<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?><?xml-stylesheet href="http://www.blogger.com/styles/atom.css" type="text/css"?><feed xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom' xmlns:openSearch='http://a9.com/-/spec/opensearchrss/1.0/' xmlns:georss='http://www.georss.org/georss'><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3364892879550248486</id><updated>2009-11-02T17:44:43.538-08:00</updated><title type='text'>www.focuspocusdesign.com</title><subtitle type='html'>Blah about graphic design</subtitle><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3364892879550248486/posts/default'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://blog.focuspocusdesign.com/'/><link rel='hub' href='http://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/'/><link rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#feed' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://blog.focuspocusdesign.com/atom.xml'/><author><name>Focus Pocus Design</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09242641297780915772</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email></author><generator version='7.00' uri='http://www.blogger.com'>Blogger</generator><openSearch:totalResults>4</openSearch:totalResults><openSearch:startIndex>1</openSearch:startIndex><openSearch:itemsPerPage>25</openSearch:itemsPerPage><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3364892879550248486.post-8534252435700197263</id><published>2009-11-01T20:25:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2009-11-02T17:44:43.549-08:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='logo design process'/><title type='text'>Logo Design Process</title><content type='html'>Logo design is a touchy subject for designers. Most people do not understand the importance of a logo, and expect to pay $50 for a professional logo. Remember...you get what you pay for. I recommend new business to use a professional graphic designer. If you are serious about your business you want quality design. Do not use clip art, stock images, or such services that will deliver a logo within 24 hours. Find a designer who you trust, and look at their portfolio for logo samples.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I refuse to create any logo for $50. Creating a logo takes a good amount of time to brainstorm and execute. It can take any where from 24 to 40 hours to complete a logo. This includes collecting information about the market, company, etc. It also includes laying out a few good concepts for a client to choose from. And lastly, it includes numerous revisions until the final product meets the client's satisfaction.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Below is a list I've put together to show my very own logo design process. There were many steps involved which I did not record, but at the very least, it gives a glimpse on why a quality logo design is worth more than $50. It may look simple, but the entire process was about 36 hours from start to finish which included many sketches, concepts, and revisions.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://blog.focuspocusdesign.com/uploaded_images/logo_design_process.jpg"&gt;&lt;img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 375px; height: 825px;" src="http://blog.focuspocusdesign.com/uploaded_images/logo_design_process.jpg" alt="" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://blog.focuspocusdesign.com/blog/uploaded_images/logo_design_process.jpg"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3364892879550248486-8534252435700197263?l=blog.focuspocusdesign.com'/&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3364892879550248486/8534252435700197263/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://blog.focuspocusdesign.com/2009/11/logo-design-process.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3364892879550248486/posts/default/8534252435700197263'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3364892879550248486/posts/default/8534252435700197263'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://blog.focuspocusdesign.com/2009/11/logo-design-process.html' title='Logo Design Process'/><author><name>Focus Pocus Design</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09242641297780915772</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='16997840419059709603'/></author><thr:total xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3364892879550248486.post-3708481069357962487</id><published>2009-09-21T12:58:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2009-09-21T14:21:02.170-07:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Marketing'/><title type='text'>Car Magnet</title><content type='html'>&lt;a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://blog.focuspocusdesign.com/uploaded_images/car_magnet-781357.jpg"&gt;&lt;img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 199px;" src="http://blog.focuspocusdesign.com/uploaded_images/car_magnet-781340.jpg" alt="" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Postcards, newspaper ads, and the yellow pages not enough to market your business? How about trying car magnets. Think about it. You drive almost much everyday. With a car magnet you'll market your business effortlessly while driving to work, to the grocery store, or even as you're pumping gas. Think of all the potential clients you can attract while doing absolutely nothing! They're affordable and easy to use.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Planning a long distance road trip? It doesn't matter if you are using your own car, or a rental company's. Simply slap on your car magnet to the vehicle of your choice and be prepared to market your business for hours on end. Have some fun. Try it out and watch your clientele grow.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3364892879550248486-3708481069357962487?l=blog.focuspocusdesign.com'/&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3364892879550248486/3708481069357962487/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://blog.focuspocusdesign.com/2009/09/car-magnet.html#comment-form' title='1 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3364892879550248486/posts/default/3708481069357962487'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3364892879550248486/posts/default/3708481069357962487'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://blog.focuspocusdesign.com/2009/09/car-magnet.html' title='Car Magnet'/><author><name>Focus Pocus Design</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09242641297780915772</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='16997840419059709603'/></author><thr:total xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'>1</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3364892879550248486.post-3993089406160363897</id><published>2009-09-16T15:15:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2009-09-21T09:41:54.134-07:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Business Cards'/><title type='text'>IT'S ABOUT YOU</title><content type='html'>&lt;a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4Imxr2MDQLk/SrFuYXxz0iI/AAAAAAAAACQ/Z-wTkLzwO2I/s1600-h/business_card_set+copy.gif"&gt;&lt;img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 188px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4Imxr2MDQLk/SrFuYXxz0iI/AAAAAAAAACQ/Z-wTkLzwO2I/s320/business_card_set+copy.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382204394663301666" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;Business cards has come a long way. From a simple 2" x 3.5" plain white card to well crafted unconventional designs. I believe a business card is extremely vital for anyone who wants to be recognized. Of course anyone can have a business card with their name, address, number, etc...but only those who truly wish to stand out among the ordinary will be remembered.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;A business card can do more than to display your business name. With a correct creative approach it can show what your business is about and who it's target audience is. Some companies will ignore the fact that a well crafted business card could actually be fruitful for their business in the long run. As a business competing against hundreds of others it's best to have your card shine. If not it'll probably be tossed in with the rest of boring stack of cards.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Whether your business is selling cakes, walking dogs, or fixing computers...the perfect business card will say it all. Be sure to have your business cards with you at all times and give it to anyone you come in contact with. Follow the link below to look at some of the best and most creative business cards ever created. Be amazed. Be inspired.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.webdesignerdepot.com/2009/05/100-really-creative-business-cards/"&gt;100 (Really) Creative Business Cards&lt;/a&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3364892879550248486-3993089406160363897?l=blog.focuspocusdesign.com'/&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3364892879550248486/3993089406160363897/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://blog.focuspocusdesign.com/2009/09/its-about-you.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3364892879550248486/posts/default/3993089406160363897'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3364892879550248486/posts/default/3993089406160363897'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://blog.focuspocusdesign.com/2009/09/its-about-you.html' title='IT&apos;S ABOUT YOU'/><author><name>Focus Pocus Design</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09242641297780915772</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='16997840419059709603'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4Imxr2MDQLk/SrFuYXxz0iI/AAAAAAAAACQ/Z-wTkLzwO2I/s72-c/business_card_set+copy.gif' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3364892879550248486.post-3807760657660747004</id><published>2009-09-15T14:47:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2009-09-21T14:29:27.853-07:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Freelance'/><title type='text'>A POOR ECONOMY MOTIVATED BUSINESS</title><content type='html'>&lt;a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4Imxr2MDQLk/SrAX4xPYvuI/AAAAAAAAABA/F15eDbVkvA8/s1600-h/angry_red_face.jpg"&gt;&lt;img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 128px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4Imxr2MDQLk/SrAX4xPYvuI/AAAAAAAAABA/F15eDbVkvA8/s200/angry_red_face.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381827818765729506" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;Times have been hard in this poor economy and it's hurting most of us. As if being a designer isn't hard enough to make ends meet, it's even harder when people are trying to pay $10 total for print work, and $50 dollars for a website. To add on to this crisis, some companies are crazy enough to post an ad for a Graphic Designer...when they're actually looking for one candidate to be their Graphic/Web Designer, Marketing Director, Copywriter &amp;amp; Web Coder for $12/hr.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;After realizing the horrible truths of this poor economy, and the insulting offerings of $12/hr for a do it all Graphic Designer, I realized it was time to do what I've always wanted to do...and that was to start a freelance business. Leaving behind corporate America was hard to accept, but also a big relief. Now I am free to create, to lead, and to direct. The business is quite new, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;To the designers of the world. I hope you all the best, whether you're working for yourselves or for corporate. To those freelancers who are looking for work...don't settle for any less than what you're worth.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.focuspocusdesign.com/"&gt;&lt;img src="http://focuspocusdesign.com/images/fp_logo.png" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3364892879550248486-3807760657660747004?l=blog.focuspocusdesign.com'/&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3364892879550248486/3807760657660747004/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://blog.focuspocusdesign.com/2009/09/poor-economy-motivated-business.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3364892879550248486/posts/default/3807760657660747004'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3364892879550248486/posts/default/3807760657660747004'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://blog.focuspocusdesign.com/2009/09/poor-economy-motivated-business.html' title='A POOR ECONOMY MOTIVATED BUSINESS'/><author><name>Focus Pocus Design</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09242641297780915772</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='16997840419059709603'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4Imxr2MDQLk/SrAX4xPYvuI/AAAAAAAAABA/F15eDbVkvA8/s72-c/angry_red_face.jpg' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'>0</thr:total></entry></feed>
