package is due. After the payment is received, you will be given the brand “projects,” 3 or 6, depending on your package, all built around the added brand accents.

And so, after all of that-the thinking, deciding, conceptualization, creation, revision and completion of your brand – all that is left to do is for you to fall in love with your business’ new look and feel. You have done it! Pop the champagne, order a deep-tissue massage, treat yourself to an expensive dinner and celebrate making an intelligent and beneficial investment in your business.

The most important element of what we do here at Luxecetera is turning concept into creation. So many of our clients come to us with ideas about who they are as artists and businesspeople. They have dreams about the standards and ideas they hope to represent with a brand. Take Stacy Larsen – she’s a photographer with a love and passion for natural light and natural landscapes. She uses the world as her canvas to create lasting, beautiful images for her clients’ most memorable moments. And, like many of our artists, Stacy realized her brand needed new life – she had ideas and dreams, but needed help in turning those abstractions into something tangible. Now, we like to think that we become close with all of our clients. It’s a part of the Luxecetera experience that translates into truly meaningful design for the people who trust us with some of their most important business decisions. But, with Stacy we had an edge. She and designer Eva Talley are already friends, which helped give us even more insight into Stacy’s wants and needs as a client. Through her conversations with Eva, we were able to construct a complete brand that spoke volumes. Building on her use of nature and natural light, we incorporated a tree with a great tire swing, which evokes the playfulness of children and spring (nature’s most vibrant season). In addition, we added birds (four friends, representing Stacy’s four children) and tied it all together with a consistent color pallet. All of these elements are carried throughout all of Stacy’s branding materials. Her completed brand really sings nature and gives her clients an idea of exactly where she’s coming from.

Projects Include: Brand development, logo design, secondary illustrations, business card, notecard, gift certificate, blog customization, website customization, online model release and more to come!

Stacy’s Website

Stacy’s Blog

Color Anthologie | Summer 2009 $30

PRODUCT DETAILS:
• Includes 10 distinct color palettes
• Includes one limited edition Dream Album cover with color schemes already implemented
• Includes template sizes for all available cover options (ie. 6×6, 9×9, 12×12, etc)
• All colors and text can be edited
• Font information will be included with your download
• Compatible with Photoshop CS and later, Windows and Mac

OTHER USES:
• Transfer colors to nearly anything.
• Cards, marketing materials, websites, branding schemes and more!

These palettes are inspired by summer flavors, landscapes, activities and more!

PALETTES INCLUDED:
• Pistachios and Chocolates
• Mediterranean Seaside
• The New York Met
• April in Paris
• Yacht Club
• Moroccan Beachside
• Grapefruit
• Western Dawn
• Watermelon Julep
• Low Tide

Here’s that limited edition Dream Album Cover we mentioned. Images in samples courtesy of Stacy Larsen.

]]> http://www.luxecetera.com/2009/07/30/new-product-color-anthologie-summer-2009/feed/ 0 http://www.luxecetera.com/2009/07/29/stacey-woods-branded/ http://www.luxecetera.com/2009/07/29/stacey-woods-branded/#comments Wed, 29 Jul 2009 20:37:42 +0000 Ashley http://www.luxecetera.com/?p=724 The transcendentalist Henry David Thoreau once wrote, “Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity!” That quote maybe considered a mainstay in the pantheon of clichéd quotations from literature, but in the case of our re-branding efforts for Stacey Woods Photography it is remarkably relevant. After working with branding concepts that were limiting her in how she could best use her brand, Stacey confessed that she was obsessed with simple design. “I have this overwhelming urge to SIMPLIFY.” We took this to heart and created a brand that satisfied Stacey’s need for simplification and fulfilled her want for something calm and serene that she could translate into everything from her website to her stationery and pricing guides. Taking notes from our interviews with Stacey, we combined a clean font with a soft, peaceful marriage of color. Today, Stacey Woods has a brand that not only works for her business, but also communicates her own personal ideology on life – one filled with simple beauty and simple pleasures.

Projects Include: branding, logo, watermark, notecard, business card, gift certificate, splash page, blog customization and online model release.

Stacey Woods Photography Blog

In the early 1990’s, a phenomenon occurred that absolutely changed my perspective on the world. No, it wasn’t some huge media event or an alien abduction (though, some of my closest friends and relatives may believe an abduction took place). Instead, this phenomenon was an underlying pattern I noticed in an aspect of my teenage existence that, at the time (and still today), seemed hugely important. Like most teenage boys, I was obsessed with music. This was the heyday of the compact disc and I spent every spare cent on new albums. This was also the era of grunge-the Seattle-based “new” sound that inspired legions of angst-riddled youth to trade their Nikes for Doc Martins (or, at the very least, a pair of combat boots), break out a trusty flannel, and start dying their hair. Groups like Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Smashing Pumpkins and Radiohead signaled a significant shift in the musical paradigm. They also signaled an evolution in the music industry.

This evolution was more innovation than invention and resurrected, ten-fold, the practice of taking something original and, based on its popularity, reproducing it again and again until the cow was milked dry. The result was a music industry flooded with Nirvana rip-offs and Eddie Vedder wannabes – and, by extension, one very disenchanted, curmudgeonly teenager (that would be me). Most of those rip-off groups and imitation artists have since disappeared, with a few sad exceptions. The groups from that era that have remained relevant (barring devastating suicides or band break-ups) are those that have maintained a creative edge and, in the words of branding guru Marty Neumeier, aren’t afraid to zig when everyone else zags (see Radiohead).

In his branding overview The Branding Gap, Neumeier recognizes originality (creativity) as the driving force behind any successful brand. He notes, “would-be leaders in any industry must come to grips with a self-evident truth-you can’t be a leader by following.” Unfortunately, in an economic environment (and, logically, a whole society) obsessed with short-term, instant gratification, businesses are more likely to follow trends rather than blaze new trails. (see also stay the course, safety in numbers, you first). The consequence of this ideology is a crowded market in nearly every industry operating today-from small, independent “boutiques” to the largest corporate identities. In short, repetition and redundancy is the norm. Ironically, it’s also bad for business.

If you talk to business owners about what makes ordinary businesses dynamic, most will agree that creativity is the nexus for every success story since Henry Ford. Yet, were you to ask those same business owners if they would be willing to take a creative chance in some aspect of their business, most would, contrary to what they just said, resist, resist, resist. Why? Well, to put it plain and simple, creativity requires risk and risk is not a popular term in business. It’s a catch-22, but one that business owners at all levels must address. The path of least resistance can possibly yield immediate, albeit short-term, results-it requires little risk, little expense, and can buoy a business just enough to turn a profit. The road less taken is treacherous and can lead to great long-term gain … it can also land you in a pit of venomous snakes (see Indiana Jones).

These basic rules of business translate to everything from product design to construction to hiring practices to, yes, brand development. Which brings us to the heart of this discussion. Nowhere is creativity and originality more important than in brand development. Your brand is the identity of your business. It’s the gateway between you and any potential client or customer. The thing is, you’re not only competing for their business, but you are competing for their business in a market flooded with hundreds, if not thousands, of other businesses offering the same or similar products as your own. You’re a photographer in an urban market? Guess what? (and you know this) There are several other photographers in your immediate area who also offer “fresh, fun, modern” photography to “capture your moments.” And, yes, their logo is also a camera, with a heart, carried by doves over a pink and brown landscape of trees and flowers. So, what sets you apart? Maybe your work is better than the others. Perhaps your photographs are dynamic works of art. But, your brand doesn’t communicate that. Your brand communicates that you are the same as the next business in a Google search. It’s a strange phenomenon of human behavior that dictates what looks the same on the outside is most likely the same on the inside, so all of those great nuances of your work that truly set you apart from the competition get lost in a jungle of branding clichés.

Don’t hang your head. It’s only natural. Imitation is, after all, the finest form of flattery. No doubt, you have a list of competitors or fellow photographers whose work you respect and who you know to be great businesspeople. You want to harness some of their magic for your own business and, so, you look for ways to incite the same response in your potential customers as they do in theirs. If it works for them, why not? Well, that’s the damnable thing of it. It doesn’t work for YOU. Their brand is their brand. Chances are, if they are a larger business that is respected and successful, they have used their resources to develop a true brand identity. It’s THEIR brand built on their unique products and perspectives. And, unfortunately, you aren’t the only photographer to be inspired by their website. Everyone else is too and those businesses are using the same design for their brand-just like you are. And so it goes, on and on, until … well, you get the picture.

This brings us back to another gem of wisdom from Marty Neumeier: “without fresh thinking, there’s no chance of magic.” Truer words … Originality is a risk, but it’s a risk worth taking. And, if done properly, the risk involved greatly decreases. It’s not that you need to design your brand and website and stationery-you’re not a designer. You’re a photographer and have a business to run to boot. However, you can make an informed, sound investment in a trusted design firm to create something for you. And if you’re already working with a designer, here’s another bit of wisdom: you must learn to conceptualize the world in a new light. Come to your designer with a vision for YOUR business-a vision independent of what “everyone else” is doing. It’s okay to appreciate design elements in the brands of other businesses in your industry, but never say “I want something like …” No, you don’t. You want something solely representative of you and your philosophies on your products and your company.

At the risk of wringing Marty Neumeier dry, let’s have one more piece of wisdom from this branding guru: “To achieve originality we need to abandon the comforts of habit, reason and the approval of our peers, and strike out in new directions […] creativity doesn’t require rethinking the wheel, but simply thinking in fresh ways.” More specifically, Marty is talking about seeing the unique qualities of your business and using those qualities to shape a business identity. So, when you are thinking about your brand think of it in terms of who you are as an artist, a business owner, and an individual versus who you are in relation to another business identity. You don’t want to be like anyone else-you want you and, by extension, your business to be exactly what it is and communicate that wonderful, beautifully unique identity to your potential clients. You don’t want to be the Monkeys. You want to be the Beatles. Be YOU. Be YOUR brand.

By Tyrie Smith: Tyrie Smith is the copywriter and editor for Luxecetera. He has worked in journalism, public relations and marketing for 10 years, including two years as a music journalist for a number of fan and trade magazines read worldwide. He currently teaches English at Georgia Perimeter College in Atlanta and spends his weekends in search of “deleted Smiths singles and original, not re-released (underlined), Frank Zappa albums.”

Tyrie Smith is a bit of a prat, who is currently making his girlfriend write his biography blurb. He is a father of a son whom may or may not be an angel from heaven. On another note, Tyrie may or may not have been to Greece. He has a post hole-digger degree (a PhD, thank you very much) in Folklore from the University of Louisiana. More importantly, he received a degree in Creative Writing from Georgia State University – that’s where all that creativity comes into play. He currently teaches English at Georgia Perimeter College in Atlanta and dabbles in guitar, the culinary arts, puzzle-making assistance and being a futbol hooligan. Along with his son, Eli, Tyrie raises a lazy 70-pound dog, a lazy 20-pound ginger cat and shares an adventurous life with his cheeky girlfriend. He is the copy-god of Luxecetera and occasionally has a good idea about branding.

A 2 hour brand name and/or tagline consult is included with our LUXC Large Package and a 1 hour brand name and/or consult is included with our LUXC Little Package. Additional writing services are billed at $70 per hour and editing services are billed at $70 per 1000 words.

If you have a question or two for TJ – you can email him here.

~Ashley

It’s hard to recall a time when a stamped envelope carried the most important information of the day. However, even though there are fewer and fewer letters filling our mailboxes, there is nothing quite as intimate, romantic, and lasting as a letter. Melissa Mullen feels the same way about her photography. Her work radiates many of the same characteristics of a well-written letter. Capturing these ideals, the approach for Melissa Mullen’s brand communicates the stylish timelessness of a patina-worn envelope from abroad with memorable design touches, such as postage stamps, ink spots, fine borders, a subtle color scheme, and a honey bee (“Melissa” is, after all, taken from the Greek for honey bee). Brought together, Melissa Mullen Photography reminds the client that a photograph, like a letter, is an intimate expression of those things dearest to us all. 

Projects Include: Tagline Development, Branding, Logo Design, Watermark / Stamp Designs, Pricing Guides, Business Card, Notecard, Notepad, Appointment Reminder, Postcard, Splash Page Design, and Blog Design.

PDF Pricing Guides

Melissa’s Splash Page

Melissa’s Blog

Thank you Melissa, for being kind and patient and constructive, for knowing yourself and your goals and expressing them in a way that allowed us to create something we are all so proud of. Photographs courtesy of Melissa Mullen.

View Larger HERE
Order a Print HERE

There are some fundamental principles that really define what it is we do here at Luxecetera. Over the past few months since our launch, we have worked hard to communicate our unique philosophy – a philosophy built on strong, reciprocal relationships with each and every one of our clients. It’s this aspect of our overall mission as a design firm that is truly the foundation for all that we do.

An integral component in our business/client relationship is our blog. It’s here that we really like to keep everyone up-to-date on what we are doing – everything from posts about exciting new brand launches to special product information of interest to our clients and their friends. To expand on this service we are beginning a series of blog posts about the business of branding and design. These articles are intended to give an in-depth look into some of the guiding principles in the design world and to provide helpful, relevant knowledge to better assist our readers in their design decisions. Look for these Knowledge posts coming soon.

We did a custom monogram especially for them and topped it off with a custom rubber stamp for the return address label for the back of their envelopes for the invitation as well as their thank you note. It’s something they’ll be able to use forever… or at least until they move.

The whole wedding brand was inspired the cake… which Heather found in a wedding magazine…

The invitation…

Congrats Heather and Patrick!!

Images by Ashley Jankowski.

A little designer PMS humor via Andrew Le’s Flickr

We have found ourselves growing incredibly fast here at Luxecetera! We are so excited to be so busy and to be able to offer others valuable experience in our design world. We are currently seeking fabulous people to join our team. Be sure to check out our Opportunities Page for job listings and updates.

DESIGN INTERNS
Luxecetera is looking for interns! And no, we don’t want coffee caddies or dry cleaning divas. We’re looking for design students who want to gain actual experience doing actual design work (novel idea, eh?). As an intern at Luxecetera, you will be working on projects from start to finish, including concept building, brainstorming, interacting with clients and vendors, emailing the webmasters, and designing brands. Because our interns will be working at a professional level, we need experienced individuals with competent knowledge in Illustrator, InDesign, and Photoshop. Other important skills we’re looking for include typography, web design, and illustrating. Applicants must reside in the metro areas of Atlanta, Tampa or Philadelphia. This is a paid internship (don’t pass out) and interns will be compensated based on experience level. Please send your digital portfolio or work samples to opportunities@luxecetera.com.

PROFESSIONAL CALLIGRAPHER
In order to offer our clients more design options, Luxecetera wants to broaden our services and hire an experienced calligrapher for hand lettering, monogram design, stationery development, and to handle some logo development. We are looking for calligraphers who work in a variety of styles, can create original fonts and can work within our unique vision for branding. Artists will be paid on a per-job basis (as in freelance work) and payment will be based on type of job and level of experience. Please send a digital portfolio or work samples to opportunities@luxecetera.com.

PHOTOSHOP MASTER
Luxecetera needs a Photoshop Master (Jedi Masters need not apply). We are especially looking for those who have experience in developing actions. It is our aim to streamline our processes here at Luxecetera, so it is especially helpful if the applicant has experience working with design firms. Pay will be based on experience. Send your resume to opportunities@luxecetera.com. ]]> http://www.luxecetera.com/2009/06/30/opportunities-at-luxecetera/feed/ 0 http://www.luxecetera.com/2009/06/29/logo-lounge-5/ http://www.luxecetera.com/2009/06/29/logo-lounge-5/#comments Tue, 30 Jun 2009 01:44:26 +0000 Ashley http://www.luxecetera.com/?p=605 Logo Lounge 5 arrived on my doorstep this afternoon! So excited to see my work in a book!! Congrats to Tiffiney Photography and Premier Baby Concierge!  Pick up a copy of the book here.

~Ashley

Holly uses the Australian company, Print Together, an environmentally conscious printer, for all her stationery needs. 

The hj imagery blog… which is actually the ProPhoto Wordpress theme customized.

This is something that a lot of our clients are starting to do and we absolutely LOVE it! Tthe inspirational Brand Board… sometimes it evokes a feeling… or gives us ideas for colors, fonts, patterns or shapes… and sometimes it just shows us what you love and where you see the future of your brand.

We are so excited to announce that Dream Album is offering a special promotion exclusively for LUXC customers! Here’s how it works:

ANYTHING you purchase from now until June 27th from LUXC will automatically get you a special discount code. FOR ONE WEEK ONLY (June 21-27) you will be able to redeem that code for 15% off any Dream Album purchase.

So, if you aren’t already in love with Dream Album, now is your chance to fall!

Seriously Simple Round Album Collection $80.00

The newest addition to our Seriously Simple Collection, this fun and unique set includes 25 round and 25 rounded corner album spreads (50 total). As an added bonus, included are 6 coordinating Dream Album cover templates.

PRODUCT DETAILS:
• 50 template spreads, sized 9×9
• actions for resizing templates to fit a variety of album sizes (6×6, 7×7, 8×8, 10×10, 12×12, and more!!!)
• 6 Dream Album Cover templates to be used with the Dream Album Co. albums
• Cover template sizes for all available Dream Album cover options (ie. 6×6, 9×9, 12×12)
• All text can be edited
• Instructions for use and font information included
• Compatible with Photoshop CS and later, Windows and Mac

Images in samples courtesy of Kyung Jung at Yellowhale Photography, Andrea Casey Photography and Laure Lillie Photographie

Modern Tropics Dream Album Covers $60.00

PRODUCT DETAILS:
• Includes 3 cover template designs to be used with the Dream Album Co. albums
• Includes template sizes for all available cover options (ie. 6×6, 9×9, 12×12, etc)
• All text and colors can be edited
• All fonts used are standard or free
• Instructions for use & font information included
• Includes a variety of original illustrations that can be mixed and matched within the sets
• Compatible with Photoshop CS and later, Windows and Mac

Images in samples courtesy of Kyung Jung at Yellowhale Photography, Andrea Casey Photography and Laure Lillie Photographie

Tuscan Textures $30.00

Our very first Texture set! Aptly named for it’s Tuscan feel, choose between paver, burlap, fresco, leather or plaster textures. Use on your album covers, templates, marketing materials or just about anywhere you choose!

PRODUCT DETAILS:
• Includes 5 Tuscan-style textures
• File size is 12×24″
• All colors can be edited
• instructions for use included
• Compatible with Photoshop CS and later, Windows and Mac

Want those specs again?

1/0 offset celery green 
1/0 letterpress burgundy
0/1 foil stamped burgundy 

Paper by French Paper Company – Custom Duplexed (i.e. glued together)
Front: Poptone WhipCream 100lb Cover
Back: Construction Paver Red 100lb Cover

We worked with two extremely talented print houses…
Jason @ Henry & Co. + Kip @ Spartan Methods 

Cost: about $0.60 per card.