The Robotanist - Full Service Graphic and Web Design

An Art Form Taken for Granted

Sonja — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 18:47:36 +0000

Movie posters are an art form largely taken for granted. The ubiquity of them certainly doesn’t help.
Many movie posters are thoughtful, clever, intriguing, and graphically artful, yet simultaneously overlooked. The best movie posters are simple at first glance, but incorporated into their design are layers of meaning illuminated only by watching the movie advertised.

I beg of you this, next time you are in the movie theater, take a minute to peruse the numerous posters inundating the walls. Take a hiatus from multi-media to appreciate the two-dimensional masterpieces still present in our habitat.

Examples:

The Jazz Age

Sonja — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 17:23:10 +0000

I was reading an article on Apartment Therapy this morning about F. Scott Fitzgerald, 1920′s writer best known for The Great Gatsby, and found myself inspired by it and the photos it contained (above). The 20′s just seem so glamorous (especially through the eyes of Fitzgerald), and ripe with design, architecture, and fashion. I know that it’s cliché, but when asked what era I “should’ve” lived and where my answer would be 1920′s Paris, in all of its glory. Below are a few images from that era…glorious.

1920's Vogue

Folies Bergere Poster

Josephine Baker Poster

Why Not?

Sonja — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 17:12:45 +0000

I’ve decided to change my blog to more of an inspiration gallery. I am constantly coming across visually striking images and stories, and why not share?

This morning I was reading an article (Classic American Style: Mid-Century Modern) on ApartmentTherapy.com when I was struck by one of the photos. Eames graphic studio is a wonderful conglomeration of typography, pattern, whimsy and imagery. Epiphany, my studio is not. The time has come to create a space in which to work that is impossible not to be inspired in.

Wish me luck!

City Type

Sonja — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 18:12:25 +0000

Cities are wonderful. I am in San Francisco for a few days and everywhere I look there is clever use of typography, or just of words in general. Below are a couple of examples of intriguing uses of type, there will be more to come later in the week.

New Phone Number at the Robotanist

Sonja — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 04:04:00 +0000

I’ve got a new phone number, it’s 775-722-3778.

Call anytime!

Neon Jungle

Sonja — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 18:13:44 +0000

I love Las Vegas. It is deliciously gaudy, overdone, decadent and a number of other adjectives. Yet somehow the simplicity of the old Vegas neon signs shine through the chaos, and catch my eye every time. Unfortunately, with the advent of LEDs the art of neon sign crafting is changing tremendously. The art form is dying. Hopefully the existing old guard of Las Vegas signage will be properly retired, and preserved so that future generations can admire the thoughtful design of these pieces of Nevada history.

What is Kerning?

Sonja — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 22:33:07 +0000

My life was decidedly different before I knew what kerning was. I could look at a sign or logo and simply like or dislike it, without much scrutiny. Then came that fateful day in Beginning Graphic Design when I was introduced to the term. Kerning is the act of changing the space between two letters. If a word has been kerned, each letter pair will have approximately the same amount of space separating it. If is has not, well, it will look odd and unkempt. And thanks to me, you will now look at something in your immediate surroundings and notice that it is inadequately kerned. This will bother you. Seriously, bad kerning is inescapable, best of luck not noticing.

At any rate, some fonts are spaced very nicely, requiring little to no kerning, but others typically need work. I am not advocating that everything be kerned (example: this blog post), that is unreasonable. However, if you are thinking of becoming a graphic designer, are a designer, or need to hire a designer be aware of kerning and how it can affect the overall appearance of your logo, sign, or any major text present in whatever the project may be. If the typography flows well and is spaced properly, your project will have a polished, professional look. This is important because, let’s face it, we all judge a book by its cover.

Graphic Design for Your Start-Up

Sonja — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 22:33:54 +0000

Starting a business is a very daunting task. There is so much to consider and to do. Finding a location and procuring a business license are just the beginning, then you must establish an identity to showcase your business. By having a professional business identity (logo, business cards, website), you will immediately garner the trust of potential clients.

When shopping online, for instance, do you buy from a website that looks outdated (like it was made using WordArt), or from a sleek .com with a professional interface that is easy to navigate? The same goes for storefronts. I gravitate towards those that are clean and up kept vs. rundown and dirty. A business identity is no different. The reasons we make these decisions are based on trust. If a business doesn’t care enough to put time and effort into their website or storefront, are their products or services going to be top notch? The more professional and pertinent your business identity, the better your chances for gaining clientele and getting your start-up business off the ground. The first thing people see when encountering your business can leave a lasting impression, you can control whether that impression is good or bad by taking a few simple steps:

1. Have a custom logo designed that is representative of your business (simple logos are more recognizable/memorable, you can include bright color and illustration just don’t have clashing elements)
2. Make sure all of your business materials share the same look and feel
3. Update your website often (no one wants to see outdated or incorrect information)

For questions regarding this post please email sonja@therobotanist.com.

Thanks and good luck with your start-up!

New Logo Design

Sonja — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 20:09:32 +0000

This is the Robotanist’s newest logo for Mojo Geological Consulting. Mojo wanted to do a little rebranding to freshen up their look.

Before & After

Sonja — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 17:24:09 +0000

More often than not people choose to save money by doing projects on their own. I am guilty of this myself. However, when I leave it to the professionals I am rarely disappointed. When it comes to graphic design services, even with the numerous templates available, you will be amazed the difference between personally and professionally created designs. Below are two images of the Sierra Water Gardens brochure, the first is a version created via a template, the second is the version the Robotanist created.