Media: Print Brochure

Client: WeSupply

Even though digital media has taken over a significant part of any marketing program, the printed word is still vital to any effective marketing campaign. The company brochure is still the old stand-by. Filled with the most important information to get prospective customers to act. Printed literature helps prompt a prospective buyer to your website for even more detailed information…

Media: Print Ad
Client: Italmoda

Just like the headline says,”the difference is in the details”. In advertising its no different. A clear concise message, bold eye-catching graphics, carefully placed text and design. When it comes to print advertising, Fine Point Design is your creative partner from conception through completion, we create advertising that works. The difference is in the details.

Media: Website

Client: Kraft Business Systems

Websites are everywhere these days. But does your website work? Sure the links take you from page to page but do they really work? Fine Point Design creates websites that WORK! Strong design, easy navigation, concise information with the correct message. A website is usually your first impression to any prospective customer. Make that first impression “a good one” with Fine Point Design.

As we all know, Harry Potter has been very well marketed.  Everywhere you turn you see something that represents Harry Potter. The books themselves, the characters, the style of clothing, even the language; all of these are instantly identifiable as belonging to the Harry Potter universe. And not just with the younger generation. Yes, they play the largest fan roll, but high-schoolers, college students, even parents have gotten lost in the magic.

Lets take a look at the lightning bolt. Obviously it is incredibly recognizable on Harry Potter himself; he’s got a giant scar on his forehead.  However, before the Harry Potter phenomena, having a lightening bolt on your forehead would have looked a tad strange. Today, though, if someone is seen wandering around with a lightning bolt on their forehead it is instantly identified as belonging to the Harry Potter universe. No need to worry about their sanity, we all know that they are, simply put, Harry Potter fans.

How did Harry Potter get to be so popular?

Well, here are some reasons:

1. It’s a classic story of good against evil, one of the most compelling conflicts of all time.
2. The characters are extremely enjoyable.
3. The books are humorous.
4. Magic is not only fun, but also extremely intriguing for most readers.
5. The stories appeal to all ages, from kids to adults—even senior citizens.

There is also a whole other part to Harry Potter though, and that’s the remarkable branding that came with it.  If you were to Google “Harry Potter Merchandise” and take a look at what you find, I think you’ll be surprised.  Nearly everything that exists in the world of Harry Potter now exists in our Muggle world as well.  From Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans to Chocolate Frogs, all of these can be had at a price.  Sure they may not be imbued with magical powers like in the story, but that’s what imagination is for.  Speaking of imagination, there are even Quidditch leagues popping up all over the country.  Who cares if brooms can’t actually fly, these people are going to get lost in their imaginations and have a blast doing it.

Many people picked up Harry Potter for the first time and read it because it was the ‘cool’ thing to do.  Since then, readers have discovered a love for the books and everything involving them.  Without some sort of advertising they may have never stumbled across Harry Potter and would have missed out in the experience. Consumer satisfaction is the endgame here.  Consumers are going to buy things they want, and ignore the things they don’t.  They want a product to satisfy their needs, but to know about the product, advertising is necessary.  Harry Potter is a great example of what happens when a great idea meets great marketing and everything is supported at every level.  It really goes to show what having a dedicated and talented marketing department can do for a product or a business.

Have you ever tried to work with printers? You put together a file that you think looks GREAT, send it off to the printer and all of a sudden there are things ‘wrong’ with your beautiful piece of art! What?!?!?? Why? You ask them and before you know it you are in the middle of a conversation involving words like CMYK, bleeds and spot colors. Then they start talking paper. How does 80lb text sound to you? No wait, didn’t they say something about a 100lb cover? What on earth is the difference? Now all of a sudden my logo looks all pixilated in the proof. Why? This blog is just for you! We thought we would put some common terms together to help you the next time you find yourself having a conversation about print and design.

CMYK

The CMYK color model refers to four inks used in color printing: cyan, magenta, yellow, and key black. In short, the combination of these four colors will give you any color you can dream of. Because of this, CMYK is often referred to as “full color” or “4-color”. Remember back in grade school when you had to learn the primary and secondary colors? Well this is pretty much the same thing.

But what does this mean for print? Go grab a magazine, or take a look at a picture in one of your favorite books. Got it? K, great. Now look really closely at the images. What do you see? Maybe it will help to grab a magnifying glass. Go ahead, I have time. What you’ll notice is that the image is made up of tiny dots. Lots and lots of tiny dots. Each of these dots are made in CMYK color and arranged in different angles tricking your eyes into seeing solid blocks of color.

Bleeds

Bleeds refer to printing that goes beyond the edge of the sheet after trimming. When sending a document to a printer, it is extremely important to have bleed information on pieces with color going off the edge of the page to show the printer how to cut the document down to size properly. Without the bleeds, your finished piece would have a small area of white on all edges of your page.

Spot Colors

Spot colors are those that are created without dots and are found in the PANTONE MATCHING SYSTEM (PMS). This system consists of 14 basic colors making it easy for clients, designers and printers to communicate about color. Each PMS color has a unique number and formula for mixing and are usually used in one, two, or three color jobs.  Spot colors will be cleaner and brighter than if they were created in the four color processes which is why they are commonly used in corporate logos and identity programs.

Text Stock and Cover Stock

Printing paper is divided into two main categories: Coated and Uncoated. These categories are broken up into sub-categories by weight: text and cover. Text stock is lighter weight paper, usually used for the inside of a book or catalog, letterheads, flyers or newsletters. Cover stock is heavier and more durable. Because of this, it’s usually used for an outside cover of a book, business cards, post cards and tickets. The heavier the paper weight the thicker it’s going to get.

Resolution

Have you ever downloaded an image from the Internet, only to print it and get results that, well, were less than average? It either turned out really small, or blurry. The image looked great on screen right? So why the awful print job?

Resolution is the term used to describe the number of dots, or pixels, used to display an image. The higher the resolution, the crisper and cleaner your image will get. The problem with photos on the internet is that they have a very small pixel dimension in order for the page to load quicker. Because of this, its always best to use high resolution photos, something you can easily find on any stock photography website.

Well, I hope these few things will help you in your next print adventure and have answered any of the questions that you might have had. Good luck!


Here is a short list of things that inspire me. If you ever get into a rut, try these out. I’m sure one of these ideas will help. If not, at last you will have fun.

Buy a new packet of markers

Call me crazy, but one of my favorite things is your typical 8 pack of markers. The tips are still pointy, the colors are still bright and clean and it’s almost like the marker is just waiting for you to create something wonderful with it. The possibilities are endless. You can draw whatever you want, write whatever you want. Even if I’m just highlighting a book or organizing my thoughts, doing so with different colored markers always makes me think clearer.

A walk outside

Whether you are in the city or out in the middle of nowhere, just stepping outside for a bit for a change of scenery can be just what you need. Looking at the trees in fall, or flowers in the summer. Watching the snow fall; how it slowly makes it way down to the ground. Looking at the cracks in the ground, the way the street lights play with shadows. Any great ideas yet?

Play a card game

Euchre, Pinochle, Old Maid, Go Fish. It doesn’t matter how complex or simple, these games and many others just take your mind away from whatever it is you are trying to accomplish and allow you to have some fun for a while. Lunchtime at the office is a perfect time for a Euchre tournament.

Make a list

No matter what I’m doing making a list ALWAYS helps, even if I’m just doing things around the house. There is something very powerful about crossing off a to do item. For me, I think it’s the ability to actually see my progress. It helps me stay on track and encourages me to push myself just a bit harder.

Call an old friend

Some may call it procrastination; I like to call it inspiration. Why? Because whenever I call someone I haven’t talked to in a while, there is always tons to talk about. Things that have happened in the past that might be just what I needed to hear in order to finish whatever project I’m working on.

Doodle

Let your mind run free. Doodles don’t have to look pretty or make any sense. That’s why they are such a great way to brainstorm new ideas!

I guess what I’m trying to say is that inspiration can come from anywhere. You just have to find out what works best for you.  Jot these ideas down or make a mental note, get some sort of system together to record whatever seems to get you going.  Use these creative sources you see in your everyday world as fuel for your design work, whatever it may be.

I’ve recently realized that no matter what line of work you are in, if you are a creative person, design things excite you. Interior, graphic, web; it doesn’t matter. We all seem to follow the same rules. What colors look best? Where should we place different elements either in a room or on a page in order to make whatever we are working on look its best.

Color swatches, carpet swatches, tile swatches, wood options, frame options, bring it on. Put something like that in front of a designer and their brain will start ticking. Their heart will start beating a tad faster than normal. Visions of countless possibilities will start swirling around in their head.

I’m no interior designer, and neither is the friend I was with when we were brought into a room full of the things I’ve mentioned above. In fact, we are both graphic designers. Bring a web designer into the room and you would instantly segregate everyone into their own groups. Interior designers work with designing rooms, landscapes, large bodies of space. Graphic designers draw pictures, and the web designer is a computer geek. Right? Wrong? I found that we all have extremely similar goals:

1. Strive for a design that’s user-friendly and beautiful.
2. Create something that targets the appropriate audience.
3. Make sure that those involved with the end product are able to find what they need quickly and efficiently.
4. Give the client what they want PLUS what they need.
5. If you can increase functionality, do so.

Do you see how these all work for each type of designer I’ve mentioned? Lets look at number 1. Strive for a design that’s user friendly and beautiful. For a graphic designer that means a clean, fresh, easy to read ad. For an interior designer, that could mean a modern, very functional, yet colorful space. For the web designer, that means having a great design, with easy navigation.

Designers are designers. We all think the same, strive for the same goals and sometimes the smallest things, like tile swatches, inspire us.