Backgrounds are an important part of any image whether you design for print or the web. Being able to create original backgrounds quickly is important, but flexibility in design and use is also vital. In this tutorial we walk you through a very simple way to develop a background file that you can quickly rearrange and edit and reuse for any project that needs an edgy background.

Designing your own brochures online, while still a major task, is now very possible with what’s accessible through the WWW. Everything from stock photos, backgrounds, templates to fonts are available online, most are for free and some for just a minimal cost. And just as designing brochures online have become a less than daunting task these days, so is printing brochures with the wide selection of popular brochure printers online. Here are some websites we have gathered together to help you design professional looking brochures faster. Feel free to comment if you know of more helpful brochure designing resources.

How creative can you get with fonts and typography? Here is a short list of interesting illustrations made of text and different fonts. We appreciate your contributions if you’ve seen more fine works of typography art you can add to the list.

Typography is one of the most potent ways to connect with your customer, so be sure to pick the type that most closely conveys what you want your customer to feel when seeing your product, brand or company. Some of my favorite fonts that give off strong feelings are actually free fonts, which is always an added bonus! The first two give off an older, eerie feeling, like I’m looking into some deep secret from the past. Others, like Joe Hand 2, make me feel relaxed, as if I’m writing a letter to an old friend. All of these fonts can be used to give your marketing materials whatever feelings you want to convey to customers.