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story 10 TED Talks on Creativity
Where do good ideas come from? Creativity, that elusive muse so hard to find at times. If only there was a way to jump-start stale - or non existent - ideas , many of us would get along with work much better - and faster! Oh, but there is, there are, actually. Since the creative block is more common than most people realize, we’ve curated 10 TED talks on creativity that will help you organize your thoughts, come up with new stuff, do some mental gymnastics, remove self-pressure stress and most likely help you break ground with that pesky project you can’t wrap your head around. Or so we hope, at any rate these 10 TED Talks on Creativity are easy to implement and fun to listen to: 1. Got a Wicked Problem? First, Tell Me How You Make Toast "If you want to communicate something visually, have between 5 and 13 nodes in your diagram." If that sounds like gibberish, allow us to share Tom Wujec'd wonderful TED talk on problem solving and how "collaborative visualization" -as he's dubbed it- helps individuals and organizations tackle really complex problems and come up with innovative solutions. Tom Wujec reveals a number of interesting findings by analyzing diagrams people draw of how they make toast, broken down into steps in a system. Even though it seems like a trivial exercise, these designs can help individuals and corporations address challenges in a creative way. 2. Play This Game to Come up With Original Ideas Shimpei Takahashi’s TED talk describes the Shiritori method to keep ideas flowing. If you want to play this game, all you need to do is to come up with a random word and then say another word that starts with the last letter of the previous word and so on. The more ideas you produce, the better brainstorming results you will have. Shimpei Takahashi is a Japanese toy developer who uses the Shiritori method whenever he has to deal with pressure, but needs to generate original ideas. As he states ¨ the greatest advantage of this method is the continuous flow of images¨. This technique can be used for any type of project, not just toy-design. He also suggests just finding or saying random words, not associated with the topic of your project or research to come up with creative connections. Watch the full concept here: 3. Taking Imagination Seriously Janet Echelman shares a truly inspiring story about the challenges she’s faced in the path to becoming an artist. She is now known for creating soft and voluptuous sculptures with powerful industrial materials in several cities around the world, however she did not set out to become a sculptor, she is not an engineer and was rejected from 7 different art schools. Her current projects began, almost by chance, in India where ordinary fishing nets appeared to her as art. Her talk, beyond speaking volumes about perseverance and patience, reminds us that if you can imagine it, you can make it. Even without proper training our tools, if you have will and determination, but we’ll let her tell you the rest. Janet Echelman said, ¨ I combine my sculptures with high-tech material and engineering to create voluptuous, billowing forms the scale of buildings.¨ A single, unique idea has lead her to experienced the most wonderful circumstances. All because she took imagination, seriously. 4. Where Does Creativity Hide? Amy Tan’s engaging talk focuses on the creative process from a writer’s point of view. The American-Chinese writer shares her personal experiences and research on how we create. For Tan, it is the questioning that drives creativity. Ask yourself why things happen? What are the influences? For her uncertainty is good, there are no complete answers, but you can definitely create something out of nothing. An 18 minute talk filled with whimsy and profound thoughts that sprinkled with humor will make you think and laugh. If you’re stuck on a project, take a walk and examine not the whys of the block, but the whys of the project’s existence. In the meantime, take a look at this worthwhile TED talk on creativity and where it hides: 5. 4 Lessons in Creativity How does Raku relate to the process of creativity? Hell, what is Raku? Short answer -it’s a traditional Japanese pottery technique. Long answer -watch this great TED Talk that explores how “Creativity grows out of everyday experiences” Julie Burstein a radio producer and writer of the book “Spark: How Creativity Works”, shares her views on how we can find creative balance between construction and destruction in the most mundane or life-changing things. 6. Your Elusive Creative Does Elizabeth Gilbert sound familiar to you? Probably! She’s the author of the best-selling book: “Eat, Pray, Love.” Gilbert, says that writers and creative people across all professions “have a reputation of being enormously unstable”, and while there is a lot of evidence to the fact (we’ll let her do the talk) there is also a great amount of pressure both from other people and ourselves when it comes to the creative process and the unknown outcome. She talks about creativity and how our perception of the creative process affects our interactions with it. Gilbert's warm TED talk discusses how creatives need to manage (self)pressure to create something “genius” Being afraid of the outcome can disable people and prevent them from their dreams or doing what they love. One of our favorites in the list and a must-watch! 7. Schools Kills Creativity “If you’re not prepared to be wrong, then you can’t be creative”. Ken Robinson, an author and educator, shares his brilliant ideas on creating an education system that cultivates creativity. Ken Robinson explains the key role creativity plays in childhood. In his talk, Robinson states that school should be the place that stimulates creativity, rather than the place it goes to die. His accurate remarks on how our school systems reward only a few subjects and disregards or discourages others, really hits home. Beyond discussing school systems (which may not appeal to those without children) his views, research and insight on intelligence and the creative mind are thought provoking for all. His humorous approach, not only makes the talk really funny and entertaining but highly interesting. (About 19 minutes long, but worth it!) 8.Creativity and Play Designer Tim Brown draws attention to the relationship between play and creativity. Tim’s interactive talk is clever, informative and funny. As the CEO of the design firm IDEO, Tim wanted to provide an environment where all people felt safe sharing their ideas, because as we grow older we become more concerned or afraid of our peer’s judgement and that hinders creative solutions. Playful exploration, playful building or “thinking with your hands” and role play are three ways to boost creative thinking in teams or individually. Brown gives the audience exercises you can try at home as well, we recommend watching this one on its own o a slow day. 9. How to Build Your Creative Confidence David Kelley is the founder of the legendary design firm IDEO. David Kelley began his TED talk by sharing the story of a friend in third grade who was working on a project and was shut down by a classmate. This situation is more common than we actually believe. Kelly thinks we should not divide the world into creative and non-creatives, like a “God given thing”. He shares stories from his own life and design career helping people to build confidence and let ideas fly. 10. Tales of Passion Author Isabel Allende discusses the feminine energy the world needs and two of the most important aspects in creativity: courage and passion. The famous author and 2006 Olympic flag bearer, rounds up our list with a talk that’s not meant for your mind, but for your heart. For Allende what matter most is the heart and “only a fearless and determined heart will get the gold medal.” Because creativity is nothing, if not -as another great writer, J.K. Rowling, put it- “the power to imagine better”. Work passionately towards your goals and you will likely make the world better for it, if we listen to Allende we may yet make it a good one. Don’t miss it: We hope this collection of TED talks was a great source to inspire and firestart your own creativity. Bookmark this post and come back to it later. TED talks are meant to spark conversation, so, please share your thoughts in the comments section below!
Aug 18, 2015 
image 10 Thoughtful Gifts for Hanukkah 2019 to Ensure a Smile
The Jewish Festival of Lights, Hanukkah is not about gift-giving. But who says, you cannot spend and shower gifts to your folks while you celebra...
Jan 2, 2020 
story 10 Times Cheap Sticker Printing is the Answer to Your Needs
You cannot deny the fact that presently the competition is fierce, whether it is online stores or a physical one. Whatever you sell, you need to be unique with your ideas and materials. With Thanksgiving and Blackfriday approaching in the next three to four months and the situation being worse due to Covid-19, the retailers are all slashing prices. Anyone can get lost amid such noise and showering discounts. So, how are you making sure to draw the attention of the customers and make some noise with your sale? It’s all about marketing your message in the right way, and cheap sticker printing is one of the best ways to answer your customer’s needs. Let’s check out the ways to use high-quality cheap sticker printing to answer the needs of the people. 1 – Use Cheap Sticker Printing as Super Signage Source For all the store owners, the in-store signage custom die-cut stickers ensure your customers know exactly where to search for the things they’re looking for. Whether you wish to highlight discounts, product types, or upcoming deals, round vinyl stickers in full color or the business card stickers are a great way to answer the needs of the customers and promote your brand. If you are wondering where you can print such stickers, any trusted printing company like 4OVER4.COM can be your ideal destination to print the right stuff. 2 – Love for Labels Next, you can use cheap stickers as business labels or to highlight a product discount. No wonder the popularity of custom labels and roll labels are increasing with each day. Popping a sticker onto the premium labels or just adding cheap sticker prints on the packaging attracts instant attention of the customers while they browse the products in your stores. The cheap stickers for business labels come in a range of shapes, sizes, and cuts. You just need to ensure they complement your product packaging and are bright in color for instant recognition or attention. 3 – Instant Fix for Sudden Plan Change with Cheap Sticker Printing Are you done with your flyers and business cards or pop up display printing but, a situation like Covid-19 comes up? It is obvious that you would like to change your promotional plans keeping the situation in mind. Isn’t it? To assure people that you care for them, or promote social distancing and the use of a mask every time people enter your store, you can easily use cheap custom stickers for Covid-19 . Source Are you wondering if the cost of your flyer printing will be a complete waste? Do not worry and just keep calm as printing custom stickers allows you to stick them on the blank space of your print flyers. Not just for such situations, cheap sticker printing with the right message helps to re-purpose your existing marketing material affordably. 4 – Stickers Printing for Social Shutout If you want to draw your customers' attention and wish to see them excited and enthusiastic about your sale, use the affordable and cheap sticker prints with a hashtag. You need to attach or stick them to your existing promotional packaging once the preview of your sale is out to see the results. Use the promotional hashtag stickers to share your newest collections and create a buzz for the people to shop like crazy on sale day. Make your stickers attractive by using bold typography and vibrant colors. Interactive stickers can also be created to connect with your customers. 5 – Logo Stickers for Final Flourish Small customization like logo stickers to seal the packet can be a great idea to answer your customers' needs when you deliver your product to your customers. Adding your website name or brand logo printed on the sticker to your package can quickly get your name out to your audiences. Whether you are using a plain packaging or a luxury finish packet, the personal touch with cheap sticker printing can make your customer happy and satisfied. Play with the shape of your brand stickers using custom die-cut options to make your brand stand out in the crowd. Source 6 – Cheap Sticker Printing for Sign Up Sheets Events and office parties can get hectic at times. The custom print stickers are a great way to beat the boredom. Get the reusable themed sign-up sheet stickers printed for your company as they help with team-building exercises, office outings, or potlucks. Custom sign-up stickers are also significant for teachers who have often to plan field trips and parties or school events. You can find a variety of materials for sign-up sheet stickers, and they can be used anywhere you want. Make them vibrant and bold as the customized bumper sticker signs are one of the best tools for grabbing attention and conveying your message to more people. You can easily display it in the common areas, which makes your event plan quick and simple. 7 – Mementos and Travel Logs Cheap StickerPrinting There is hardly anyone person who doesn't like to travel and create memories. People value experiencing new things and love to preserve memories in the form of albums. You all must be having your memories stored. What if you could display them and live every moment without having to turn over a dusty album on the shelf? 4OVER4 can turn your memories into high-resolution wall decals and murals for your office and home. They print it on a large scale and this helps in decorating desks, rooms, or office cubicles with amazing memories. Not just travel logs, it can be the quotes you love, motivating images or texts to inspire your employees. It can also be just a small token of appreciation stickers on the desk. Stickers are a great way to boost and brighten up your space. 8 – Cheap Sticker Printing for Wedding Announcements and Planning Source When it comes to wedding announcements, theme decorations, and wedding planning, custom print stickers can be used in several ways. Using stickers instead of traditional elements can make your wedding a cost-effective affair. Make your style unique and add creativity to your wedding preps with the help of customized cheap sticker printing decals and stickers. It can be “Save The Dates” for peeling and sticking multiple times for reminding the guests about your wedding date. You may use the custom size stickers for dressing up every table by designing it as individualized placeholders or keepsakes. Personalized game stickers or photo decals can be decorative and elegant additions to your wedding memories. 9 – Business Card Cheap Sticker Printing One of the essential items for promotion is business cards. Whether big or small businesses, you hand over a business card for promoting goodwill. It does not guarantee success for your business as people are often seen discarding it in the trash within an hour of receiving it. What if you can make your business card stick on shelves, laptops, cars, or refrigerators? The business card stickers let you achieve success in becoming a lasting fixture in your client’s world. 10 – Easy Navigation with Conference Badge Stickers Add a little bonus to the swag bag for your conference attendees with conference badge stickers. In trade shows and conferences, the crowd often makes it a challenge to find your way around. Printing the floor plan on the sticker conference badges with your brand logo can help the attendees get a better sense of direction. It can also help in promoting your brand successfully whenever the attendees move from a keynote to a break session. Conclusion With customizable, cheap sticker printing, you can affordably and efficiently promote your brand and meet your customers’ needs. 4OVER4.COM is a leading and trusted printing solution for all the people looking for custom printed cheap sticker printing online.
Jun 9, 2020 
story 10 Useful Tools to Enhance School Branding
As stated by Education Week , “Branding, which typically associated with the business world, is exactly what our schools need today!” Branding is not just a corporate term. In fact, schools are some of the most noticeable, memorable brands we see day in and day out. Seeing kids in their uniform on the street, the logos featured on those uniforms, the banners around school buildings, a car with a school bumper sticker driving around town – all of these are part of your brand, showcasing your school and instantly influencing people's' opinions of it. “Schools need to embrace the importance of their brand in their marketing effort to remain a viable choice in the future. This is especially true as growing competition from other schools requires that you effectively market your school. Parents are attracted to schools that represent excellence and a good brand should convey excellence” - Enrollment Catalyst . Branding Efforts 101: Promoting Your School As a school administrator, you are surely aware that school branding is essential for a range of reasons. Well-branded schools take advantage of better fundraising and recruitment, lend pride and accomplishment to alumni, while offering greater identity as well as advanced career opportunities for students. Whether you oversee an elementary school, a high school, a community college or even a university, you can highly benefit from great branding. The following lists ten of the most useful tools for effective school branding. 1. Notepads Perfect for note-taking, one-of-a-kid notepads come in handy when it comes to school branding. You can simply add your logo and school colors to your artwork. They are perfect to hand out during orientation, developing a sense of community with your school branding. They can even be sold via direct mail or in your school’s gift shop. How about fostering early school branding by taking notepads to high school career days? We offer hassle-free, cost-effective notepad printing services. Bookmarks What better way to get better brand recognition amongst your students than by giving or selling them custom bookmarks? From elementary to university, every student uses bookmarks, so don’t miss out on the opportunity to print high-visibility, low-cost branding tools for your organization. To increase attendance and boost revenues, be sure to add relevant dates, performance and athletic schedules, and other info to your bookmark design. We offer printed bookmarks available in two standard sizes and custom sizes. Calendars Selling branded calendars to alumni, students or parents to raise funds for your educational institution, whether it’s a college or school, will automatically get your brand displayed. They offer excellent school branding, regardless of use. Just print calendars featuring lovely images from your educational institution, its history, faculty members, famous students or the campus, performance arts and sports. We offer high-quality calendars with optional drill hole. Letterheads All school communications such as direct-mail letters should be sent in a professionally-designed and printed letterhead showcasing your school’s branding. In other words, the custom printed letterhead should bear your school style, logo and colors. This will make your business communications appear more official and formal as letterheads convey a vital first impression of any business . We offer letterheads in a range of paper types in quantities ranging from 50 - 100,000 prints. Envelopes If you’re printing branded letterheads, you’ll need custom envelopes to match. Envelopes featuring your school logo are more likely to be opened and their letters read by your target audience. Don’t forget branded return address labels and envelope seals! Available in a range of stocks, our printed envelopes dramatically boost brand exposure, adding a touch of color to stand out in the mailbox. Magnets Using custom magnets is a clever way to brand your school. Why is that so? They offer relevant information parents, alumni and students need in a convenient location – the fridge! Print sport’s team schedules, phone numbers, school dates and other info on magnets branded with your school colors and logo. Next, sell them in order to raise funds. This is an awesome way to increase your reach! We offer lightweight magnets with optional rounded corners. Window Clings Window clings are perfect for branding your educational institution on any window or glass surface, such as windows, homes, dorms, vehicles, mirrors and more. To show off school pride, sell custom window clings to students, parents, staff and alumni. How about using them as sponsorship giveaways to those businesses that financially support your organization? We offer full color 8 mil clear window clings in quantities ranging from 1 – 100 prints. Stickers Stickers are so versatile! They work like window clings but can be used on just about any surface. To boost your branding efforts, print custom stickers for specialized applications such as lockers, laptops, car bumpers, bicycle helmets, notebooks, smartphones and other unique items that match each and every one of your student’s lifestyle. We offer standard stickers, premium sticker, roll stickers and custom shaped roll stickers in a wide variety of sizes and shapes. Drink Coasters Custom printed drink coasters featuring your logo and school colors can serve as excellent fundraisers for your educational institution. For further branding opportunities, they should be available in school catalogs, student lounges, campus-owned diners as well as gift shops. Make sure to take advantage of local pizza places, pubs, bars or restaurants, to name a few. Banners Eye-catching banners showcasing your school colors and logo are a great addition to any school’s branding efforts. They are essential for promoting your organization and athletic teams. Just place school banners in prominent areas throughout your community and on-campus to demonstrate your education institution’s local involvement. We offer a wide array of banner printing services including indoor and outdoor banners. School Branding: The Bottom Line Keep in mind that you must make sure your school branding is consistent across your print marketing materials . Even if print is one of the most powerful branding mediums out there, you may additionally consider digital branding tools like your website, apps and whether or not these properly dictate school philosophy, student services and decision-making. A good brand is not just a logo - it’s a way of life. Ready to boost your educational institution’s brand visibility? Browse our website and take advantage of our state-of-the-art, affordable print services. What are you waiting for?
Sep 21, 2016 
image 10 Ways to Grow Your Business with Business Cards
The business cards are the primary resource leading to your successful business. It is a significant tool for business marketing. Today, every bu...
Jan 21, 2020 
image 10 Ways to Make your Print flyers Stand Out
No matter how big or small your company is, print flyers can be a great way to promote your business. You may consider flyer printing as an essen...
May 2, 2020 
story 10 Ways to Reduce Your Office Carbon Footprint
With Earth Day just around the corner, this blog post is all about calculating and reducing carbon footprint in the office. Even if some businesses have the resources to overhaul their workplaces into cutting-edge eco static offices, most companies don’t have the budget to do so. Instead, they have to try to green decades-old buildings with aging HVAC systems and drafty windows. Luckily, there is a wide array of long-term changes that your business can try in order to become more environmentally-friendly, without breaking the bank. After careful research, we’ve come up with a shortlist of ten simple ways that every business can implement, no matter the size, to reduce its office carbon footprint. Here’s a look: Tip 1: Calculate Your Current Carbon Consumption Hire an expert or get an emissions-conscious office manager to do the review to calculate your business ’ current carbon consumption. It’s extremely relevant to assess where your company currently stands for the sake of knowing how you can improve. Develop an appropriate strategy after you benchmark the number of greenhouse gases (GHG) generated. Tip 2: Use Online Tools to Calculate Your GHG Emissions If you live in the United States, there are several online tools available such as this awesome Office Carbon Footprint Tool to calculate your company’s greenhouse gas emissions associated with your activities, with no cost whatsoever. Tip 3: Give Your Workplace Simple Energy Upgrades These affordable energy upgrades can be simple tasks like upgrading your windows, investing in good blinds and shading, switching to energy-saving light bulbs as well as conducting maintenance on your office’s central heating system. Make sure to switch your old and ineffective incandescent light bulbs to LED bulbs to save your business both money and electricity. Tip 4: Meatless Mondays Even if somewhat controversial, Meatless Mondays can be really fun! With the right incentives, some healthy persuasion and great cooking, you are sure to get everybody on board. Meatless Mondays can perk everyone at the beginning of the week while reducing your emissions, and thus, protecting the environment. Don’t forget that “one day a week can make a world of difference.” You can make it a themed office activity at least once a month -or why not? every Monday of the month- and use it as an excuse to gather around the break room or conference room to experience some international cuisine and brainstorm about that week’s projects or the current state of affairs at the office. Meatless tacos or falafel sandwich anyone? We’ll be on the break room, getting creative. Here are some free resources for you to start. Tip 5: Unplug and Turn Off Try to implement energy saving modes on all monitors and computers and get employees into the habit of turning everything off at the end of each day. Make sure all of your office equipment, lights, microwaves and kettles are turned off before you leave. Unplug at the wall and turn them off as electrical equipment often siphons power when they’re in standby mode. Even though it seems awfully tedious, this simple task helps reduce your energy bills and consumption by a significant amount. For some equipment this will simply not be possible, so that little kettle timeout, actually helps. Set your computers to “energy saver” mode during the work day as this saves a lots of energy as well. Tip 6: Let Employees Telecommute This can be tough for bosses who like to give pep talks face-to-face, but letting employees telecommute is a clever way of reducing your carbon footprint. In addition, most staff members love the idea. Thanks to powerful home computers, high-speed broadband, virtual office software and services like Skype, it’s now easier than ever to work remotely. It would be wise to give each of your staff members one day per month to telecommute as the amount of emissions saved from fewer cars is a great way to enhance your business’ carbon footprint. They will probably do some at-home work at the same time, but one day a month can be something you both look forward to: they get to get up later that day, there’s less consumption around the office and they can take care of things that are simple to do from anywhere - hold them accountable! Give them deliverable items for the next day and you won’t see a slide in productivity, we’re ready to bet you might make it a by-weekly thing. Tip 7: Adjust Your Office Thermostat Keep in mind that you can’t set your office thermostat too high or too low. Just install one of those programmable models to turn off the air conditioning or heat whenever the employees have gone to their homes. Amazingly, this quick fix that saves you money and reduces your office carbon footprint is a common oversight in most offices. Tip 8: Recycle and Reuse Did you know that offices are the largest consumers of paper worldwide? According to a study, the average office employee in the United States uses a 4 ft. stack of paper in one year- that’s a lot of trees! If you want to dramatically reduce your office carbon footprint, use recycled paper for all your business’ paper needs as it requires 64% less energy than making paper from virgin wood. Make sure to use double sided print outs at all times. If offices throughout America would do likewise, they might save an equivalent of 15 million trees. Finally, don’t forget to pull out the recycling box and let your employees fill it up day in and day out. Tip 9: Go For Green Printing Companies Now that you’re recycling and reusing at your workplace, it’s time to make sure that you go for a green printing company for all of your online digital and offset printing requirements. There a many printing companies available online that are absolutely committed to the environment by using recycled paper and environmentally-friendly practices. Browse online and pick the one that perfectly suits your business and budget. Tip 10: Create a Timetable of Your Company’s Progress Make sure that your company is consistently reducing its carbon footprint and staying on track by measuring its progress. Using the benchmark report you took at the beginning, you can create a timetabled plan of what is being changed and the amount of energy you look forward to saving versus the amount that is actually being saved. Last but not least, modify your strategy accordingly. We hope this blog post comes in handy. Ready to start reducing your office carbon footprint? You can start by using our broad range of green printing services that use recycled eco-friendly paper and state-of-the-art soy-based inks.
Apr 21, 2015 
story 10 Web and Print Design Trends You Should Know About Today
In the past, intricate designs dominated the market, from flash heavy landing pages to double exposure on pictures, used to be the most requested trends for web and print designs. But now... well things are changing... 1. Typeface Only Designs This is an amazing way to enhance your text, using cursive, artsy, handwritten or sketched typography; it's usually accompanied by solid colors on the back that drive all attention to the type. Most graphic designers will know about this trend, but as a business owner you may want to consider asking your designer for some type-only samples or your next design. They make great labels and stickers. 2. Flat Design This is the most popular trend so far in 2014, we can see it everywhere from apps, web design, print designs, operative systems to logos. It has successfully replaced skeuomorphism (that's ok it took us 3 times to get that word right!), and it consists in representing objects in the simplest way possible, with no adornments or extra fuzz. This means no 3D, textures, elaborated patterns, shadows or basically, anything that creates a distraction from the image per se. 3. Image Only Designs This trend is the opposite of type design, it only focuses on the image as the center of the design, with very little, to no text included. The most common use for this is nature books and sites, fashion and advertising for very recognizable and prestigious brands, that allow to play with the image because potential customers and readers won't need text to know what it is about. 4. Full Page Type Lockups This type of graphic design, helps organizing a lot of subheadings, text blocks and information in many spaces, with different types, shapes and colors for a more comprehensive reading. Not to be confused with infographics because those are data-consumption instruments, that facilitate communicating complex notions with words and graphics. This trend is ideal for flyers, brochures, infographics and has even been seen on book covers. 5. White Space The use of white space is not new but it is getting more attention lately, in print mediums it's most effective for flyers, posters, menus and all sorts of print promo materials with a flat "face". It highlights the content, letting the background as minimally as in the blank. 6. 3D Printing Now that this technology is available, will become increasingly far more accessible, but meanwhile, we're seeing amazing stuff around the web that has been printed using one of these amazing machines. The process consists in creating a digital model and the printer translates this into a 3D model of your design, with the use of several layers of material in different shapes. 7. Parallax Scrolling Image Taken from the site https://www.cabletv.com/the-walking-dead Even though, this web design style was created some time ago, it's making its way into the mainstream in 2014. This trend consists in creating the optical illusion of depth, when moving two or more objects at the same time with different speeds. 8. Die- Cut Shapes and Textures -The Ultimate Customization Method! Die-cut and laser cut shapes in print mixed with papers that offer a texture different from the usual, are very used these days. These techniques are currently very "In" for invitation printing, product labeling and branding. We've recently launched custom shape roll labels which are die-cut into anything you can imagine! 9. Luxury Printing Graphic design can be taken to the next level using printing techniques and materials that add a luxurious feeling to all types of products. This trend can be appreciated in spot UV or metallic foil finishes on business cards, the use of silk laminated papers and other materials on top of book covers and magazines with transparencies to enhance or add special claims and titles, also in metallic papers for printing. 10. Geometric Shapes and Vintage Mixed Vintage effects, colors and types mixed with geometric shapes in web design, make a great pair. Think of 60's geometric patterns in clothes, but translated to the web, and using elements from other eras to create something unique that gives that vintage feeling without exclusively representing one period in time. Which of these design trends do you like the most for your business ? Are you using any of them in your current projects?
Jun 16, 2014 
image 10 World Kindness Day Postcard Ideas You’ll Want to Print
Can random acts of kindness give us something in return? Studies have shown that we feel happier when we perform acts of kindness – for our stu...
Nov 13, 2017 
image 12 Creative Print Products for Unique Subscription Boxes
As a subscription box business owner, you are surely aware that packaging is one of your greatest tools. Your packaging can excite the senses, in...
Jan 11, 2017 
story 13 Friday 13 Posters To Celebrate the Most Infamous Day Of All
The spookiest day of the week has arrived! And no, we’re not talking about Monday. We’re talking about the most dreaded coincidence for some: Friday 13th! Some people go as far as avoiding going out of the house on this date. We don’t know if you believe in superstitions but… let’s maybe not walk under staircases just in case . To commemorate this mysterious date, we went on Behance.net to bring you our Top 13 of Friday 13th inspired posters : Remembering the most famous assassin in pop culture and star of the Friday 13th series: Jason Voorhees. What are Custom Posters? Custom posters are like big, colorful pictures that you can design however you want! Imagine you have a big piece of paper and you can draw or put any picture or words on it that you like. Custom size posters like mounted posters are just like that, but they're made with special printers on a bigger scale. So, you can have an amazing poster of your favorite superhero, your pet, or even your name in cool designs! It's a fun way to decorate your room just the way you like it! 1. Luca Zavattini’s illustration of Jason Luca Zavattini is a talented graphic designer known for his stunning movie posters, including his illustration of Jason. The poster was created in a style reminiscent of Art Nouveau and Art Deco, with a bold color palette and striking typography. Zavattini's poster is a modern take on classic film posters, influenced by the International Typographic Style and the work of designers like Leonetto Cappiello and Alexey Rodchenko. This poster is typical of Zavattini's signature style, which combines elements of poster art with a contemporary twist. His work has been featured in designer blogs showcasing the best poster designs of all time, alongside classics like Metropolis and Moulin Rouge. Zavattini's series of poster design inspiration ranges from teaser posters to prolific posters, each featuring a unique typeface and color palette. His poster for a march captures the essence of the event with a simple yet powerful design, reminiscent of Rosie the Riveter. Zavattini's work is often compared to that of designers like Armin Hofmann and Shepard Fairey, known for their classic posters and monochrome color schemes. 2. A representation of visual effects by Martin Ekwe 3. A cartoonish take on the world’s most famous assassin by Michael Anderson Graphic designer Michael Anderson created a modern poster in a bold and cartoonish style that pays homage to some of the most iconic images in the design world. The poster was designed as part of a series that parodies famous event posters, including Shepard Fairey's poster of Barack Obama. Anderson's poster that's inspired by the famous Lord Kitchener recruitment poster from the late 19th century incorporates elements of futurism and art nouveau artists like Alexander Rodchenko and Heinz Schulz-Neudamm. Anderson's design wasn't the first to play with the idea of parodying famous posters in recent years, but it became famous for its unique take on the subject. In his designer blog, Anderson dives into the stories behind some of the most famous advertising posters and event posters, exploring how they have influenced modern art and design as we know it today. One of the key elements of Anderson's design is the use of white space, which is a common technique used by great artists like Rodchenko and Schulz-Neudamm. This technique became particularly popular during the Great Depression of the 1930s, as artists sought to create eye-catching and memorable posters despite limited resources. 4. A Marathon Poster by Michael Angove 5. Jason’s playful side by Nache Ramos Jason’s playful side shines through in his graphic design work, especially in his poster series. His bold, eye-catching posters are not only visually stunning but also carry powerful messages. Some have even become one of the most iconic posters of all time. For his first poster, Jason broke away from his usual strict design style and based the design on the classic movie Back to the Future. He sourced images from Getty Images and used them in a creative way to create a series of prints that were both playful and thought-provoking. One of his most famous works was a bold poster he created to recruit soldiers for the British nuclear disarmament movement. The poster depicted a great white shark with the slogan "Join the march from Trafalgar Square to the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment at Aldermaston." This poster was later displayed at the Museum of Modern Art, cementing Jason's reputation as a talented designer. 6. Poster Printing turned interior decor by Constantine Georgiadis 7. A Band Homage by Alejandro Diaz In his homage to the iconic recruitment poster designed by German graphic artist Heinz Schulz-Neudamm, Alejandro Diaz created this poster earlier in 2018. Diaz, along with his design duo at the creative agency, was inspired by the Russian Constructivist Alexander Rodchenko and the post-modern design of the Works Projects Administration. The striking design shows Lord Kitchener with the bold text "Your Country Needs You", designed to boost recruitment during the end of the 19th century. Using the lithographic printing process and sans serif typefaces, Diaz's design solution captures the essence of the original poster while adding a contemporary twist. 8. Bad Breath? Jason by Giannis Chatzichristou 9. Movie Inspired Poster by Kristian Llana 10. Even famous assassins accessorize…. with a… Panda? by Nicolas Castro Even famous assassins accessorize…. with a Panda? by Nicolas Castro takes centre stage in the world of art with its unique and striking but clear communication. The artwork features Lord Kitchener, the father of modern propaganda, who was first to create iconic posters used to recruit soldiers. The piece combines elements of the Art Nouveau style with a touch of Che Guevara, seamlessly blending historical figures in an unexpected way. The image of Rosie the Riveter was designed to symbolize female empowerment and strength, similar to the message conveyed by the panda in this artwork. It's a thought-provoking piece that challenges traditional notions of symbolism and representation, much like the ever-evolving landscape of the Google privacy policy. 11. Chuck Norris’ impact sees no occupational boundaries by Jose Saenz 12. Who would’ve known Jason was such a Hello Kitty fan? by Francisco Del Valle Francisco Del Valle's revelation about Jason's unexpected love for Hello Kitty took everyone by surprise. Jason, known for his tough exterior and love for action movies, was now exposed as a secret collector of all things Hello Kitty. His office desk was adorned with Hello Kitty plushies and stationary, and his phone case even had the iconic character on it. His colleagues couldn't believe their eyes when they saw Jason proudly displaying his Hello Kitty merchandise. Despite the initial shock, everyone couldn't help but find Jason's passion endearing. It just goes to show that you can't judge a book by its cover, or a person by their tough exterior. Who knew that behind the tough facade, Jason was just a big Hello Kitty enthusiast? 13. Stay in School Kids! Just… Stay in School… by Maria Helena Alonso Happy Friday 13th!!! Do you have any illustrations you would like to share with us? Make your comments below! If you’re interested in learning more about poster printing or custom T-shirt printing for your exclusive designs visit 4over4.com for the best prices and turnarounds online ;). Design and Print out some pretty custom poster from our poster templates . Creativity will always yield great results, so don't let traditions stop you. Use a postcard creatively and you will definitely love the results! See more ideas about direct mail postcard designs that can boost your creativity. FAQs Q: What is the significance of the 13 Friday in poster design? A: 13 Friday is a collection of 13 famous poster designs that celebrate the most infamous day of all, Friday the 13th. Q: What types of poster designs are featured in the 13 Friday collection? A: The collection includes various types of poster designs such as modern posters, film posters, classic posters, and post-modern designs. Q: Which famous figures are featured in the 13 Friday poster designs? A: The collection features posters of iconic figures like Barack Obama, Lord Kitchener, Rosie the Riveter, and Che Guevara. Q: Who are some of the renowned artists behind the poster designs in the 13 Friday collection? A: Artists such as Leonetto Cappiello, Shepard Fairey, and designers inspired by Moulin Rouge have contributed to the 13 Friday collection. Q: What character or theme is prominent in the 13 Friday collection? A: Rosie the Riveter, known for her iconic "We Can Do It!" poster, is a central character in the designs, symbolizing empowerment and strength. Q: How does the 13 Friday collection showcase the evolution of poster art? A: The collection showcases a diverse range of design solutions, from classic to post-modern styles, highlighting the evolution of poster art over time. Q: Are there any posters inspired by historical events or pop culture references in the 13 Friday collection? A: Yes, some posters in the collection pay homage to historical events like Lord Kitchener's recruitment poster and pop culture references like "Back to the Future."
Dec 13, 2013 
story 13 Wine Labels to WOW: from Party Favors to Executive Business Affairs
Anything can be made into a party decoration or souvenir nowadays, from special shaped cookies to charity donations! But recently, customized wine bottles with special labels are the go-to "In" party favor to give to guests, and the best way for them to remember where that bottle came from is using wine labels to personalize them according to your theme, logo, or color scheme. That's why we decided to show you some of the best examples that we found around the web of amazing wine labels, so you can get some inspiration and ideas on how to use them for your own party. 1. Table Numbers Party Favors If you're looking for a creative way to let everyone know in which table they're supposed to be sitting at, using a personalized wine label that serves both as table numbers for guests and party favors, is a great way to let them find out. It combines the favor and seating card into one printed item! 2. Photo Memories Using photographs to create personalized wine labels makes a great party favor for weddings, birthdays and special celebrations. This type of label is something that your guests will probably save and even display at their homes to remember that day. Rather than just the photo, this added touch will make the event itself even more memorable. 3. Baby Shower Favors Just because you can't drink when you're pregnant doesn't mean that your baby shower has to be alcohol free. Use the sex of the baby as an excuse to make pink or blue labels to give as favors to your attendants. 4. Cartoon Designs To make your party a hit you can hire an experienced cartoonist or a graphic designer that specializes in this discipline, to draw you and your partner as a couple, or even your guests for a more unique approach on your wine labels. 5. Bridal Shower Themes Let your wild side out for the last time before saying "I Do," and give your girl friends wine bottles with labels to commemorate the last days as a single gal. Using fun patterns and vibrant colors are sure to create a great atmosphere. 6. Mini Bottles These party favors are ideal not only for weddings, but they can also be a great complement for office celebrations or corporate events, when you need to give a small present to each one of your employees. You can also include your corporate logo to give it a professional look. 7. Anniversary Favors If you want to celebrate all those years with your couple or maybe an important birthday, you can opt to give wine bottles as party favors and use labels to commemorate that special occasion. Using darker and sleeker designs give it an overall more elegant look. 8. Save the Date This design is ideal for save the dates messages, rehearsal dinner favors and wedding favors. Include your wedding theme in the design to give it that personal touch. 9. Birthday Bash Favors It's not a birthday bash until several corks pop out. Give your friends a little something extra to keep the party on, with original birthday wine bottles labeled with style. 10. Holiday Presents Instead of sending the usual plain greeting cards, you can send some wine bottles to friends and relatives with personalized messages according to each season or holiday. Think Christmas, Thanksgiving and any other special occasion, where you can use wine labels to decorate bottles and give as presents and spread your love message at the same time. 11. Just Married The easiest way to create some wedding favors is by adding some "Just Married" wine labels, you won't need any further information and they're simple and elegant. The design you choose can easily also reflect the style of your wedding to come. 12. Bridesmaids Request What better way is there to pop the question to your bridesmaids to be than with a wine bottle that can start the celebration with once they accept. 13. Bachelorette Party Celebrate with style that you're about to become a wife with classy party favors. Are you planning a party? What do you think of using wine labels to make them match the theme of your celebration and give away to your guests? Let us know in the comment section.
Mar 12, 2014