Vista Themes Feature: Windows Sideshow
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Most Graphic Designers have learned early on that you need to take into consideration the finishing processes (folding, trimming, binding and finishing etc) before you progress too far with a design job. Not taking these things into consideration can incur costly re-designs or re-prints, for example if you did not allow a wide enough inner margin on the inside pages of a perfect bound publication. This article will help you to understand some of these processes better, and hopefully prevent you from making some of these common errors.
There are many different ways to combine multiple pages into a single finished piece. In its most simple form we could use staples, paper clips or binder clips to combine sheets of paper, but on a more professional level, methods are a little more elaborate. These include Saddle Stitching, Side-stitch Binding, Perfect and Case Binding, Comb Binding, Coil or Spiral Binding, Wire Binding and Post Binding to name but a few.
So, how do these binding methods actually work . . . let?s find out!
Saddle Stitching
This is a very common, simple and cheap binding method and uses one or more staples on the spine of a signature. (A signature refers to the group of pages that are printed on the same sheet of paper which is then cut down and trimmed to the finished page size. The number of pages on a signature depends on your page size and the size of the printer?s sheet or roll of paper.) Magazines are the type of media that most often use this method of binding. The staples that are used to anchor the signature at the spine are more commonly created from a spool of wire. When binding, the loose sheets of pages are laid over a saddle-like holder (which is where the name comes from), the wire is put into position, cut to the correct shorter length, bent into shape and then the legs of the staple are forced through the signatures. The legs are then bent into the staple shape. This whole process is done incredibly quickly, usually less than 2 seconds from start to finish. Creep can be a major factor though when using this method of binding if large numbers of signatures are used, so remember to allow for larger margins when using this method, especially when the outside edge of the bound job is trimmed to produce a flat outer edge.
Side-stitch Binding
A similar process to saddle stitching, but rather than putting the staple through the spine, the staple is instead put through the sides of the signatures, close to the fold. The resulting binding is not quite as nice as saddle stitching.
Perfect Binding
This method of binding is commonly used in larger publications (50+ pages) such as annual reports and textbooks. In this method of binding, all of the project?s signatures are placed together (usually in smaller groups of 16-page signatures) and stitched through the spine and then the spine edge is ground to a perfectly flat edge. The cover of the project is then glued to the outside edge of the signatures.
Whilst perfect binding does not suffer from the same degree of creep that you might find in a magazine, consideration should still be made for the effects of combining a large number of pages with the relatively stiff spine of a perfect binding. Even a 192-page magazine (relatively slender by comparison to some) can show a large degree of pinching of the pages in the centre of the finished magazine, making it difficult to read text near the interior bound edge. Remember to compensate for this by using wider inside margins when designing your pages.
Case Binding
This process is almost the same as perfect binding and is ideal for larger hardcover books. In this method, after the signatures have been ground off, the spine is reinforced with a gauze or cloth strip before affixing a hard cover.
Comb Binding
This method of binding is ideal for business reports, cookbooks and workbooks and is often used by companies to bind their own short-run publications internally and it allows the bound booklet to lie flat when opened. Small rectangular holes are punched down the edge of a stack of pages and the plastic teeth of the comb binding are then inserted into these. The spines can be removed and reattached if required, but this method does make adding a printed spine difficult, but not impossible. Once again, remember to allow wider inner margins to avoid the punch holes.
Coil or Spiral Binding
In this method of binding, a wire or plastic spiral is threaded through round holes punched in the edges of a stack of pages. As with comb binding, this binding method allows the pages to lie flat when opened.
Wire Binding
Wire binding uses tooth-like loops of wire in a similar fashion to comb binding; however it produces a much sturdier binding than the plastic comb binding method.
Post Binding
When producing heavy-duty publications with content that is constantly changing, this method might be the most suitable solution. Often seen in wallpaper sample books, metal posts are pushed through punched holes in the book and anchored with bolts that thread into the centre of the posts. This allows you to easily add or remove pages and can also allow an exterior cover with an imprinted spine.
There are many different variations on these basic binding methods, such as using ribbons or screws for example, but these tend to entail limited print runs and a large amount of hands-on work to produce them, resulting in larger make-up expense. Whichever method you choose to use, plan it carefully and don?t forget the margins!
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Character development seems so easy when we think about legends like Bugs Bunny and Mickey Mouse or even modern cartoon characters like SpongeBob but is it as simple as it looks like? That seeming simplicity of designing a character is actually a tricky task. The following tips will not make that task easy but they may help you through the process of character development.
The toughest part of developing a character is the very beginning. Now it is time to plan and write down everything. What is your character?s target audience? Where will your character be seen? What are your character vices and strong qualities? These are all details that have a direct bearing on your character?s appearance.
Experiment.
You never know which queer detail will distinguish your character and grab people?s attention. Don?t concentrate only on those parts of the character that are closely connected with the story. Ignore all rules and try something unusual ? a peculiar skin color, twice bigger than the normal-sized head, exaggerated features.
Give your character a personality.
Characters that lack individuality will lack people?s interest in them too. How will your character express his/her emotions? Is he/she communicative or shy? Is he/she evil or is he/she good? Does your character own strength of will? Does he/she have any dreams, goals? These are all parts of your character?s personality and it can all be conveyed in the way your character has been drawn.
Think 3D.
Don?t forget that even on a two-dimensional surface your character has more than one side. Think of your character in its entirety and see how he/she would look like from every viewpoint.
Think in motion.
The image of your character may be static but the character itself is probably not. Consider how you character would look in motion. Is there anything unique in his/her movement ? a trembling belly, hopping along, etc.?
Test your creation.
Show your work and ask people to describe how they see your character?s personality judging only by its appearance. This is a great way to test whether you have conveyed well the personality you want.
And last but not least ? be patient!
No matter how great your talent is, you should always be prepared for some struggle when developing your character. Don?t allow yourself to get discouraged if a certain feature doesn?t fit the way you would like or if your character does not quite convey the desired mood. Creating a character requires you to give life to a drawing and that is never a simple task.