Design Essentials

The Design Essentials Session is a collection of tutorials covering subjects such as Typography, Print Design and Logos. This session is an ongoing collection of tutorials and articles covering all aspects of graphic design. Be sure to check back for updates!

Posts in this series

How to Create Outstanding Modern Infographics
In this tutorial you will learn that data doesn't have to be boring, it can be beautiful! Learn how to use various graph tools, illustration techniques and...
Jonathan
6 May 2011
Designing
Publishing a Multiple Paged PDF Document Using Illustrator
One of Illustrator's lesser-known functions is it's ability to produce and publish multiple paged documents in PDF format. Why is it a lesser known...
Ian Yates
26 Sep 2008
Designing
Create a Personalized Toolkit for Making Maps
There's no need to reinvent the wheel every time you draw a map. With Illustrator, you can set up your own map-making toolkit, full of the styles, symbols...
Cheryl Graham
1 Dec 2010
Designing
Design a Custom Lettered Spring Graphic
Get ready for spring with this colorful custom letting tutorial. You'll learn how to manipulate text to create a more customized look and combine it with...
Jonathan
13 May 2009
Typography
The Logo Design Process for Ultimate Potential
My name is Jacob Cass and I am a logo designer, web designer and graphic designer from Sydney, Australia and in this article I will guide you through the...
Jacob Cass
23 Jan 2009
Designing
Design a Print-ready Ad in Adobe InDesign
Want to learn how to make an ad that could go into a magazine? Jump into Adobe InDesign with this real-world tutorial on creating a print-ready ad. This...
Jonathan
2 Mar 2009
Designing
Create a Rationalized, Geometric Wordmark and Ambigram
Creating your own graphic identity is never an easy feat. In fact, it might be the hardest thing you've ever done. There is usually no deadline - just a...
Alex Beltechi
28 Oct 2010
Typography
How to Create a Wide Range of Custom Color Swatches in Illustrator
Swatches are the life line of any artwork. There are a lot of color books available in Illustrator to discover a wide range of swatches. Most popular among...
Saurabh Sharma
15 Sep 2009
Designing
Designing a Typeface, With Illustrator and FontLab, from Start to Finish - Part 1
Lets get one thing straight, there is a difference between 'lettering' and 'type design', this can be some serious stuff. There are people who strictly...
Jesse Hora Dot Com
5 Apr 2010
Designing
Designing a Typeface, With Illustrator and FontLab, from Start to Finish - Part 2
In this installment of Designing a Typeface we will be continuing on with the artwork from Part 1. So you've got the framework for some lovely letters worked...
Jesse Hora Dot Com
12 Apr 2010
Designing
Designing a Typeface, With Illustrator and FontLab, from Start to Finish - Part 3
In Parts 1 and 2 of this tutorial we designed out buts off, now its time to bring it all together. FontLab is a powerful program, in the right hands, and can...
Jesse Hora Dot Com
19 Apr 2010
Designing
How to Create a See-through Information Graphic
This tutorial will cover the techniques used to create see-through information graphics. You'll need a strong familiarity with Adobe Illustrator's Pen Tool...
Jonathan
18 Aug 2008
Illustration
Design a Print-Ready Accordion Fold Document in Adobe InDesign
Walk through the creation of an Accordion Fold Document InDesign document. This tutorial is targeted at the beginner to intermediate level designer. Delve...
Jonathan
18 Feb 2009
Print Design
Quick Tip: How to Make Tables With Rounded Corners in InDesign
This tutorial will show you how to make fully editable tables with rounded corners in InDesign, quickly and easily. It's actually a bit trickier than you...
Ian Norris
2 Mar 2011
Designing