Looking for Graphic Arts Designers

[Kelly]

Hello,

I hope this is the best place to post this. I am looking for volunteers with some graphic arts experience who can create and/or improve upon some graphics my nonprofit organization needs/uses.

I have 5 short term needs:

1) A re-do of our logo which would make it standard as far as sizing goes. (It pixelates when you try to make it larger.)

2) A new logo for a program we are rolling out soon. I have a formation meeting this next Friday, and would like to present one with the materials that morning.

3) Another new logo for a future program. (Possibly 30+ days out)

4) A graphic that would incorporate the above logo as a small, but integral part of a bus bench ad design. (another program in development)

5) A re-do of our web banner. One of the missing persons featured on it was found. I would like to put some new faces on it.

If you are interested in helping, please PM me for my email address. I will then email you additional information.

Thank you!

Note: I asked moderator permission to post this. I don't want to be perceived as spamming the forum, or taking advantage of the members. We're a very small nonprofit and cannot afford the costs levied by professionals. I know there are a number of highly talented persons here.

Kelly

 

[Earthborn]

1) A re-do of our logo which would make it standard as far as sizing goes.

Okay, how big do you want it?

 

[Kelly]

Okay, how big do you want it?

Hi Earthborn. Thanks for working on that.

When I was referring to sizing, and correct me if I'm wrong, isn't a logo supposed to be a certain file type that doesn't pixelate when you make it larger? Someone once told me that the logo would have to also be made larger first, and that when you shrink it, it still looks fine.

I don't think we'll ever need it to be very large, such as 8x11.5, but there could be uses that go up to about 5" in height.

If you could make it in the original color, that would be great. The letter edges seem to lose their distinctiveness at the larger size. Can that be corrected?

Thanks,
Kelly

 

[Earthborn]

When I was referring to sizing, and correct me if I'm wrong, isn't a logo supposed to be a certain file type that doesn't pixelate when you make it larger?

That's possible, but it depend on what you want to do with it. For print this is certainly possible and generally a good idea, but it is not so easy to do the same with a file that is meant for a webpage. It is possible, but you'll have to use Flash but that's overkill. For a webpage it you should just have a few standard sizes measured in pixels.

Someone once told me that the logo would have to also be made larger first, and that when you shrink it, it still looks fine.

It is somewhat more complicated than that, but it is true that logos are usually designed in a larger format, but in such a way that will still look good when it is smaller.

I don't think we'll ever need it to be very large, such as 8x11.5, but there could be uses that go up to about 5" in height.

[Using Google calculator to make sense of that...]

If I make it a "vector file format" that should make no difference. That can be scaled up and down without loss. But it would help if I know how you plan to use it, so I can use a format you have support for.

The letter edges seem to lose their distinctiveness at the larger size. Can that be corrected?

I used the small logo on your blog, so if you have a somewhat larger version I can make the letters closer to what they are meant to be without making them so blobby.

The file I attached is somewhat pixelated, because I had to save it as JPG which is not the appropriate format for these things. Other file formats must be smaller to be attached to the forum. Not sure why.

I saved it as a "scalable vector graphic" on my computer, so I can change its size effortlessly and save it as anything you like.

If you could make it in the original color, that would be great.

I can make it in any colour you want.

 

[Kelly]

I pm'd you my email address and answered most of the questions, I believe.

Math is not my forte, so it's hard to translate the sizes. A larger size is not an immediate need, however.

Thanks,
Kelly

 

[MortFurd]

Look here. What you need is a logo in a vector format. These scale to any size without pixellation. Formats of this type include Postscript, encapsulated Postscript, PDF, and Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG.)

I'd recommend SVG as you can also embed it into a web page and have it scale properly. Modern browsers can do this easily.

For most uses, what you would do is use a graphics program to export from your vector format to a bitmap of the correct size.

For print, you'd want to use EPS and a postscript capable printer.

Earthborn could probably give you files in any of these formats. I could also create them for you if you like.

 

[MortFurd]

Forgot to mention.
Chaning the web banner would be no trouble, either.
Also, the comment about using a postscript capable printer is a given if you go to have professional printing done. Your office inkjet certainly isn't, you laser printer might be, but if you take the stuff to have it professinally printed then they will most certainly be using a postscript capable printer.

 

[Earthborn]

I'd recommend SVG as you can also embed it into a web page and have it scale properly. Modern browsers can do this easily.

Internet Explorer still needs a plug in. Almost everyone uses IE and it is probably a somewhat silly to demand a plug-in to display nothing but a logo.

There is no doubt though that SVG is the future (unless Microsoft comes up with a competing format).

For print, you'd want to use EPS and a postscript capable printer.

You don't necessarily need a Postscript capable printer to print EPS files. You can use any program capable of loading EPS files, and that includes Microsoft Word. Adding a vector logo on your correspondence is as easy is inserting any picture into Word.

 

[MortFurd]

Internet Explorer still needs a plug in. Almost everyone uses IE and it is probably a somewhat silly to demand a plug-in to display nothing but a logo.


There is no doubt though that SVG is the future (unless Microsoft comes up with a competing format).

That's what the dig about "modern browsers" was about. Truthfully, I use Firefox so much that I didn't even think about IE not managing it.

You don't necessarily need a Postscript capable printer to print EPS files. You can use any program capable of loading EPS files, and that includes Microsoft Word. Adding a vector logo on your correspondence is as easy is inserting any picture into Word.

It depends on which version of Word you are using. Office 2000 can't do it properly. On anything but a postscript printer, all you get is the preview that is embedded in the eps. I can't remember if it is Office XP or Office 2003 where that changed, and I can't find a link to that info either. I have, however, been told that the eps support is not all that great.

 

[Kelly]

I have no idea, for the most part, what you are saying, but I am grateful for the help.

 

[_Q_]

You don't necessarily need a Postscript capable printer to print EPS files. You can use any program capable of loading EPS files, and that includes Microsoft Word. Adding a vector logo on your correspondence is as easy is inserting any picture into Word.

I'm going to agree with MortFurd here - I don't think Word "handles" the PostScript part of an EPS file in any way other than being able to pass the information along to a PostScript printer driver. Word can display (and print to non-PostScript printers) the preview if one is already present in the EPS file.

From Microsoft - click on "Encapsulated PostScript (.eps) filter" to see the detailed information:

If an embedded TIFF or Windows Metafile preview is not included in the Encapsulated PostScript graphic you import, the graphic displays a message instead of a preview of the graphic in your document. However, the graphic prints correctly to a PostScript printer. If you print an EPS graphic to a non-PostScript printer, the preview image is printed as it appears on the screen.

Encapsulated PostScript graphics are designed for printing to a PostScript printer.

Yes, there are programs that can load the PostScript content of EPS files and print them on non-PostScript printers. I just don't think that Word (at least not up to and including Word 2003) is one of them.

 

[Earthborn]

On anything but a postscript printer, all you get is the preview that is embedded in the eps.

Or not even that. You're right, it doesn't work as it should. I hadn't actually tried it.

I have recreated the logo and emailed various formats to Kelly. For everyone else who wants to see it, I'll attach the PDF version.

Does Kelly have any ideas what the other logos are supposed to be like?

 

[Kelly]

Hello,

I'm back, and have emailed both Earthborn and the other volunteer. (Since he has not posted here nor indicated I could reveal his name, I will refer to him as "K". Some people like to do things anonymously, and I respect that.)

Earthborn's redo of the original logo were excellent. K redid the banner, and with the exception of one small correction (submitted) in the lower left hand corner, it is also excellent. I will post the original and K's redo below.

I consider numbers 1 and 5 on the OP to be completed.

K also did one for request #2, but I cannot read the file type and am waiting for a return email on that situation so I can see his work.

I had emailed K this info on request #2:

"On the new logo for my meeting next Friday, the program is called Project Jason Alert. It's a beta test program of a simple media alert that is not as stringent as an Amber Alert.

You can see one Amber Alert logo here: http://amberalert.com/ Another one is here, in the upper right: http://www.amberalert.gov/ I like the second one better, but wouldn't want to copy either. I was thinking that it might be a good thing to take the original logo and incorporate the alert factor into it, but yet retain the colors, too. I am open to something else though, although I think it's wise to keep our identity and colors. I tend to like simple designs and do not like modern-art styles for the most part."


I will provide more info on #'s 3 and 4 on my next post, which may not be until late tonight.

Thank you!

(The original banner is the one on the left.)

 

[Earthborn]

K also did one for request #2, but I cannot read the file type and am waiting for a return email on that situation so I can see his work.

If necessary, send it to me (you have my email) and there is a pretty good chance I can figure the filetype out and convert it to anything else.

Don't hesitate to tell me everything about what you need for all the other graphics.

 

[Kelly]

Email sent.....thanks.

I will be away this evening....going to a movie with my son. I will do a write-up on the other projects later on.

 

[Kelly]

This is info for the action items numbered 3 and 4.

There are two parts to this project that intertwine.

One is the bus bench advertising program which will feature faces and very basic descriptions of persons missing in Omaha.

This is a photo of a bus bench in Omaha. I would like to see this used to create a graphic that is a prototype for what will actually appear on the benches when we start the program. I will refer to the part where it says "Narcotics Anonymous" as the front, and the larger, main part, as the back.

This is a photo of the missing girl whom I will use for the prototype. There is, unfortunately, not a better pic available of her.

The program is called "Where in Omaha?". The text on the back of the bench would read: Where in Omaha is....... Chavon Heath?

The next set of data would be slightly smaller than the line above. This data would include:

DOB: Sep 8, 1990 (does not have to be laid out like this.)
Missing: Apr 24, 2006
Sex: Female
Race: Black
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Black
Height: 5'7"
Weight: 123 lbs

If you have seen Chavon, call the Omaha police at 402-444-5818. For more information, please go to www.projectjason.org.

On the front would be: www.whereinomaha.com

In one of the upper corners of the bench back, I envision the logo for this program, which will also be used as the logo for a fundraiser that ties directly in to the bus bench program. We're going to have to raise more money in order to keep the bench program going, of course.

The second part to this (#3) would then be the Where in Omaha? logo. It could be a cityscape with the website name going across the bottom of it. I have not come up with anything in particular to tie missing persons to it. Perhaps we don't need to.

The fundraiser is like a scavenger hunt of sorts where persons properly guess the locations of buildings and other outdoor spots for an entry fee.

Please don't laugh, but I made a VERY rough draft site only to present the general concept to the board. It may help you to understand that part of it.

Here are a couple of pics of downtown:

Photo #1

Photo #2

It's not that it has to be downtown, but that is probably the most recognizable shot of the city. I would also think that the excess would need to be cut from the photo and cartoonized a bit to avoid copyright issues and making the logo too "busy".

These are my original concepts and programs. I hope I have made sense of what is in my head.

I am also open to suggestions on these graphics.

Thank you,
Kelly

 

[Earthborn]

This is a photo of a bus bench in Omaha.

And here I thought a "bus bench" would be inside a bus... What happens when people sit on it, wouldn't that obscure whatever message is on it?

Can you tell me the exact proportions of these things? I wouldn't want to make something and have you find out it doesn't fit when you stick it to the bench. Guessing the proportions from the photo will probably not be accurate enough.

On the front would be: www.whereinomaha.com

I suggest you also register whereinomaha.org. There may be people who happen to know that .com was originally meant for commercial companies, and when they get home and sit down at their computer associate the poster with a non-profit organisation and try to search for that.

 

[Kelly]

And here I thought a "bus bench" would be inside a bus... What happens when people sit on it, wouldn't that obscure whatever message is on it?

Can you tell me the exact proportions of these things? I wouldn't want to make something and have you find out it doesn't fit when you stick it to the bench. Guessing the proportions from the photo will probably not be accurate enough.

I suggest you also register whereinomaha.org. There may be people who happen to know that .com was originally meant for commercial companies, and when they get home and sit down at their computer associate the poster with a non-profit organisation and try to search for that.

I rarely see people sitting on them. If they do, they aren't there very long. These are highly visible, and at intersections with traffic lights. People stopped at the lights notice them, especially one that is eye-catching. They have a good success rate.

Actual billboard or ads on the sides of busses are cost prohibitive. The bus ad people have you run it for a full year and you can't change the ad. That doesn't work when it comes to displaying missing people. The bus bench people are very willing to work with us on quick changes and have cut us a good deal. They know of us and like what we do.

I don't know the measurements of the bench. If I can't get to measuring one myself this weekend, I will call the ad people on Monday and get it from them.

Good idea on nabbing the .org site. I will do that.

Thanks,
Kelly

 

[Kelly]

Good Day,

Here are the measurements:

The main (back) panel is 2' x 6' and the snipe (smaller piece in front) is 4 1/2" x 6'.

Thanks,
Kelly

 

[Kelly]

K and Earthborn did an excellent job with their projects. Earthborn is still working on some final pieces for me on the bench.

I wanted to show you the logo he made for the Where in Omaha? fundrasier/contest. I rarely like a design on the 1st attempt, but he nailed it.

Excellent work to both, and a huge thank you.

Kelly