Are Templates The Branding Straightjacket?
I’ve had a few clients ask the question can a content management system (CMS) accommodate the dynamic elements of my brand? When we get around to talking about design templates most clients think that they will have to straightjacket their brand into a rigid pre-defined structure. Not so. Even though there are some restrictions to a template system there is still room to create a unique layout that best suits your organization.
Last year while working on the Capers Market website with the brilliant programmers at Communicopia I had the opportunity to design an unrestrained layout to house their brand.
Here are some samples of the template designs for Capers:
Ping Pong Design - Overcoming Designer’s Block
It’s bound to happen at one time or another “designer” block. One solution? Ping pong design. This summer while working on the website design for Hollyhock I had the great opportunity to bounce around my ideas with fellow designers Brandon Johnson and Jordan Lewin from Communicopia. I started the design foundation, flipped it over to Brandon, he’d riff off of it and bounce it back to me, I’d add my two cents and throw it over to Jordan. Sometimes the greatest design diversity comes from cross breeding.
Note: Ping pong design and collaborating with other artists (be it photographers, illustrators or painters) is a great way to evolve your design style if you are stuck in a rut. My suggestion is to try collaborating with someone completely outside your immediate periphery such as a textile artist or a sculptor. You will be surprised at how much they will inspire a whole new direction and bring a fresh take on your creative approach.
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Welcome to my website!
I have been a creative director, designer and entrepreneur for the past 13 years working in a variety of media. My experience has cooked up a unique mix of business strategy and artistic skills which has been employed across various industry sectors.
