Ash Creative

As a thank you to all my clients & followers, I am giving away TWO $50 gift cards to TWO local businesses I adore. One is from my hometown from @oldstownsquare and one is from the town I now call home from @thecaffeinatedsquirrel2019 To enter, simply comment below Olds (for Olds Town Square) or Airdrie (for The Caffeinated Squirrel). That’s it! Easy peasy. Make sure you are following my page so that you see the announcements!... *Contest closes Thursday, January 21 at 11:59pm *This contest is not affiliated or endorsed by Facebook or Instagram *All entries will be taken from Facebook and Instagram, and one winner will be drawn for each prize

Raster, vector, JPEG, EPS, PNG. When someone asks you for these files, does it sound like they are speaking in code or another language? Well, they kind of are. As graphic designers we go to school and train to know the difference between these filesand when and how to use them. Here is a quick cheat sheet to help you decide when to use what. ... Tip 1: You can tell the files apart by what appears at the end of the name. (PNG = .png EPS = .eps) Tip 2: Before you hire a graphic designer to create your logo, ask them what files they will provide when the job is done. Ensure you will get a PNG, JPEG and a vector file (AI or EPS).

A new logo and brand I had the pleasure of designing for @loribealtravel This was a unique project because Lori has two businesses that we wanted to keep under the same "brand umbrella". Check out that beautiful colour palette we landed on. If you're in need of a vacay (aren't we all) or a virtual personal assistant...I suggest you go give her a follow.

What exactly does "branding" mean? And how does it affect a small business like yours? Simply put, your brand is your promise to your customer. It tells them what they can expect from your products and services, and it differentiates your offering from your competitors'. It's who you are, who you want to be and who people perceive you to be. So, how do you build your brand? In short you need to Define your brand. Design your brand. Put it out there.... Defining your brand is like a journey of business self-discovery. Ask yourself the following questions 1. What is your company's mission? 2. What are the benefits and features of your products or services? What is your USP (unique selling proposition)? Why should people buy from you? 3. What do your customers and prospects think of your company? And what qualities do you want them to associate with your company? 4. Then do your research. Learn the needs, habits and desires of your current and prospective customers. Don't rely on what you think they think. You need to know what they think. You’ve defined your brand. What’s next? 1. Get a great logo. Place it everywhere. 2. Write down your brand messaging. What are the key messages you want to communicate about your brand? 3. Create a "voice" for your company that reflects your brand. This voice should be applied to all written communication and incorporated in the visual imagery of all materials, online and off. 4. Develop a tagline. Write a memorable, meaningful and concise statement that captures the essence of your brand. 5. Integrate your brand. Branding extends to every aspect of your businesshow you answer your phones, what you or your salespeople wear on sales calls, your e-mail signature, everything. 6. Design templates and create brand standards for your marketing materials. Use the same color scheme, logo placement, fonts and look and feel throughout. 7. Deliver on your brand promise. Your brand experience needs consistency and reliability to win the trust and loyalty of your customers. 8. Be consistent. Consistency means your target audience is being exposed to core messages, visual branding, and other brand elements repeatedly, which can help to solidify brand recognition.

Merry Christmas! May your coffee be strong and your toy-putting-together skills even stronger.

Goal: For my clients to look at my work the way I'm looking at this coffee. I start every new client relationship with a discovery call/meeting. Getting to know you, helps me get to know your business and your brand, and in turn helps me design something YOU LOVE. This is quite possibly the biggest difference in working with a solo graphic designer rather than buying a design/logo on a site like Fiver. You get a personalized experience. Photo credit: Heart of Photography

It's true. Santa loves a good ho. Wishing you a wonderful holiday season...however that looks for you this year! Stay safe, stay warm, stay sane, stay connected.

Possibly the most honest review ever written. #broughttoyouby2020 On a slightly more serious subject, if you like me are struggling a bit right now, remember to be patient and kind with yourself. And remember you're not alone. There's a lot weighing heavy. The US election, everything covid related, working from home, juggling kids and deadlines, unemployment rates on the rise, no real social life whatsoever, and so on and so on. It's hard not to get discouraged. Take it day by day. Reach out. Stay safe. But stay social too. We are in this together.

My creative process is more of a creative mess most days, but this is typically how it goes... GATHER. The learning stage. I gather and absorb as much info about the client and project as I can. EXPERIMENT. Look at things from different angles, try things a variety of ways (this stage is the one that's the most "messy"). A lot of this will end up getting trashed.... STEP AWAY. Go for a run. Play with the kids. Work on something else. Basically do anything that isn't that project. Once my mind is completely off it, that's when the golden ideas come. THE MAGIC. Go back to the drawing board and let all the ideas flow out like magic. SHAPE & SHARE. The most unnerving of the stages, this is when the ideas are laid out and presented to a client. My tip, if you're having trouble making something work, take a break, refresh and try again. You can't force creativity!

New logo, hot off the press for Gradient Lab. Can you see the G & L? I love the simple, clean look of this one. Plus, teal.

Measure twice, cut once. It's a great rule. I apply a similar philosophy to proofing copy. (Proof twice, post once) Who else has made a spelling or grammar "oopsy" when posting something? I mean, I think we all have at least once. Here are some easy tips to proof your own work and ensure that doesn't happen:... 1. Use spellcheck 2. Read it backwards 3. Use a ruler to block out each line 4. Read it once out loud, saying the words s-l-o-w-l-y 5. Take a little break, then read it again 6. Ask someone else to read it (when possible) 7. Know your own patterns, and look for common mistakes Remember that editing isn’t just about errors. You want to polish your sentences too, making them smooth, interesting, and clear. Watch for looooong sentences, since they may be less clear. And pay attention to the rhythm of your writing; try to use sentences of varying lengths and patterns. Last but not least, make sure your "voice" and personal writing style is evident throughout. #theartofbranding