website & graphic design

Ever wondered what the differences between a .jpg or .png file are? What the heck is a raster image versus a vector image? What are some modern alternatives to using .bmp or .jpg? These are the sort of questions we seek to answer in our MXVI Design+Online tutorial series based on image file types - what they stand for, where they come from and how to use them.

Raster images are images that uses individual blocks, or pixels, in order to construct the image. Every digital photo, web image or printed image uses the process of rasterization, or pixelation in order to create these pixels which are then imposed onto a screen or display for you to see. 

​Rasterized images are based on a pre-defined resolution, which means you have a specific number of pixels to work with. The more pixels you have, the higher the resolution. Conversely, if you reduce the resolution, the number of pixels decrease and you will no longer be able to increase the resolution - the image becomes pixelated if you increase the size of the image using the same number of pixels. 

Examples of common raster image file types are .jpg, .png, .tif, .bmp, .gif - most modern image creation or drawing software such as photoshop or paintshop are raster based. It is important to remember to save raster files at the exact dimensions needed for the application. In the next few tutorials being shown over the next few weeks, MXVI Design+Online will explain what each of these file types are used for, how they came to be & how to use them in different scenarios.

​Stay tuned for the next tutorial series on vector images explained coming soon. 

Design elements are the items that make up a design - and design principles are the foundation of what designers do with those elements. A successful design is determined by how you apply these principles & what is done with its elements. This is the foundation of good design.

The basic elements of design include such objects as, but not limited to, lines - linear marks or the edge of two shapes meeting; shapes - self-contained areas of geometry or of organic origin such as natural shapes; colour - includes hue (red, green, blue etc.), colour value (light or dark) as well as intensity (bright or dull); space - negative space intentionally left blank, creating shapes as you would any other element; texture -  surface quality of a shape (rough, smooth, matte, glossy) helping to create immersion; direction - horizontal lines convey a sense of stability, tranquility or calmness, vertical lines convey balance, formality and hierarchy, oblique or distorted lines emphasize action, movement and mayhem: type - or typography - the font and style of your words tell readers what to expect, whether it be serious, playful, or traditional and can also make your text look distinctive and memorable.

Design principles use these elements in order to create an integrated, beautiful, cohesive piece of work or art. Of course, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but great design can consist of fundamental principles that when done well, becomes so transparent and simple, we often do not even notice it. Different people will have different numbers of fundamental principles, which is why some may say there are only 4 or 5 fundamental principles, while others may consider 7 or 8 principles as "fundamental". Modern design principles draw from many disciplines such as behavioural science, sociology even physics and ergonomics.
SIZE - aka scale - the relationship of the area one shape occupies in relation to another. By changing the scale and size of your objects, shapes, type and other design elements, it adds interest and emphasis to something that may otherwise be very mundane. Typically taken into context with the content within, subtle variations in size suit more professional content while bold, striking variations in scale tend to be used by creative enterprises. 
COLOUR - the light that is reflected off of objects, it can be designated as an element as well as a principle. Colour creates a specific mood as well as provides a degree of meaning to a brand. Every colour tells you something different and can be used in singularity or mixed with combinations to alter that impression further.
ALIGNMENT - aligning elements with one another allows a visual connection. For example repetition, which can be construed as a subset of alignment, creates consistency, association as well as rhythm. By tying elements together, alignment helps emphasize order and organisation. Simultaneously, the proximity of design elements further provide a focal point for this visual connection.
CONTRAST - Defined as the juxtaposition of opposing elements, such as light and dark, black and white, horizontal and vertical -  high contrast allows for the emphasis of key elements. It helps bring a visual impact to the design with one element typically being dominant to another.
BALANCE - The weight distributed in design by the placement of various elements - it provides stability and structure. Symmetry and asymmetry can be used for different purposes, asymmetry typically being more eye-catching than symmetry, but symmetry is not without its place. Radial symmetry and mosaic symmetry are two other forms of symmetry that can bring an overall adequate balance to a design. 
SPACE- Another dual element/principle - it refers to the distance or area between, surrounding or within each element. Positive and negative space is important in creating harmonious design - when all pieces work together with nothing being superfluous. Great design is just enough and never too much. 

Christmas is a special time of year. It is a time to spend with those we care & love, a time to share with friends & family, possibly even strangers; a time to give as well as a time to reflect. 

It is important to reflect upon the year that was with care & respect. Take this time to remember what it is you achieved this year, what you can do better the next, & most important of all, what a difference you made. Each & every one of us can achieve bigger & better things simply by reflecting on our journey, identifying mistakes we made along the way, finding your course to correct those mistakes & become a better family member, a better role model, a better businessman or businesswoman, a better manager, a better business owner, a better person. 

Take the time to thank those who contributed to your year, for better or worse, because you never truly know what lies around the corner. Aim to be consistent - what makes one happy customer can & very well should be, applied & multiplied to many. 

Happy Holidays.

What is the meaning of your work? Creative people focus on the meaning of what they do. It is their utmost concern that they produce something worthwhile, to ensure what they do has significance to them as well as others - something that has real human value.

The important thing is to begin. You can begin anywhere - wherever you are and with anything you have in hand. Simple, familiar things are hidden to us in plain sight. They are so ordinary that we don't even notice them. This is design philosophy at its most basic. You have to look at the familiar as if you have never seen it before - then make this your starting point. 

Everyone talks about their ideas - few are bold (or maybe naive) enough to act on them. Play with the frameworks that surround you - the creative mind pulls things apart and pieces them back together again in new ways - a rearranged structure is likely to be more interesting. Modern life is indeed extremely fragmented but we make use of any means at hand to make it work. The world is more fluid, more connected than ever before, each individual has become more powerful and many of us are more convinced than ever before of our ability to leave the world better than we found it. However, despite all of our efforts to simplify things, nothing is very simple anymore. Technology has become a central facet of life and there is no area of daily life left where its influence is not the controlling one. Finding human content in this new landscape is the problem which confronts all of us. Perhaps finding balance in everything we do, is the key.

Balance in design & art means symmetry or asymmetry, radial or crystallographic (or mosaic). Balance means making a choice, and enjoying those choices. You can balance an outlandish idea with a grounded framework and it will be a safe structure. Leaning too much on either end of the spectrum and the structure collapses. What if it works? These four words are some of the most powerful words you can ask yourself. We must accustom ourselves to the idea that our mental and vocational equipment must be constantly re-balanced. 

Every single one of us is writing our own individual book - every day you write another page, another chapter. If life is a book, what will be in your next chapter? 

During your creative journey, you will encounter highs and lows - particularly during the process of taking your ideas and making them into reality. Positive and negative feedback has a peculiar way of throwing you into an emotional high or low. Take note of that feedback, evaluate it and then value it. ​It is up to you to find a way for your emotions to stay as balanced as possible on your journey and to remain creatively prosperous. 

Creativity flourishes when we remain true to ourselves, our own values and ideas. Keep faith with your own vision. Work with us to create something different. 

The importance of high-quality visual stories is immense. This is the power of showing. Photography, and by extension all types of imagery, is most definitely one of the world's best conversation starters and can be a potent force in driving a business forward. 

So what makes a good photograph and what makes an image a good story? The answer lies in cultural, geographical & even philosophical boundaries. The most interesting images elicit emotional reactions, allowing the viewer to transcend these boundaries; surprises them, impresses them and hooks them into a moment. It is in this moment that the subjective nature of the mind is created and elicited onto ourselves and others. One person's pain is another person's pleasure.  

A powerful photograph or a creative, artful piece of imagery exerts one's passion & excitement and allows the possibility of different people's points of view to be exchanged with others outside of one's field. Even the possibility of changing one's mind. 

The power of the human mind is indisputable. If the mind can alter our physical body, it can certainly alter the way we perceive ourselves and how we are perceived by others. Successful creative people like Beethoven or Picasso always thought their own work was great and had belief in themselves. This self-belief is an immense factor to why they became the best.  Whatever you think you are, is what you will be. 

It is with this self-belief (some may say it is required) that makes entrepreneurs and businesses succeed. So what makes a business successful? A large factor has to do with branding. Business branding is a dynamic marketing strategy that is used to influence & manage the way we perceive as well as respond to a brand or product. It's how people think and feel about who you are as an organisation and what you do. It is your corporate identity. A well-designed corporate identity creates meaning, not just a product. A successful brand also doesn't wait for inspiration, it creates methods to summon it at will. The most successful stories do not postpone the future nor excuse excuses. They are audacious. 

Starting your own corporate identity can be difficult. What shape logo to use? Which typography matches your identity? What will be your slogan, if you have one at all? Which colour or combination of colours should you use? All these factors and more, combine to bring your corporate identity a defining image. This image will be what your customers see first. It is your corporate first-impression. The logo remains the focal point of any identity system and the key to its acceptance. It is quintessentially the compression of meaning into a few memorable marks, image or typeface. As a communicator, there is simply no better way of making your mark on the world. 

Web design and web development are terms often used interchangeably. However, web design is technically a subset of the broader category of web development. 

Lines of code, namely HTML and CSS, are written to design the look and feel of the website; while graphic designers create images for use on the web. Therefore, there lies an overlap of responsibility between graphic design and web design and also ultimately, web publishing.

Modern websites must also cater to the various form factors including screen size and screen resolution of smartphones and tablets, which essentially paved the way for mobile websites to overtake desktop browsing. This means a modern website should be mobile-adaptive; it can effectively adapt to any and every screen size no matter what device is being used. Web engineers also address issues such as usability & user experience, typography & eligibility as well as interface design & quality of content. 

MXVI Design+Online covers it all - allowing simple to use, mobile adaptive websites to be expertly designed, developed, hosted and published whilst also providing the elegant graphic designs, imagery & content needed to stand out from the crowd and set your business apart. 

The digital revolution has made a significant impact on how we communicate, how we work and also the way we socialise. Graphic design is no exception to this revolution.

Technology plays a vital role in the creation of digital work including websites, presentations, portfolios, signage, logos, business & personal branding. Design is all around us and is constantly evolving. Technology has enabled businesses to have much more exposure online, allowing them to interact with clients and consumers and also allows us the ability to review and analyze real-time data to measure and identify sources which are driving more online traffic. The internet has now been recognised as a major source of marketing and exposure. 

Well-designed digital content and graphics can gain more digital impressions, more likes and ultimately, convert more customers who otherwise might not have been available.

MXVI can help improve your content marketing, business strategies and product offerings with a well-designed website, elegant digital assets, on-demand printed material and also professional photography.